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

  

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!

Maple Vanilla or Vanilla Maple

I can’t decide…

   
After my Geeky FO last week I’ve decided to cast on some straight vanilla socks. I pulled the maple leaves Felici out of the stash (that you all so graciously voted for) and got to work. I can’t however decide what to call them. They are just full of mapley goodness.

I am wanting a denser sock so I’ve gone down to US 0s and a total of 76 stitches. My gauge should put this in the right fit. Time will tell! Worst case scenario…I rip back and try again.

  
Chloe is helping with this one 😀! Now what to call them…..vanilla maples or maple vanillas???

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Geek Socks

Here they are in all their geeky glory!

  

Pattern: Geek Socks by Wei S. Leong

Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in Lighthouse

Needles: US 1 8 inch circular

Size: 72 stitches

  
My Geek socks were 50% done last we chatted. I put my try hard pants on and packed this project for a recent road trip. With three solid days of knitting in between chasing Jellybean I finished sock #2.

  
My geeks are fraternal rather than identical and I love them! I didn’t follow the pattern exactly. The patternwas written cuff down and I modified it for toe up with an afterthought heel. I just used the pattern chart and adapted it to fit my basic vanilla type sock construction.

I highly recommend this pattern. Just make sure to mind your floats! I had to relax and let the yarn relax on my floats so as not to knit a tiny tight tube, lol.

Now I need to cast on more socks! Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Husband Socks

The Husband Socks are done!

 
Pattern: my own 3×1 ribbed improvisation 

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll in Merlot

Needles: US 1

Size: 80 stitch sock for a men’s size 13 foot (at my tension)

  

These socks took forever! But that is the course you take when knitting for big feet. I made this up as I went (from the toe up). I wasn’t very happy with the cuffs. But they are….okay. They fit my husband and only used 75% of the two skeins. If nothing else I know now how to better knit for my husbands foot. The yarn (although very dark) is lovely to work with. These just didn’t get my knitting mojo going so I’m glad they are done.

On to more socks! Happy knitting!