Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Christmas socks

These socks were a Christmas gift to one of my step-daughters. She has such an eclectic nature so the colour was perfect. Collinette Jitterbug in Jewel colourway. What a gorgeous yarn to knit with. Although I didn't swatch and used needles that were too big so whilst the socks turned out perhaps larger than normal, I did make sure I did the length for her little feet so she was over the moon.

The colour in the photograph doesn't do justice to the vibrancy of the yarn in real life. I used Anastasia pattern, which is a toe up pattern, but I'm not ready for that kind of challenge so I did it top down and reversed the pattern. Clever chicky aren't I?

Photobucket

My blog is Pins & Needles. Thanks for looking. :-)

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Gentlemen's socks


More finished socks for Xmas
Gentleman's Sock with Lozenge Pattern from Vintage Socks in Jitterbug by Collinette. Not quite enough to do the whole sock so I had an angle via Ravelry send me another ball - not quite matching the toes don't look that bad at all in the slight contrast - and Sock Victim does love them. These were a complete labour of love I started them got beyond the heel and he tried them on - they were 1" to wide - so I frogged and started again. Second go got beyond heel and didn't change the number of heel stitches - so had to frogged the the leg. Third time lucky and we had success.

The second pair under the tree was a Noro alternate end of ball stripe. Toe up construction short row heel - a real winner.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Spunky Spotlight Socks



Finally finished - a pair of socks for my husband. This yarn was a blinking nightmare. I guess you reap what you sow - it was $4.00 from Spotlight. Splitty, sticky and tangly. Anyway, the socks look good!

Sunday, December 28, 2008

First socks of the season





I have finally knitted some socks (albiet baby ones)! I have been very slack with sock knitting this season - but I was given Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters for Christmas. Hence I have knitted the Little Sky Socks, in Cleckheaton Merino Bambino (so soft!!) Luckily my friend is due to give birth in a few weeks, so there will be a little person to wear them.

I have knitted socks before (adult ones) but I am trying to discipline myself to actually follow the steps in Bordhi's book. The Little Sky Socks are the first practise socks in there, and demonstrate her model of placing the increase/decreases on any place on the sock (hope that makes sense - read her book!) I am glad I bothered to knit them, because she offers some really useful advice along the way - eg. for the first time, I learnt how to conceal the wraps used in short rows. Also, I discovered (to my shame) that I have been doing some basic things wrong for years - eg. my ssk was all wrong. So, whilst the result does not look like much, the learning has been significant!!

Happy (sock) knitting - and happy New Year!

Melinda

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Finished Two Pairs

Hope everyone is having a great holiday!

I finally finished the Soy Socks I started last year:
Soy Sock
These are knitted in Tofutsies on 2mm needles. I plan to get a better picture when they reach their intended recipient.

Pair 2 is from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways book -- Sky Master Sock:
Sunny Sky
These are inspired by Bartholomew's Tantalizing Sock pattern, but not quite so involved. Knitted in Online Supersocke 100 Cotton on 2.5mm needles.

Have a great holiday. I'm flying overseas on Boxing Day and hope to finish another pair of socks while I'm gone.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Second Pair of socks

Technically finished on Sunday night, but I figure better late than never!

I made these for my Nan and they worked out perfectly.

Details
Pattern:Monkeys by Cookie A
Yarn:is of German origin (Rico Design Knit-Kit) the colours are blues and cream and a hint of purple
Needles: 2.5mm dpns

More details over at my blog

Monday, December 15, 2008

My 1st Pair .....

..... not for this year but for this KAL. My goal for this summer is to knit socks of my own design & here they are ....
This is actually my 3rd design as I started designing my own socks a couple of months ago. This pair is specially designed for Gosia who loves cables. Gosia is the Lady-In-Charge of one of the libraries that host our knitting groups. She has been such a great supporter of our group & has become a great friend to many of us. As Gosia is leaving for a family holiday to Poland, I knew that she will appreciate a pair of warm socks in her favorite color.
Read more of this design on my blog.
Ann

Sunday, December 14, 2008

And the socks were hung ...

on the tree. Seemed like a good idea at the time and it brightens up a dismal day but maybe the sun will shine later. We haven't seen it for a couple of days. The rain is good to have though.

These are my second and third pair of finished socks for SSoS. The top pair are my Wollmeise Socks knitted with Indischrot Wollmeise and the second pair was my first attempt at Magic Loop. The Magic Loop pair turned out quite well. The yarn used is Colinette Jitterbug in the Jewel colourway. I'm going to give Magic Loop another go at some stage. Once I got used to pulling and pushing the stitches around the needles it was very easy but I still enjoy using DPNs as I enjoy being able to go round without too much fuss.

So that's three down and three to go to meet my challenge of more than 5 pairs. I still have two pairs on the needles but they're still in the first sock stage.

purplevelvet

Friday, December 12, 2008

I laugh in the face of toe up socks!

I laugh in the face of toe up socks. I sneer in the jaws of crochet provisional cast ons. I spit in the eye of short row toes. I scoff in the maw of short row heels.



Presenting the Leyburn Sock, which has broken down my absolute terror of the toe up sock. Seen here in Sundara Sock Cerulean Sea.

Friday, December 5, 2008

The Mullet: Yes or No?

The mullet has made a comeback in my household.

Fortunately, on my husband's feet, not his head.
Read more about 'em here

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Ta da! Or closure on the Spiral Boot Socks

Finally! After casting on during the last SoSS, the Spiral Boots Socks are done!



After a long hiberation, here is my version of the Spiral Boot Socks in Cherry Tree Hill Foxy Lady. I used one skein per sock, which really shows. While both skeins are from the same dye lot, one is way more saturated than the other. The darker one is clearly a Foxy Lady on her way out for a good time, and the paler one is the Foxy Lady the morning after.

Monday, December 1, 2008

First socks of summer

Socks for xmas, as requested by my northern hemisphere sister. Plain vanilla pattern, a la Yarn Harlot, in lovely hand dyed wool by Happy Spider.

Fingers crossed that sister doesn't read this blog (although I think I may have given her a hint over on nettiesknits).

snap

I finished a pair of socks and its more Monkey magic - aren't they pretty?



The details are: pattern Monkey by Cookie
made with local Happy Spider hand dyed sock yarn in colourway clematis
knitted with 2.25 dpns - they were meant to be 2.5s but I didn't have any and the yarn was more like a 5 ply so I thought it would be OK. It is fine - a little snug for me but will be fine for who they are for.