Tag Archives: toe up

Cast On: Toe Up Socks With A Difference

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In addition to my ongoing PigskinParty KAL I have heard in the podcast-verse that a couple new KALs are popping up in January. The first is the Self Indulgent KAL with the Yarniacs and then the New Year New Ewe KAL with the Actually Knitting podcast. I figured I would cast on something special that would hit all three. My solution? The Toe-Up Socks with a Difference by Wendy D Johnson. They are a Pigskin Party sponsor, they are a new to me technique of the gusset on the bottom heel for the New Year New Ewe KAL, and the yarn is a golden skein I have been hoarding in my stash for the Self Indulgent KAL. Best of all…..these will be all mine!

I was off to a great start during nap time the other day. Until I noticed a problem….ladders on my toe increases. The designer recommends using a knit front and back increase which I failed spectacularly at. See….

So I turned that attempt into this….

I went with my old standby of the lifted left and right increases. Much better…

Now I’ve switched to my nine inch circs and I’m plowing up the foot!

Happy Knitting!!

Halfway Happy Valley

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My Happy Valley socks are halfway there! (Don’t mind the dog hair…no matter how I clean it sticks to everything, sigh)

I’m copying the stitch count and measure from my Cygnus Vanillas with the exception that I’m working a gusset heel instead of an afterthought heel.

The yarn is Knit Picks Hawthorne Sport in the Happy Valley color. It’s playing quite nicely with my stitch count. I didn’t encounter any pooling or flashing, just some mild striping!

It actually went up farther than I anticipated based on how fast my yarn ball was shrinking, but not as far as my typical socks. But these are so lovely I’m just rolling with it. I used all but three yards of half of the ball…if that makes sense. I knit until I was scared I didn’t have enough to bind off and then stopped!

Now I need to get cracking on sock #2!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Cygnus Vanilla Socks

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Guess what I finished on Christmas Day? The Cygnus Vanilla Socks are done!

Pattern: 60 stitch toe-up vanilla socks with afterthought heel

Yarn: String Theory Orbit in the Cygnus color

Needles: US 2

I used 98 grams of the 100 gram skein leaving just enough leftover for future sock mending. They are snuggly and warm and boy, do those stripes just POP! String Theory Colorworks is definitely one of my favorite dyers!

These are also special because these are my 2016 birthday socks. I got the yarn from my husband and cast them on for my birthday cast on project. Bonus points for finishing them Christmas Day 🙂

Happy Knitting!!

Cygnus Vanilla Update

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I admit all the focus on my Mighty Rainbow Blanket has made me yearn for other projects. And with my wrist being sore I needed a lighter project than my super heavy blanket. I’m sooo close to done so I indulged myself a little and pulled out my Cygnus Vanilla socks!


I pulled the yarn from the other end of the cake and installed the afterthought heel. After lots of trial and error I’ve found a formula of sorts for my heel. Instead of straight knit one round and decrease one round combo I have found a combination of multiple knit rows to a single decrease row that adds depth to the heel for a better fit. I’ll try to put notes in my Rav project for those with inquiring minds.

For now I’m off to finish the leg of this sock. With sport weight yarn it shouldn’t take much!!

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Mutatis Mutanois Socks

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My shortie Mutatis Mutanois Socks are finally a FO!

Pattern: Toe Up Vanilla Sock over 68 stitches with gusset heel

Yarn: Nerd Girl Yarns Bounce and Stomp in the Mutatis Mutanois colorway

Needle: US 1 9 inch circ

I usually have pretty good sock mojo, but something about these just made them drag on and on for me. A feeling that ultimately made me make then into shorties. I found that decision very freeing and satisfying!

I used 203 yards or 50 grams of the yarn. So I have a pretty generous amount of leftovers to use on another project. I could have stood to make the ribbing a tid bit longer. As they sit now they are more like a no-show sock than an anklet. I can’t decide if that bothers me or not. But I guess if it annoys me I can always undo the bind-off and knit more with the leftovers!

P.S. These puppies scored me 21 points in the Down Cellar Studio Pigskin Party KAL ❤

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Bali Vanilla Socks

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My Bali Vanilla socks are done and done!!

These are a toe-up vanilla sock over 68 stitches with a gusset heel. I used my very first and only skein of Hedgehog Fibers Sock in the Bali colorway. I made these with  size 1 US needles as I do with most of my socks. I used 328 yards or 75 grams of the skein.

The fit is beautiful and the colors just hit me right in the feels. If I were to confess…I do have a soft spot for jewel tone blues. That is my color comfort zone. I do have to give a shout out to Jellybean’s Grandpa because without his babysitting, these socks would not be done!

And bonus, these socks earned me 28 points in the Down Cellar Studio’s Pigskin Party KAL 2016! Last I looked I’m up over 1,000 points. I must keep knitting!!! Only two more months (give or take) to keep playing!

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Cygnus Vanilla Socks

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Boy do I love sport weight yarn! After all the fingering weight all the time this just flies off my needles. And it amazes me every time even though it’s basic physics that larger yarn makes bigger stitches, ergo more fabric faster.

My birthday socks have a foot! I am making these to match the dimensions of my Black Body Radiation socks and so far so good. The ripcord for the afterthought heel is installed and I’m cruising up the leg. Did I mention how much I love this yarn? The colors of String Theory Colorworks just pop and all those pinks and purples are just tickling my knitterly heart.

Happy Knitting!

Must Knit Faster

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I’m IN LOVE with this color of Hedgehog Fibers sock yarn. My Bali socks are soooo close to being done. This blue is just so rich and reminds me of a tropical holiday. I periodically put on the first sock to admire it ❤️

I’m in the final stretch of the second leg. Then it’s just ribbing and cast off! Between the holidays and recent personal events I’ve had a lot of stress to deal with. Knitting is my rock and my meditation, I literally would be lost without it. Having said that the product knitter in me just wants these socks on my feet RIGHT NOW! So I guess I need to knit faster ☺️

Happy Knitting!

Another Sock HO

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I know it’s supposed to be Finished Friday, but I have a turkey hangover and post holiday food coma. Happy Belated Thanksgiving to all! So today all I have is a HO (half finished object)


My Mutatis Mutanois socks had been languishing at the bottom of my bag. I know I have a lot of WIPs going but I usually happily bounce between all of them. I just didn’t  feel a draw towards these. The foot of sock number one was almost done. I decided life was to short to knit what doesn’t inspire so these socks became shorties. And viola the motivation to work on them reappeared!


I worked a gusset heel for toe up socks (from Wendy D Johnson’s free pattern) and did some a little rubbing before casting off. They could stand to be slightly taller but they stay up just fine as is. I did get some minor color pooling in the gusset but I’m not too fussy about such things.


The sock fits well so I’m powering through sock #2! I’m hoping the long holiday weekend in the US will afford me some extra Knitting time!

Happy Knitting!!