So Close Yet So Far!

My lunch-time knitting seems to be progressing at a glacial pace but really I know that I’m so close!

  
I’m past the heel lifeline and four stripes into the leg ribbing on my Maple Vanilla socks. My internal goal is to get one stripe worked in the ribbing each work day. I think I need 13 total so I should be able to knock that out. I just keep reminding myself that a few stitches here and there really do add up!

Happy knitting!!

FO Friday: Rainbow Vanilla Socks

Another pair of socks for the drawer!

  
My rainbow vanilla socks are finished! I started out not loving these but they grew on me. My only regret now is that I wish I had tightened up the ribbing. I feel a bit like these might slouch, time will tell.

  
Pattern: My own toe up 70 stitch vanilla sock with afterthought heel

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Handpaints in County Fair

Needles: US 1s

  

Cold Snap

We have had some unseasonably awesome cool weather here in Kansas. It feels amazing! But unfortunately no one told the facilities department in my new building. It’s 60 degrees outside and the AC is running full blast. Not to mention I wore sandals today. Never fear, knitting to the rescue!

  
I pulled my purse knitting out and put on my one complete sock. My maple vanillas may not be done but at least one foot is warm. I seriously have been switching back and forth to warm my tootsies. Guess this just means I need to knit faster!!

Happy Kniting!

Always Have A Backup

Yeaterday at lunch I pulled out my Vanilla Maple socks and saw this….

  
A dropped stitch that had laddered at least eight rows down. Now I’m at work with just my project bag and no tool kit. I had also had a terrible morning and was in need of some knitting therapy. I was grumpy because I didn’t want to rip back to the drop I just wanted to ladder it back up but had to wait till I had access to my tiny crochet hook. I was going to be very unhappy with nothing for my hands to do…

Then I remembered my Squirrel like nature and ran to the car for my “car” knitting as a backup. Day saved! And I have since fixed the dropped stitch and stashed a crochet hook and tapestry needle in my project bag. I learned my lesson….always have extra tools. And if all else fails, have a backup project!

Happy Knitting!

Onward Second Socks

The chaos of a 9 month old Jellybean who is teething combined with changing jobs has left me with very little knitting bandwidth. Hence my crazy vanilla sock mojo. I’ve managed to cast off the first sock of a couple pair of WIP socks!

Vanilla Maple socks
   

Checkerboard Socks 

   

I kind of tired of both of them and cast off before using up all the yarn as I usually do. They have 5-6 inch legs instead of 7-8 that I can usually get out of my skeins. But they still fit and are perfectly functional socks.

I made sure to cast on both second socks so as not to fall victim to SSS (second sock syndrome). I’m already done with the toe of the checkerboard socks but still working on the increases on the vanilla maples. I’m ready for these to be done and move on to other smooshy yarn!

Happy Knitting

 

What’s On My Needles #10

One vanilla rainbow is in the books!

  
The colors have grown on me. And the sock fits like a dream. The yarn made a  nice dense fabric that should be warm this winter. I just wish more of the rainbow had popped. It does peek out here and there.

 The heel…  
The toe…. 

I’ll give more stats on this sock once I finish this second. I’m just too tired from chasing jellybean these days. Excuses, excuses I know. I can tell I’m already going to have lots of leftovers, lol. Here is the start of the second sock.

  
Happy knitting!

More Heels Please!

More afterthought heels please!

 
I’ve put the afterthought heel into my first Vanilla Maple. I was chuffed to get the heel inserted exactly between two stripes. The colors didn’t fall in order but doesn’t bother me one bit. It’s beautiful and I adore the tiny orange bit (I think it looks like a smile peeking out)!

  
These socks are just so pretty and deliciously addicting!

Happy Knitting!!

Muddy Rainbow

My sock mojo continues with my Vanilla Rainbows.

 I was really excited about this yarn in the skein. It’s Knit Picks Stroll hand-painted in county fair. It’s a yarn with very short color repeats of rainbow colors. So short in fact that in my standard 70 stitch sock the colors get a bit muddy in my opinion. I don’t hate it but it’s not as “pretty” as the skein. They will still make lovely warm socks.
These are going crazy fast as I’m doing straight vanilla stockinette. The afterthought heel is in and I’m cruising. This sock lives in the car right now for the daily commute with the hubby.

What’s your favorite car knitting?

Vanilla Maple For The Win

After a lot of thinking and possibly flipping a coin the winner is…….vanilla maple socks!

  
I’ve knit and inserted scrap yarn for my afterthought heel. I also decided to do a 2×2 rib for the leg. This sock is on US 0s with 74 stitches total (I normally work 68/70 stitches on US 1s). I was trying to get my normal sock gauge with this Felici that feels a bit finer than other color ways I’ve worked with. So I hedged my bets and went with a ribbed leg that would be more forgiving and hug my leg without falling down.

I’m totally loving these stripes! They are kind of addicting….

Happy knitting!

Checkerboard Update

I’ve made some tiny progress on my Checkerboard Socks.

  
I’m a HUGE fan of working the afterthought heel as soon as I have enough leg. I work with yarn from my second ball or the other end of the skein. I make sure to weigh the yarn to keep track of how much I used. This way I know how much to leave for the second one. But this is just my quirk about using all of the yarn of my toe up socks. My sock leftovers tend to be TINY or just enough to darn/repair later.

Now I just need to decide how long to make the leg before starting the cuff ribbing. Then of course start the second sock, lol!

Happy knitting