Tag Archives: socks

Into Hibernation: Part One

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The Down Cellar Studio Pigskin Party KAL is here and sadly WIPs don’t count. I tried like the dickens to finish up all my WIPs before the knit-a-long started but alas I was not successful. So a few of my projects are going to have to go into hibernation.

First up is my, Strands of Drunken Watermelon socks….

As you can see I finished the first sock. I think it looks beautiful with this combination of yarn and pattern. I was feeling the time crunch and really just wanted to be done so I worked the pattern a few time for the leg and added the cuff. I’m usually disappointed when I make decisions like these. But I think the sock fits great and it’s really an okay length. And I only had a small ball of yarn left…I promise.

The sock has 72 stitches which is big even for my size 9/10 US feet. But the slipped stitch fabric really pulls in and tightens up the sock. The gusset heel also fits nicely around my big girl feet. I haven’t tried a short row heel yet but the gusset heel fits the best out of all the others I have tried so far.

I did cast on and establish the pattern for sock number two before putting these into hibernation. Well hibernation might be an overstatement. These went back into my desk drawer for “back up emergency conference call and webinar knitting”. They will probably get worked on here and there but won’t receive any concerted focus until after the KAL ends.

Happy Knitting!!

Cuff Decision

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I had been working my Vacation Vanilla Socks from a single wound skein. Normally I split my yarn into two equal cakes for matching socks so I don’t have to guess or measure during the knitting. I was far enough with the first sock that I weighed and pulled out enough yarn to get half and then cut.


I had a quite a large ball of yarn left to finish this first sock. I kept going up the leg and ball didn’t shrink much. I’m at decision point….keep going up the leg or start the cuff.


I need to measure with a ruler. My eyeballs say “that’s far enough” but arguably they aren’t always reliable, lol. I hate making decisions when I feel the pull of “just get this project done”. This project needs to percolate a bit I think.

Happy Knitting!!

So Easy To Get Offcourse

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My Strands of Drunken Watermelon have a very easy slip stitch pattern. And now I’m working the pattern all the way around the sock. So it’s easy to get off course.


The slipped stitches are worked worked with the yarn held in front. And the bars created in this process are offset/alternated by two stitches every other pattern row (if that makes any sense). This is not captivating TV show or late night knitting. I lose the ability to count to two and my bars go all wonky. I tried working on this late into the evening Labor Day weekend and I ended up tinking more than I knit.

Lesson learned…

Now The Drunken Watermelon Leg

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The heel is turned on my Strands of Drunken Watermelon socks!


I did go with the toe-up gusset heel. I may have started it a tad bit later than I should have. The foot length looks loooong. The slightly more objective tape measure versus just eyeballing it assures me the foot is just slightly over 9 inches. Which should be fine. Should be…

For now I’m just going to admire my heel. Plus now I get to work the pattern all the way around. One less marker to fuss with!

Happy Knitting!!

Ps. How awesome is Miss Babs Hot shot!?!?

A Little Pulling

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My Strands of Drunken Watermelon socks are still living in my desk. The foot now measures 7 inches. The pattern said to insert your favorite short row heel. But A) I converted these to toe-up and B) I don’t know any short row heels for toe up off the top of my head. I briefly flirted with short row heel patterns on Ravelry but ultimately I couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger. I just decided to work a standard toe up gusset heel. I can continue the pattern over the top of the foot and do my increases in stockinette in the bottom. My brain knows how to do that so that’s what I’m doing.


The progress keeper shows my process since last I blogged about these. You may also noticed (as I did only just now) that the slipped stitch patterning is pulling the fabric on that half of the sock.


The designer warned in the pattern to work the sole tightly and the top loosely. I sincerely tried. I’m not *too* worried as the slip stitch fabric stretches nicely when pulled. I’m hoping a nice aggressive blocking arranges that. Regardless they will be perfectly serviceable socks even if the front is shorter than the back.

Happy Knitting!!

Ps. Jellybean is still on his sleep rebellion. This time thanks to growing pains. I’m really tired so apologies for any nonsensical errors in the above post 🤤

Up The Leg

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My Vacation Vanilla Socks saw a little more progress thanks to a trip to IKEA. Jellybean got a big boy twin bed that doubles as a tent/secret hideout. God bless the swedes….here’s hoping we can sleep sometime soon!


I’ve turned the heel and started up the leg. I can’t get enough of these speckles! I had been working from one large cake of yarn. I broke out the scale to weigh the ball and split the yarn into two equal amounts. This way I can maximize the yarn in these socks. Now I’m just going to knit leg and cuff until I run out of yarn.


Don’t you just love the happy triangle that a gusset heel makes!?

Happy Knitting!

The First Heel

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My Vacation Vanilla Socks have reached the heel of the first sock.


This speckled yarn has been a soothing project. I love watching the blips of colors pop up. I’m doing a standard gusset heel as it fits me well.  I must admit I only add a few stitches to this sock at at time but it’s growing despite my best efforts. 

Happy Knitting!!

An Inch of Progress

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My desk project aka my Strands of Drunken Watermelon socks have grown slightly.


My progress keeper really does help me with observe the slightly more than glacial progress on these socks. I’m getting my head around reading this knitting and easily finding my place as I pick this up and put it down. As for the yarn, this yarn doesn’t disappoint. But Miss Babs rarely disappoints!!

Happy Knitting!

Playground Knitting

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Jellybean is currently in a…..lets just call it sleep rebellion. And only mommy is allowed to “help” him. So pardon me while I down my second coffee because I’ve been up since 4 am.

We have been spending a lot of time in parks to help him run off his toddler wiggles. And I’ve taken my knitting! God bless Erin Lane bags and their handy snap feature….


I had my Vacation Vanilla Socks clipped right to my belt loop and knit while Jellybean performed play yard acrobatics that made me cringe and smile. I guess this way we both have a little creative time!

Happy Knitting!!

Downpour Progress

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I prepped my Downpour Socks awhile back. Well, I finally cast them on during my Colorado vacation. I managed to get both cuffs done in between family outings.


I tried to manage the yarn so they would match. I am close but not quite on the money. But it’s totally close enough for me! I put these aside until I can carve out a few minutes of alone time to count and get both set up rows down and marked. Toddlers/husbands plus counting don’t really go well together!

Happy Knitting!!