Possessed to Knit

Regia Tip & Top Sock

I've completed my first Regia Tip & Top cotton/wool/nylon blend sock.  I used my Hiya Hiya size 00 (1.75 mm) 40" circular needles and 80 sts instead of my typical 72 sts on size 0 (2.0 mm) needles.  My gauge turned out to be 10.5 sts and 14 rows to the inch making it a slow sock to complete.  I have found that the cotton blend yarns tend to stretch as I wear them and I will be curious to see how these socks will compare to my other socks.  I have to knit the other one first and that will likely take me a little while. 

Fuscia Print Socks Completed

I've completed my Fuscia Print toe-up socks.  I prefer top-down socks, but I did not have enough yarn to knit these from the top down.  I started each sock in a section with a large block of color so I could avoid the stripiness that occurs with shorter blocks of color.  I started each sock with a provisional cast-on of 32 sts and a short-row toe on size 0 Addi Bamboo dpns.  I worked the heels with the size 0 Addi Bamboo dpns and the remainder of the sock with 2.5 mm Knit Picks 32" circular needles.  I did a k2,p2 tubular bind off which turned out to be a little tighter than I like.  I may have loosened the bind off on the top sock a bit much, but it feels and looks better when I wear it.  I'm glad to use up the rest of this brightly colored sock yarn leftover from my Fair Isle socks.

Fuscia Print Toe-Up Socks

I've been knitting these toe-up socks with the extra On Your Toes yarn from my Fair Isle socks.  This yarn looks very different when knitted by itself.  I don't knit toe-up socks very often as I like the top-down style toe better.  I had just enough of this yarn leftover to make a pair of socks so I couldn't be too fussy about making them match either.  I started with a provisional cast on and worked a short-row toe down to 10 sts (on size 0 Addi Bamboo dpns).  I like to use the large blocks of one color to begin the toe and keep it all the same shade.  Shorter blocks of color would create an asymmetric toe.  I started the foot with 64 sts on size 2.5 mm Knit Picks 32" circular needles and knitted about 64 rounds before working the short row heel down to 12 sts on size 0 Addi Bamboo dpns.  I knitted 18 rounds on the 2.5 mm needles followed by 45 rounds of k2,p2 ribbing.  I ended the sock with a tubular bind off for k2, p2 rib that I found in the Knitter's Handbook.  Two rounds of working 1 stitch then slipping the next stitch are completed before the grafting and this helps to make the edge look a little neater.  These socks are the perfect travel project.

Fair Isle Socks Completed

I've completed my Fair Isle socks.  The pattern called for 60 sts and size 2.75 mm needles.  I used 72 sts and size 2.25 mm Lantern Moon Sox Stix for the body of the socks and 2.00 mm Addi bamboo dpns for the heels and toes.  The color work went pretty well, I used my knitting thimble and eliminated the jog.  I have to adjust the stitches a bit after changing the beginning of the round with each round, but it is worth the extra effort to have a continuous Fair Isle pattern.  I thought the ribbing was only 12 rounds (instead of 16 rounds), but it turns out that the Sock Wars III sock has 12 rounds of ribbing.  I guess this is what can happen when I knit more than 1 pair of socks at a time.  I have over 2 ounces of the On Your Toes Fuscia Print left and plan to knit a pair of toe up socks.   This yarn has aloe vera in it and will make a nice pair of ankle socks.  I am wearing my cotton blend socks these days as it is very hot here and it will be months before I wear these extra warm socks.

More Cotton Socks

While I wait for the next step in Sock Wars III, I have been working on some cotton socks.  I am experimenting with size 00 circular 40 inch needles.  I am using Meilenweit Cotton Fantasy (#803) on the left with 76 sts on Addi Turbo Lace needles.  I thought this sock might be turning out too small so I started the Regia Cotton Tip & Top (#4086) on the right with 80 sts on Hiya Hiya needles.  I like the pointier tips of the Addi Lace needles a little better than the Hiya Hiya needles.  I have learned that I can never really have too many needles, and it works out nicely to use them simultaneously for this project.  I will be curious to see how each needle does during the short row sock heel.  For now, I will continue with the Tip & Toe socks as I wait for either a pair of sock wars socks or a partially completed pair of socks for my next target. 

Sockotta Fair Isle Socks Completed

I've completed my Sockotta Fair Isle socks.  They are a cotton/wool/nylon blend and I like the way the Fair Isle pattern turned out.  I used my size 0 Addi Bamboo dpns with a gauge of 9 sts and 12 rows to the inch on 72 sts.  I managed to squash one of the needles and bend it a bit.  I straightened it out the best I could and it works okay.  I did return to using my DPN work in progress tube and it was very helpful in preventing further needle mishaps.  I initially thought they were a little pricey, but I am very glad to have them now.  I predict these socks will be very comfortable for the summer.

I am still alive in Sock Wars and I have "killed" my target.  I did receive a message from my assassin over the weekend that I am "on notice", so I'm not sure how much longer I will be alive. 

MSWF - Sock Yarns

I did manage to find some sock yarn at MSWF.  Starting on the left, we have Sock Hop Superwash Merino in the Mermaid Colorway from Dalis Davidson of Dancing Leaf Farm.  Next, we have Studio Sock (100% Superwash Merino) from the Neighborhood Fiber Company in the Brookland colorway.  In the center, we have more Superwash Merino sock yarn from The Sweet Sheep in the California Dreaming colorway.  I bought two skeins of this yarn as I plan to make a fancy twisted stitch sock and do not want to be worried about running out of yarn.  I'm seeing a purple/green color trend yet each yarn looks quite different.  The next yarn is Rio de la Plata kettle dyed sock yarn in Evergreen, Ethereal Blue & Sparling Grape.  And last but not least, we have Colinette Jitterbug in the Kingfisher colorway.  No preprinted yarns for me, this year it was all about the hand-dyed sock yarns.  I am even more inspired to finish up my current socks so I can cast on with one of these pretty yarns.

Petite Lace Rib Sock

I've completed my first Petite Lace Rib sock with my Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farm sock yarn.  This sock turned out to take a lot of knitting with size 0 needles.  I worked 84 rounds in the Petite Lace Rib pattern and then worked 16 rounds with half stockingette and half ribbing before the heel.  After the short row heel (worked over 35 sts down to 13 sts), I knitted 88 rounds to the toe.  This pattern has a three stitch repeat and I had to add an extra purl stitch to the instep to keep the pattern even.  This gave me 37 sts on the instep and 35 sts on the sole of the sock.  I had 9 sts to graft to 10 sts at the top of the toe and learned how to do this from knitting Lucy Neatby's Fiesta Feet socks.  One sock down and one to go!

Tofutsies & More

Here is my order from The Knitting Zone that I received today.  I wanted to get some Tofutsies sock yarn for Sock Wars III as the gauge requirements will be released on April 26th.  The blue yarn is for my target and the red yarn is for me.  They also have a large selection of Hiya Hiya needles.  I was so pleased to find 40 inch circular needles in sizes 1.5 mm and 1.75 mm.  I'm planning a 76 st cotton socks on the 1.75 mm needles.  I've been looking at knitting two socks at the same time (on inside the other) and will need to go down in needle size to keep my gauge the same, too.  I have had trouble finding Cascade 220 Superwash in black.  One of the military personnel in Al's office will likely be going to Iraq in the next few months and I plan on knitting a helmet liner for him with the Cascade yarn.  They even have beads for the cuffs I love to knit so much.  I realize MSWF is just around the corner, but the Knitting Zone turned out to be one-stop shopping for me. 

Petite Lace Rib Socks

Once I completed my latest Fair Isle sock, I felt like taking a little break and decided to cast on for these Petite Lace Rib socks.  This is the last of my MSWF 2007 sock yarn purchases.  It is 500 yards (4 oz) of hand-dyed sock yarn from Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farm.  I chose the pattern from "The Fun Sock Book" by Koigu Wool Designs.  I also purchased this at a previous MSWF and had only used the basic sock design out of it.  The resulting socks quickly wore out in the heel and I have since learned a few things about sock knitting.  I had knit the foot too short which put a lot of stress on the heel.  I also believe the needle size they recommend (size 3.0 mm) is too large for Koigu weight yarn.  I had used 2.5 mm needles for my first pair of Koigu socks.  At any rate, I am using size 2.0 mm (0) Knit Picks 32 inch needles and 72 sts for this pattern.  The pattern uses the larger needles and 63 sts.  The lacy rib pattern is stretchy and works well with this rainbow-dyed sock yarn.