I finished my socks. Actually, this is old news. I finished them two weeks ago. I knitted these using "David's Toe-Up Sock Cookbook" pattern. This pattern is more like a recipe that helps you custom-make socks that fit your feet. It is availabe as a free down-load on Ravelry. The yarn is Crazy Zauberball in Tropical Fish, that I won from Yarn, Glorious Yarn! I knitted the yarn half-way for the first sock and then used the rest for the other sock. I love the way the colours almost match up, but still are quirkily different.
I'm in love with my new socks. They are way more cosy and warm than any other socks I own. I am a bit of a slow knitter though, and cannot see myself actually being able to keep up with my own sock needs. I'm thinking I'd be wearing them out quicker than I could knit another pair.
I finally finished my sock on Friday night. Yes, that's right, sock. Singular. I still have to knit the other one.
The pattern is available free from Ravelry. It's David's Toe-Up Sock Cookbook, and it's great because it allows you to make a sock according to your own measurements. You measure the length of your foot and around the widest part of your foot. You also do a tension swatch to see how many stitches per inch. From this you do a few calculations and fill in the blanks in the pattern. Hey presto, a pattern tailored for your foot.
I cast on following Judy's Magic Cast On as recommended in the instructions. It's a very clever and neat technique. The video demonstrates this technique with one set of circulars using the Magic Loop method, which suits me as that is the method I wanted to use. There is a tail, that needs to be woven in at the end, but I think when I do the other sock, I will knit it into the sock along with the working yarn. I must confess that I just remembered now that I haven't yet woven that end in. It's on the inside of the sock though, so no-one can see it. Oops!
For the increases, I just worked into the front and back of the stitches I was increasing on. There is another method suggested that is supposed to be neater, but with the busy yarn I was using, I felt there wasn't going to be much difference, and it looks fine. If I were to knit with a plainer yarn, I pobably would try the other method.
When I did the short rows for the heels, I could really see the difference in my tension between purl and knit. At the very beginning of constructing the sock, when David tells you to do the swatch, he says to knit it in the round, but doesn't actually say why. When you knit in the round, all your stitches are knit stitches. When you knit back and forth, to get stocking stitch, one row is plain, then the other purl. Since they are different stitches they have different tensions. I can really see the difference in the heel. My tension here is way tighter than the rest of the sock. I guess I am more relaxed knitting plain?
I made a bit of a boo-boo at the top of the heel flap. One side of the sock worked perfectly, the other not so much. Of course, I took the picture above with the bad side showing. You might notice the little hole? Right at the top of the yellow strip below the ankle? The other side is perfect :D Hopefully I will get both sides right when I knit the other sock.
To make my sock more exciting than just stocking stitch, I worked the top of the foot and the leg in a kind of rib. Three plain, one purl. I basically then kept going until I was half way through the yarn. I used my kitchen scales to check it the weight of the ball periodically, and then, when I was close I just unwound the amount I had left until I was half way. I will just knit the other sock to match. If you do it this way, it is a good idea to weigh the yarn before you start. My ball actually weighed 103g. I made sure that my leftover ball weighed 53g. I started the rib at the top of the sock when it weighed 57g. I should theoretically have about 3g left over when I am done. Better than running out and ending up with one sock shorter than the other!
For casting off, I used this method, sort of. I'm not sure if you are supposed to just do it in knit or purl, but I did it matching my knit, purl, knit, purl rib. I found the knit stitches a little tricky to be honest. David mentions a tubular cast off, I might try that on my next pair of socks. (Ummm... once I know what that is) The cast off I used is nice and stretchy, and looks fine though.
Overall, I am pretty happy with my sock. The only issue is that the sock has no shaping above the ankle. It is a little tight over my calves. It fits ok, but could be a little looser. I would recommend that if you intend to make a longer sock, unless you have nice, skinny legs,(lucky you), then you might want to do a bit of increasing part way up the leg. I wasn't really sure about how to do this without messing up my stitch pattern.
I have passed the heal on my first sock. (More details here) My plan is to knit them as far as 50g of yarn will get me, so I have enough for a second sock of the same size. The yarn is beautiful, it is certainly a contrast to the grey wintery skies outside today. It is my most colourful knitting project to date, and maybe the brightest socks I will have owned since I was seven? I mostly stick with black and navy, so this is pretty out-there for me. Fun to knit, though.
What's happening in your Creative Space this week? Are you knitting? Sewing? Something else? Would you wear hand-knitted or brightly coloured (or both) socks? See what everyone else is doing, over here.
You might remember a few weeks ago, I won a voucher from Yarn, Glorious Yarn. I was a bit over-whelmed by all the pretty yarn, but eventually, I decided what to get - four balls of Schoppelwolle Zauberball. I was really tempted by some Tilli Tomas Disco Lights, but I really can't see myself wearing sequins anytime soon, so I gave it a miss. My plans are to knit a pair of socks, and a wrap, and then decide what to do with the rest of the yarn after that.
Zauberball - Flair
Zauberball - Stone-washed
Crazy Zauberball - Tropical Fish
Crazy Zauberball - der Lenz
I have started knitting a test swatch, using some tropical fish, so that I can get started on "David's Toe-Up Sock Cookbook", available as a free download on Ravelry. This pattern is a "recipe" for toe-up socks with any yarn, to fit any foot. I need to work out my gauge before I get started.
Having never knitted socks before, this is all new to me. Did you know that you can knit two socks at once using two sets of circular needles? It is said to combat "Second-sock-syndrome". Have you knitted socks before? Do you have any advice for me? Do you prefer to knit toe-up, or top down? One at a time or two at once? Do you have a favourite sock pattern? Do you knit them for yourself, or for other people?
Check out what everyone else is doing in their Creative Spaces this week.
