FO: Bed Socks

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Originally uploaded by pudmuddles.

I've been in a sock frenzy lately but I've decided to knit up my "worst" sock yarn first. These socks were made with Cascade Fixation, which is a neat yarn, looks beautiful in tops, etc. However, in my opinion (experience), it is just NOT COMFY to walk on!

NaNoWriMo was abandoned because of book reviews... Holiday knitting (crochet) plans are now in danger too. Today is a good day to give it some thought and try to come up with a list of quick/easy projects to complete in time for Christmas... wish me luck!

WIP update

Nanners socks - still love them, just haven't worked on them lately!

Nemisis (Clapotis) - nearly there, I am decreasing like crazy now and plan to finish no later than Labor Day :)

Second Sock Indecision

I call this project THE SOCK OF EXTREME ANGST. The yarn was a gift of friendship and I loved it so that I decided to make my first pair of "just-for-me" socks. My daughters each have at least one pair of hand knit socks and I thought it was my turn.

Though it seems like I have been working on these FOREVER, they were actually started just after the New Year. From the beginning, I had a series of mishaps. First I swatched and started knitting on size 1s but didn't like how it was turning out so I frogged it, and went down to size 0s. Ok, no problem... right? Wrong! I forgot to swatch again on the smaller needles so the sock was too small. Fortunately, I was only about an inch into the cuff when I figured this out. Rippit, rippit! Still ignoring the need to swatch again, I cast on more stitches and went for it... This time I was up to the gusset when I realized that the sock was way TOO BIG! Rippit, rippit!

Finally, I swatched and started yet again. The yarn was starting to look a little sad and abused but I charged through because by this point my frustration was at a critical level.

About this time, I had a major disagreement with the lady who runs a local knitting group, of which I had been a member for about a year. I refused to be bullied so I prepared to make my exit from that group. For the very first time in my life, a hobby was causing me a great deal of stress but I would not give up...

The sock you see here still seems a little large, especially in the heel. I have not Kitchener stiched it closed. My gauge is fine, I simply picked the wrong size. I think I may actually be in between sizes and if I sat down with all of the numbers could write up my own variation of the recipe.

Now comes the indecision... Do I knit the second sock to match the first? Do I knit a slightly smaller sock with a slightly shorter cuff in an attempt to get two more socks out of the yarn I have left? Do I put the whole thing away and look through my sock yarn stash for a change of scenery, maybe cast on a different pattern in a different yarn? For now, I think I will sleep on it...

BTW, I am now part of another local crafting group which has a completely different vibe to it, it is very refreshing (and inspirational)...

Back to Business

Ok, I've frogged it, cast on again, and I am now well on my way to my first sock for myself :) The yarn, a Christmas gift from my dear friend Jo, is Austermann Step in pretty pinks and purples.

FO: Socks!

socks4a
Originally uploaded by pudmuddles.

This is the fourth pair of socks completed though I had started them before the pink fixation pair. I think I am ready for something more challenging than the ribbed socks but I have just loved making these and I wish I knew what the yarn was... oh well! ...and now... back to Christmas stockings :)

A simple pleasure...

After working with RH and Fixation recently, I nearly forgot the simple pleasure of knitting with pure wool! Ah the softness :) No more second sock syndrome for me, my dd #2's sock is going to be a breeze to finish :)

...but alas, I will have to follow this project with a UFO (a 2T top in Berroco Cotton Twist) and Christmas Stockings using more from my RH stash.

Woooooooo! Cascade Fixation socks are done!

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Originally uploaded by pudmuddles.

I am really thrilled to have finished these. They fit my (4 ft 4 inch) 7 year old daughter really well and there is enough stretch to accommodate her growing feet :) And I think I now love Cascade Fixation though I intend to try Elann Esprit as soon as I get off this Yarn Fast/Yarn Diet!

Cascade Fixation Socks... nearly there!

I'm hoping to get these finished by Friday so I can take a different project with me while we are RV'ing this weekend. On the whole, I am fairly pleased with how these are turning out. I got the first sock to the start of the toe decreases then cast on the 2nd. I did this to combat second sock syndrome and to get both socks kitchenered at the same time. I've heard that kitchener is a bit tricky with Cascade Fixation and I only want to do each sock once! Wish me luck!

Oh Happy Day!!!

The Lisa Souza sock yarn arrived!!! I loooooooooooove it!!! I can't wait to work with it but alas I must as I have promised my oldest I would finish her pink socks. Oh well, I can cuddle the skein for now :) This is the Lime N Violet colorway, isn't it purty?

Greetings from the San Diego KOA :)

While on our RV vacation with my family, I was able to visit a cute little yarn shop in Bonita, CA. Since I had my three "assistants" with me (ages 2 years, 4 years and 6 years), I only stayed long enough to buy a little sock yarn. I was suprised to find Magic Stripes by Lion Brand but thought "Why not?" I've never tried it and one skein is enough to make a pair of socks :) I also purchased two little balls of Panda Cotton (yay!), in a gorgeous blue colorway. I was tempted by the light pink but since I am still working with light pink Cascade Fixation, I wanted something different (for myself)! Sadly, since I forgot my camera, I'll update with pictures when I get home.

Try, try again!

So I had started a sock in Cascade Fixation for my 6 year old. I took the time to swatch and I could have sworn I measured correctly but when I went to try the cuff on my daughter, it was obviously way too big! Instead of frogging right then and there, I pulled out my other set of size 1 DPNs and cast on again minus 8 stitches. My fear (of frogging?) is that it will be too small this time! Oh well, I'll get it right eventually and this is my first time working with Fixation so it can't be that bad, right?

Current WIP

I've finished another sock for my 4 year old (it is the same yarn as pair #2 but with a shorter cuff). I've also cast on with Cascade Fixation to make a pair for my oldest (in light pink of course). I'm using size 1 needles as that is the size I have on hand. I'm not sure if I like this yarn yet. This is only the second time I've worked with cotton and while this one does have elastic, it just doesn't seem to be knitting up as quickly as wool (or even acrylic). Since we do live in such a hot climate, I really do want cotton to work out for me as I would like to make more wearables :) Also, sometime this weekend I plan to cast on a top for my 2 year old using Berroco Cotton Twist.

My Sock Yarn Stash :)

Awwwww, isn't it precious? Since I outgrew my sock yarn bag, I felt it was time to refer to my sock yarn as a stash though I know it is still quite small. I wasn't able to get my hands on Panda Cotton during my last trip to Santa Cruz, but I did come away with a few nice selections, including some much needed pink Fixation for my oldest daughter. I'm on a sock fast at the moment while I get my review reading caught up...

And here's sock #3

I really love the yarn, I have no clue as to what it is exactly as it was a gift :) These are for my youngest and I should have enough yarn left to make another pair or maybe two though I will likely make the cuffs shorter!

My first pair of SOCKS!

I'm pretty impressed with myself and grateful to Darcy and Mindy for getting me started... Here's the proof :)

What I am working on...

MY FIRST PAIR OF SOCKS (for my daughter)!!!

Thanks to my knitting buddies Darcy (for some wonderful yarn and dpns) and Mindy (for more yarn plus a demo to get me started), I am on the road to what is sure to be a lifelong love of socks. Now, if I only had a picture to post...