Arrow Socks Completed

I finished the Arrow socks for my friend Meredith on Monday. I just got around to taking pics of them.

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Cast On:

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Completed:

Monday, August 25 2008

Pattern:

Arrow Socks (ravelry link)

From Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch

Made for:

My friend Meredith

Size:

10 3/4" ankles, but 9" at ball of foot

Needles:

Knitpicks Options & Harmony US 1 1/2 / 2.5 mm needles

Done 2 socks on 2 circs

Yarn:

Base yarn -

Cosmic Fibers Bamboo Sock

1 skeins = 385.0 yards (352.0m)

Purchased at Dharmafey's Cosmic Fibers - http://cosmicfibersyarn.etsy.com

Colorway -

Chocolates - dyed by me, not Dharmahey

The challenging part of these socks was that my friend's ball of the foot is 1 3/4" narrower than her ankle. Luckily she pointed out she has wide ankles. Otherwise I wouldn't have measured them and the socks wouldn't have had a prayer of fitting. I am still hoping they will fit her well. I see her tonight and will give her to her.

Cast on 80 sts. I am hopeful they will stretch enough for her ankles and calves. *crosses fingers*

I decreased after the gusset to get the foot more narrow. But I didn't want to lose the pattern on the top of the foot. So the bottom is less stitches than the top. I think it worked out alright. It wasn't such a huge difference. So she won't be stepping on the pattern. I think it will be okay.

It is definitely harder making socks for someone else. When I make them for myself, I can try them on and make sure they fit properly. But with someone else, you just have to hope the measurements are good and that it all works out.

The yarn is a bamboo/superwash wool/nylon blend that I dyed myself. Meredith wanted browns & black so that is what I did for her. I actually really like the way the yarn looks. It isn't my colors but I like it.

The pattern isn't too complex, just long (16 rows). Rows 1, 3 & 5 are just knitting. 2, 4, 6 are different. Then 7-16 alternate rows. It became easier to remember most lines of the pattern which helped. But I still needed to have it by my side while knitting it. I know a lot of people memorize far more complex repeats. I am just not one of them it seems.

I feel like these socks took longer than they should have. I suspect part of that was I started them while in the midst of the Tour de Fleece. That took a lot of my knitting time. I did finish them before the end of August. So they are done for the July Sock Knitters Anonymous KAL (you have two months for any KAL).

Of course now I am wondering what to cast on next. Hmmm. I was really learning towards doing something with the Scout's Swag Soctoberfest colorway I got from Silvercat. It has some orange in it which would be nice to wear around Halloween.

Though this morning I was working on plying the superwash wool I spun. So I am debating knitting socks with that instead. I am doing my first 3-ply. So I suspect they are house socks, not outside socks. The yarn is pretty thick for socks. They should be a quick knit.

I also have the other batch of bamboo/superwash wool/nylon blend yarn that I dyed . I really like the colors. Dark and moody. I am leaning towards doing those in the Zombie sock pattern. Unfortunately for non-Ravelry, it only seems to be available as a Ravelry download.

The September KAL is either orange socks or a Cookie A. pattern. I could do another Cookie pattern, but I just don't think that is what I want to do with the yarns I want to use next.

Of course I am also thinking I really should cast on a sweater already! I keep saying I will and avoiding it. Part of it is that I lost the alpaca sweater I started. But part is because I fear I will never actually finish an adult sized sweater! *chuckle*

Decisions decisions... Whee!

Schaefer Lola Socks

Here are my Lola socks. They are my first pair of toe up socks. I got the Schaefer Lola yarn at Rhinebeck. I love it. But I wanted to make sure I used all of it so I am trying the toe-up method.

Yarn:
Schaefer Lola
http://www.schaeferyarn.com/

Needles:
Two US #5 circulars
Knitpicks Options & Boyd

Pattern:
I am not using a specific pattern.

I am using the as a guide.

Lola Socks Top - In Progress
Originally uploaded by akkasha

The toe is done with Judy's Magic Cast-On. Cat Bordhi has a great video on YouTube with how to do it. The voices are *very* silly. But it did teach me how to do it.

I took the numbers from the Knitty Universal Toe Up sock recipe which I put into a spreadsheet with the recipe on a second page so I can use the numbers again easily.

I am doing a garter rib on the top which will carry up to the leg. Took that from Sensational Knitted Socks. So in a way, it is becoming a Frankenpattern! *grin*

Lola Socks Heel - In Progress - Side View
Originally uploaded by akkasha

I decided to try the short row heel that doesn't require twisting & wraps. I found this tutorial with videos & pics. Though I have been struggling a lot with it. I ripped one heel out three times before it looked close to correct. I ripped the second heel out twice before deciding it was close enough for now. Not ideal honestly.

I have taken a pic of the first sock heel. Tried to get close up.

Lola Socks Heel - In Progress
Originally uploaded by akkasha

Love the yarn! It is knitting up so fast. I did 6" of the foot in the first 48 hours. This is after spending a lot of time learning Judy's Magic Cast-On and frogging the toe once after it didn't go right the first time. It is also super cushy and soft. I know I will have to get more of it.

I am really enjoying toe up. It may be my new method for socks most of the time. I like that I can know how much yarn I have left for the cuff. I can just keep knitting til I am going to run out.

Thing is, I think I need to either get some help with the heel or try another method. It hasn't been easy with this method for me. I am not sure if I haven't been doing it too loosely somehow. Maybe I should go down a needle size or something. I really don't know. I keep getting holes. But then I wonder if it isn't similar to my first socks. I thought the holes along the edge where huge. But they weren't. They don't even show up! I am not sure...

Ah well. I have to get some exercise in today. So I best get to it! The day is whizzing by!

Second Socks Pics

I finished these last Friday. Nearly a week ago. I really meant to take pics sooner. But I couldn't resist wearing them the day after I finished them. Seemed bad form to photograph dirty socks! *chuckle*

They are made out of Panda Cotton Jet Black yarn. It is 55% bamboo, 24% cotton, 21% elastic nylon. Has nice give and feels good. I am wearing them again today. And they are even softer after the washing. Hooray.

The pattern is 4-stitch elongated corded rib from Sensational Knitted Socks.

I know it is hard to see them as they are black. So a lot of the detail gets lost. But the pattern is pretty and was very simple to do. It is a 4 stitch pattern with 8 repeats and only 3 of the rows were actually different. It was mostly a 2 x 2 rib with 2 rows that were different.

I did learn how challenging it is to rip stitches with a pattern like that though. I had to go back when I did a row of the foot wrong. I think that there is an area when it can be seen if you look super close. But I don't think anyone is getting that close to my feet! *laugh*

I have to say, I love the 2 socks on 2 circular sock method.

But I also have to say, do not expect Sensational Knitted Socks to do any hand holding. If not for the wonderful Cybersocks tutorial, I would have never finished these at all. Though the beauty of it is that now that I have done it once, I understand how to tweak the regular patterns for the 2 circ method.

And the best part?! No second sock syndrome. Woohoo! I am a happy girl.