Last year I decided to try knitting socks. My first couple pairs were disasters, until I found a needle size, yarn weight, stitch count that fit my feet. (Perhaps one day I’ll dig out the Bigfoot sock if I can find where I stuffed it at and post a picture…. or not!)
This year I made the decision to get serious about knitting socks, after all I love the comfort level of hand knitted socks. I must, I’m wearing hand-knit wool socks and hand-knit slippers as I sit here typing. Yes, our floors are cold without rugs….. but I digress…..
My goal was to knit one pair of socks minimum every month. So to accomplish that I joined two (2!) sock groups on Ravelry! Of course, I immediately found that I wanted to knit the featured socks of BOTH groups the first month! (No, I am not “really” an over-achiever, I don’t think?)
First group was the YOSS2011 groups (Year of Stash Socks) and one of the three pattern choices for January was the St. Brigid’s Carnamoyle stockings. They’re a fast knit in worsted weight and I whipped right through a pair of Paton’s Classic Wool:
Of course they were my first “non-superwash” wool socks, and the first time I washed them I made a mistake! They are much smaller now, slightly felted, but still OH SO WARM!
Meanwhile I was working on my Socks from the Toe Up KAL pair, but got distracted by the thought of knitting the previous socks again as knee-highs. Between my disaster with washing the wool, and my concern over knee-highs going over my big heavy solid calves, I chose to use an inexpensive acrylic yarn to knit them with as a trial pair. I LOVE the look of these, I love the colour of these, I don’t love the lack of warmth from the acrylic (live and learn):
I will make these again, as soon as I find a superwash wool in DK weight! Yep, I like the pattern that much as a house sock!!!
So, by now we’re into February and I haven’t finished my January Socks from the Toe UP KAL socks. I was BEHIND! OH NO!!!!! (who said this was just a hobby?)
Tonight I finally finished myJanuary KAL pair of Sherry’s Posies socks (using Lorna Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in Red Rover) and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!
Now, you’ll have to pardon me, I’m off to cast on my February YOSS2011 Plain Vanilla socks before the month is up! And that’s coming up way to quickly, we lose 2-3 days this month depending on whether you average 30 or 31 for your month!
Oh, I’m casting on with Knitpicks Felici Self Striping sock yarn in “Green Veggies”. Isn’t it springy looking?
Tomorrow I’ll try to remember to post some quilty pics, I’ve got Jackie’s applique I’m working on, and Patsy’s quilt is on the frame getting freehand feathering, and there’s that newest woven tote bag I made this week, but for tonight it’s knitting time!