The Ivy socks are finished!

Once upon a time, I would try to knit a pair of socks in a month. One year, I think I knit a pair almost every month. I started this pair March 20 and despite being (mostly) diligent, I didn't finish them until yesterday.

Pattern: Short-row Toe and Heel Basic Socks, by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Simply Socks Yarn Co Poste Yarn Striping, colorway 'Ivy, VA' and Simply Socks Yarn Co Simply Sock, colorway 'Golden'
Needles: US1
Modifications: Not enough 'Golden' yarn for the cuffs, so I used the self-striping yarn until the last five rows or so

If you read this blog regularly, you might have noticed that I knit most socks in yarn from Simply Socks Yarn Co. Although SSYC is mostly an online business, it is local to me. Also, the Poste Yarn is made with Corriedale instead of Merino, which I think lasts longer.

It's not the knitting that bothers my shoulders but the purling. I must do something hinky with the purl stitch. I am going to take a break from knitting altogether for a while - plenty of other stuff to do - but I still have a fair amount of sock yarn in my stash that I don't want to abandon.

That 70's Kitchen socks

I am guilty of choosing colorways based on their names. While I would have thought the colors for this colorway should be avocado green, harvest gold, and burnt orange, I still liked the way they look. I also liked the sunny yellow I used for the toes, heels, and cuff. So cheerful!

Pattern: Short-Row Toe and Heel Basic Sock, by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Simply Socks Yarn Company Poste Yarn Striping in 'That 70's Kitchen', Simply Socks Yarn Company Simply Sock in 'Golden'
Needles: US1
Modifications: Jenny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off

These were specifically for a friend who decided I needed her Roomba. That's a fair trade, right? Handknit socks for a Roomba? The swap occurred tonight. The previous pair of socks I knit her developed a hole in the heel, probably because they were knit too small. Because I have big feet, I think everyone else has small feet, but this is not so. I knit this pair to fit me, so they should be comfy on her. And last longer.

Included in tonight's swap was the holey pair of socks. I'm not sure I can repair them, so I might turn them into a pair of fingerless mitts.

Blue sky baby cables

My old pair of baby cable socks is wearing thin in toe and sole. I knit them in 2011 and they got a lot of wear, so I am not surprised. Also, maybe the wool-bamboo-nylon combo is not quite as tough as wool-nylon. Anyway, it was time for a replacement pair.

Pattern: Short row toe and heel toe-up (Wendy Johnson) and four-stitch pattern baby cable (Charlene Schurch)
Yarn: Simply Sock Yarn Co Simply Sock, in 'Blue Skies' and 'Silver Lining'
Needles: US1
Modifications: Just the usual but with the baby cable stitch pattern

One reason I chose to go with a solid yarn color is to have something that I can wear with patterned leggings. Some people can pull off "interesting" mix 'n match outfits, but not me. A solid color yarn, though, calls for something other than stockinette.

I have tons of sock yarn, but mostly in self-striping or self-patterning colorways which I tend to knit in plain stockinette - fast and easy. The baby cables are not difficult but take some concentration to stick with the four-row repeat error-free. They also took longer because I am such an awkward knitter.

I've been listening to Ron Chernow's Grant on CD while I knit. Up to disk 20 out of 36 (or is it 38?) I'm not really into the Civil War, so it has been a bit tedious, but also eye-opening.

Oops

I finished these socks yesterday, gave them a good soak, and dried them over a floor register so I could wear them sooner rather than later. Aaaand they are too long for me. I don't know what happened, but somehow I knit an inch too far. Were these knit top-down, I would just tear out the toes and shorten them. But they are toe-up and I don't feel like messing with them and hey, my SO needs a new pair of socks, right? At least, he does now.

Pattern: Short-row toe and heel basic socks, by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Simply Socks Yarn Co Poste Yarn Striping (Seattle Coffee Blues) and Simply Sock Yarn (Natural)
Needles: US1
Modifications: Contrasting toe, heel, and cuff

I have a habit of picking colors, be they paint chips or yarn, by their names, as I am a word person, so I couldn't resist this self-striping yarn. My SO is a visual person, and he has been admiring these. We basically wear the same size sock, except his feet are a bit longer. These should be a perfect fit.

I noticed the pair he wore yesterday are getting thin in the toes. Knit in 2011, I think they are holding up remarkably well. I knit them top-down and still have some leftover yarn, so I can fix them up without too much angst. Meanwhile, this pair will make a nice replacement (for a nice man!)

New favorite socks

My xmas gift to myself is done - one comfy pair of xmas-themed socks. Spring is trying to be sprung around here, but today I deemed the temps low enough to justify wool socks. Then I declared these my new favorites.

Pattern: Short-row toe and heel basic socks, by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Simply Socks Yarn Co Poste Yarn Striping, in 'Jollyville', and Simply Socks Yarn Co Simply Sock, in 'Silver Lining'
Needles: US1
Modifications: Heel and toe and ribbing in contrasting color

Usually, I buy sock yarn on sale and get what is available, but this xmas I decide to splurge and buy the prettiest yarn instead of the most economical. A pretty yarn does not need a fancy pattern to shine. This pattern is becoming my go-to sock pattern, as the short row heel provides a better fit than a gusseted heel.

And the fit is perfect.

Last pair of xmas socks

My SO is always understanding when his xmas socks are the last to be finished. And usually that finish date is after xmas, sometimes soon, sometimes far after. I started these xmas eve day, and now over a month has passed and I am just now getting them finished. It's not like they are the only WIP on the coffee table.

Pattern: Short-row heel and toe basic sock, by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: SSYC Poste Yarn, Striping, in 'Island of Misfit Toys' and SSYC Simply Sock Yarn in 'Silver Lining'
Needles: US1
Modifications: None really, other than to knit the toe and heel in contrasting yarn, as self-striping yarn does not work well with short rows.

One of my sock-knitting techniques that has evolved over time is to make the leg about as long as the foot, when folded in half. Otherwise, the recipient complains that the leg is too short. Sometimes longer legs means extra yarn, which in this case takes the form of contrasting heels and toes.

I'm pleased with my efforts to match stripes. This yarn makes it easy, as the length of the color runs is very consistent.

I shouldn't say these are the last of the xmas socks; they are the last of the xmas *gift* socks. I have two more colorways of the Poste Yarn, to knit socks for moi. After all, we can't let everyone else have all the fun socks.