Baby Socks

I finished these baby socks for a friend (had started them here in september). The baby shower was on Saturday, and baby is due mid-January. I used a leftover yarn that I can't remember the name of, but I'm pretty sure it's cotton. These will be perfect for spring/summer. It's probably hard to tell, but the foot is about 4.5" long.

If you have a Ravelry account, you can see my project page here. Otherwise, the details are that I used the On Your Toes sock pattern by Ann Budd, from the Summer 2007 IK magazine. Unknown yarn, size 1 bamboo needles, 40st count for foot and calf. Very fast socks, and I'm happy with the pattern, except for the sewn bind off at the top. Any other sock-knitters have a better method?

I've been working on some Jaywalker socks for my mom. I wanted to give them to her for Christmas. If you are a Ravelry member, you can see my project page here. Anyway, this is what happened on Saturday.
They were TOO SMALL! The zig/zag knitted pattern is just not very stretchy, and it was really hard to get the sock on my foot (mom and I wear the same size). I had gotten far enough to start the toe shaping, and had tried the sock on to be sure I had enough foot length. Once I found I could barely get them on, I asked my mom to try the sock on. She couldn't get it over her heel. I frogged them.

Instead, she won't get a surprise, but she'll get some toe-up ribbed socks:
Whether she'll get them in time for Christmas or her birthday (December 26) is another thing.

These Are Quick!

Thanks to a football game yesterday, I almost finished the first toe-up sock!

The sole is 4.5" long, and should fit a young toddler. I don't think I'm doing my sssp correctly, but I'll continue the same for the second sock, and figure the proper way on the next pair.

I am STILL going to have yarn left over. I'll have to figure the stitch count for newborn socks.

Blue Socks

Remember this sock? I started it earlier this year, and had made great progress on it during a Memorial Day weekend trip. Well, we tried it on Calvin and it was TOO SMALL! More accurately, too tight. I had used such a tight gauge that the sock wasn't very stretchy. ARGH! So, I cast it aside, and started over. During State Fair judging in July, I cast on the first sock of this pair. Yesterday I finished them. Calvin is thrilled. They are just a bit long (good for him to grow into), and a bit loose, but he likes his socks that way. This yarn is wool/bamboo, and feels heavenly.

The details:
Yarn: Trekking Pro Natura, color 1606
Needles/Gauge: size 2/8 sts per inch
Pattern: Classic Sock from Folk Socks
Size: Ladies S (56 sts)
Changes made: Eye of Partridge heel, worked toe to 16 sts and then grafted
Other info: worked ribbing for 4.75", then 10 rnds st st. worked foot for 4.625", then toe shaping.

I started these last night. I've never done toe-up socks before, and thought a pair of baby socks would be a good pair to learn on. I'm using the On Your Toes pattern chart and instructions from the summer '07 issue of Interweave Knits. Took me about 5 tries to get the eastern cast on right (love the IK illustrations, they really really helped), but after that it's been easy sailing. Once I finished the toe and started the patterning on the instep I switched to my customary 5 needles, instead of the 4 called for.

Socks!

We used the long holiday weekend to drive to Iowa to visit David's side of the family. It's about a 400 mile drive each way, and I worked on some socks for Calvin. I'm using Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted knit on 2s :


It was so nice to knit and listen to the iPod. This is the first sock. I used to knit socks quite a bit, and had a generic pattern in my head, but that's gone now. :) I used this sock calculator to come up with the pattern. I changed the heel flap directions to get the honeycomb effect. Turning the heel wasn't like I remember, so I need to look around and find a different one. Otherwise, everything else came back real quick. As you can see, I like to do socks on 5 dpns. I get all mixed up with 2 circs or that magic loop thing.