Category Archives: Socks

Sock Repair!

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I wore my Very Berry Vanilla Socks to work the other day with a pair of snuggly boots during our first snow this winter season.

I thought the heels felt a little small so I took them off to investigate what I should have done differently….and then I saw it….a dropped stitch laddering it’s way down. See it there? In the pink stripe in the middle of the sock?
 Well I pulled out my mending card for this pair and found a darning needle and a crochet hook! I laddered the stitch back up and used a spare piece of yarn to catch it. You can see my spare yarn below before I pulled it tight.

Then I just wove in the ends on the inside and my socks are ready to ride again!

I admit I feel a bit smart for fixing these pair and know exactly where my supplies were. We shall see how this system maintains itself over the years, lol!

Happy Knitting!

Go Patriots! Socks

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After some success with my husband’s Heritage Vanilla Socks I decided to start a second pair for him without finishing the first pair.  I pulled the Berry Colorful Yarning Pats color way from my 2016 Sock Experiment and got to work!

  I’ve divided and wound the yarn into tw cakes. This will be a 72 stitch vanilla socks on size US 2 nine inch circs with a 60% afterthought heel. The hubby requested tighter running around the ankle so I may take the ribbed cuff down to 68 stitches to see how he likes that.

As I wound this yarn I was also careful to make each ball start with in same portion of the stripes. This way these babies will match. I lost a tiny bit of yardage due to this. After consulting the hubby we decided on contrasting heels and toes to make up the difference. He chose some Serenity Sock weight by Deborah Norville from my stash…in black. Not my choice but these are his socks, lol.

   
This project also helps me with my 2015 Pigskin Party KAL points total. I get bonus points for using a KAL sponsor product! Now I just have to get these knit before the super bowl…

Happy Knitting!

The 2016 Sock Yarn Experiment 

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I’ve reached that stage in life’s where I don’t need a lot of “stuff” in my life. Which makes Christmas and birthdays hard for those wishing to get me gifts. And lovely as my family is they aren’t initiated into the knitting obsession as I am and aren’t comfortable buying supplies for me. Therefor this year I got gift cards and straight up cash to spend on my knitting anyway I wished.

If you have been reading this blog for anytime at all you are aware of my current sock obsession. I listen to a lot of podcasts and read a ton of blogs that feed my yarny sock obsession and tempt me with fantastic indie dyed yarns. From this my plot was hatched….why not a 2016 sock yarn experiment? 

I made a spreadsheet m of all the sock yarn and dyers that I’ve heard about. Then I hit the Internet and priced out each kind, the fiber content, and colors available. I wanted to get a nice variety and try as many new yarns as possible. Based on my budget and the post Christmas sales I was able to grab these yarns (prepare to drool):

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
I am probably insane and this is a tremendous amount of yarn. Who knows how long it will take me to get through. But I’m high on yarn fumes and right now I don’t care! I hope I have done a bit of yarn enabling as well!

Happy Knitting!

A Plan For Husband Socks

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My previous attempt at Husband Socks were a little lackluster. My hubby has size a 12/13 US shoe size. His foot is literally 11 inches long so that’s a LOT of tiny stitches. I’ve thus far not been very excited about knitting for his tootsies. But he’s been quietly hinting that he’d like warm socks. So I put my big girl pants on and made a new plan!

Thicker yarn + bigger needles = faster socks

  
I had some Cascade Heritage Prints in my stash that is a heavier fingering weight. And I pulled out my size 2 US 9″ inch circs from my birthday.

These are toe up vanillas with 72 stitches on the US 2s. These are flying!! The sharp points of the Hiya Hiya needles really help I’m finding. The pic above is just a couple of hours of leisurely car knitting. Fingers crossed these will keep flying along because it would be a great jumpstart to my 2016 Wishlist!

Happy Knitting and Happy New Year!!

WIP Wednesday: Flying North Socks

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My Flying North Socks have plugged right along. Sock number one is complete!

  
These have been very soothing knitting for my sad heart of late. I’m almost done with sock number two.  

I’ve just the ribbed cuff and afterthought heel left to complete. So just a couple of evenings and these will be done! Then I can bank more points for the 2015 Pigskin Party with Down Cellar studio.

The yarn isn’t the softest but is making a nice sturdy fabric. I’m hoping these make hard wearing socks! Also I’ve done a 60% afterthought heel instead of 50% and I think that is providing a better fit. Final judgment on that to come later…

Happy Knitting!

Merry Christmas to All

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I must have been a very good girl this year!

   
 
Size 9 US glass needles with rose tips from Knitting Dharma.

  
Knitty Sock 2 by Two Windows Dye Company in a semi-solid purple color. This is a new to me dyer from my home state of Kansas!

And last but not least

  
The Joy of Socks by Linda Kopp! And the best part my mother-in-law did this all without even asking for a hint!

All jokes aside, I wish everyone a safe and merry Christmas. I’m off to go watch the magic of Christmas through my toddlers eyes! Knitting can wait because babies do not ❤️ 

Happy Knitting and Merry Christmas!

Another FO: Wool Free Vanilla Socks

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The FO’s are are going to be coming hard and fast this week. I feel like i’m finishing right and left these days. Of course that is what happens when you have a million things on the needles at once and the attention span of a squirrel. Eventually you get a lot done!

Today’s winner…..my Wool Free Vanilla Socks

Pattern: My own vanilla 68 stitch toe up vanilla sock with 50% afterthought heel

Yarn:  Premier Yarns Wool Free Sock Stripes

Needles: US 1s

I had an utter failure in checking the dye lots at the time of purchase. I guess I was high on yarn fumes and the call of the clearance bin was too much. I’m in love with the brighter sock and not as in love with the duller sock. But the bright side is that my Aunt saw these being knit and remarked on how much she loved them. I guess a certain someone is going to get an extra special birthday present!

Now I need to grab more sock yarn to fill my needles….I need another pair of auto pilot knitting vanilla socks!

Happy Knitting!!

Stress Socks

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Here in the Midwest we had a rather dicey Thanksgiving with rain/sleet/ice. I was away at the inlaws. And though lovely people they are, I was ready to go home after three days. The weather was still dicey but we struck out for home on Saturday!

I had my Flying North socks in the car. So with my husband at the wheel I manned my needles. I stress knit across the watery icy roads. We had a couple of tense moments but made it home safely.  I managed two inches and an afterthought heel.

  
My gauge might have been a wee bit tighter in the most recent section but progress is progress!

  
I do so love this simple pattern and the yarn is a knitters dream. (It’s Plucky Feet by the Plucky Knitter.) I can’t wait for them to be on my feet!

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Wool Free Vanilla Socks

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Yay for self striping yarn!

  
My Wool Free Vanilla Socks are swimming along. I did have a run in with yarn “barf” coming from my center pull ball. (Aka a tangled mess of yarn from the middle of my ball.) I tried in vein to untangle the mess but alas I had to resort to cutting….sigh

  
The cutting meant I was disrupting the stripe pattern. I salvaged as far as I could and knit till I ran out of yarn without messing up the order. Those two tiny balls are the remainder of the skein. It’s still a proper sock but shorter than I had planned. 

To soothe my soul I started sock #2 and after a few inches I noticed this…..

  
Two drastically different dye lots! The second is much more muted and I do so love the first sock. I’m still forging ahead as the color difference won’t affect how warm they are. This is what I get for not checking the dye lots of the sale bin, lol.

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Neon Vanilla Socks

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Another 24 points for #dcspigskinparty2015! My Neons are done and looking fine!!

  
Pattern: My own 68 stitch vanilla toe up sock with afterthought heel

Yarn: Flourmania Color

Needles: US 1s

  
These turned out a bit snug. I’m not sure if they will be kept for my sock drawer or gift. On one side the colors definitely make me happy. But on the flip side I have another skein of flourmania in the stash so I could try again. Decisions decisions….

  
But for now I’m just going to look at and pet the pretties!

Happy Knitting!