Showing posts with label socks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label socks. Show all posts

Friday, June 18, 2021

Sock Knitting - an Update


 If you read my newsletter (if you don't - sign up here) then you'll know I took the last month off designing and also blogging. 

I didn't stop crafting though! I do find I need some no-stress, no-pressure projects now and then - even though I do love a deadline! 

In my 'break' I have been knitting socks! I started learning to knit them last year, and also dyed my own yarn - you can read those posts here - part of my blog series on Sock Blanks.


I did finish my first sock made from the sock blank (top of this blog post) - but instead of starting another one, I wanted to try going down to a smaller needle, so I started on a self-patterning yarn - Pairfect by Regia. This ball will make a perfect pair, as the yarn colours are repeated. This yarn also happens to be designed by Arne and Carlos. 


 
I do have some method to my madness - I want to experiment with the different methods and see what I like best. So far I'm liking cuff-down socks, with a 25cm circular needle, and then using a second circular the same size for the heel turn. For the record, I tried magic loop with an 80cm cord, which I didn't hate, I just found the constant adjusting a little much - but if you only want to start with one set of needles - then it's a good way to go. 

I have tried the Turkish cast-on for toe-up socks, and think it's pretty amazing - but haven't got past the toe section to decide if I want to fully switch over, but I will try that technique next! 

As for patterns - I'm still mostly following the Rye Light socks by Tin Can Knits, but doing the whole sock in stocking stitch, and a 2x2 rib for the cuff! It's a free pattern online, and goes into a lot of depth for sock beginners! The other sock pattern I've tried is the Easy Peasy Socks for first-timers (On Ravelry) 

The main reason for my post today is that I found sock knitting really daunting, and didn't know where to start. You really just need to be able to knit and purl, work in the round, and decrease in two ways - k2tog and ssk, and the two patterns I've linked are written for beginners, so I hope this will hope someone make that first step! 

That's all from me today, in the meantime

Happy Crafting

Emma

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Knitting Socks!


Not too long ago I wrote about making a sock blank, and dyeing them. Well, I just started knitting one up and the two months of prep have been all worth it!

This is part of my Sock Blank Blog Series 

See the first post here

And the second one here


I'm knitting directly from the blank. the curly yarn isn't an issue for me. I find I can be a bit messy with yarn, so it's actually really good for me. Not worrying about the yarn getting tangled up means I can just concentrate on the socks. The pattern I'm using is the 'Easy Peasy Socks for First-Timers' by Stacey Trock. If you can knit and purl, then this is the pattern for you if you want to try sock knitting. I've had to look up a couple of the techniques, but a quick search on Youtube has given me all the answers. 

The stripes are working.. so far. I'm crossing my fingers I'll get a second sock that matches close enough. If you look at the sock - each stripe repeat (one purple and yellow) is only one row of the blank.   I think I can get about 10 socks from this one blank! So I might make as many as I can, and see which ones match the best. 

Here's a reminder of the full dyed blank


I'm using a fixed cable needle, that's specially designed for socks - an addi sockenwunder - 3.75 mm (US 5) Which I got from Yarnish. I've previously only used a longer fixed cable and used the magic loop method. The sockenwunder has allowed faster knitting, due to the fact I don't have to rearrange the cables every row, but the turning of the heel was a bit of a challenge. 

I've made another blank, and have been dyeing with more precision to get some perfect stripes - which I am sure I'll blog about soon!


Thanks for reading


Emma. 


Update: One sock finished!