Two New Sock Patterns

I'm pleased to announce two new sock patterns! Both patterns were written for knitting the socks on two circular needles, because that's how I roll.

First up is Plain Jane - Plain Jane is a simple stockinette sock for women. The pattern has been written for knitting your socks top down on two circular needles. It is written for a woman's size 8 foot, but instructions are included for a custom fit. I recommend a jazzy self-striping sock yarn to make Plain Jane anything but plain. They are shown here in Knit Picks Felici.

Next is Adam's Rib His & Her Sock - A fantastically comfortable ribbed sock for women or men. The pattern was also written for knitting your socks top down on two circular needles. The "Hers" socks is designed to sit higher on the calf, and is therefore wider. The "His" version is narrower through the calf, and longer in the foot. They are shown here in Knit Picks Stroll Tweed.

Both patterns are available on my website. Enjoy!

The Absurdity of Some Rules

I'm flying to Minneapolis tomorrow in the early-early AM to teach a workshop next weekend. As I checked in for my flight online today I discovered that it will cost me $15 to check a bag, even just one bag. I think this is absurd, of course. It means that like myself, all of my fellow passengers will be traveling with just carry-on luggage, and since it is human nature to push the boundaries of rules, and the limits of your luggage this means there will be aisles crowded with too many people, trying to cram their over-sized carry-on bags into the over-head compartments. The last time I flew home from Minneapolis someone was so over zealous in their efforts to make their over-sized bag fit that they broke the door of the overhead compartment. This delayed our departure by 45 minutes so that a maintenance team could come on board and mend the broken door with duck tape. (That is not a lie).

I will not push the boundaries of my luggage, I will pack light. Traveling with just my carry-on isn't a big deal really, and doesn't restrict me all that much. Except where sunscreen is concerned. Which is also slightly absurd. As most of you know, you can not pack more than 3 oz. of any liquid or gel in your carry-on, and 3 oz of sunscreen just isn't enough. If I have learned anything from living in Texas it is to both fear and loathe the sun. And I wear sunscreen. Always. I know they sell sunscreen in Minneapolis, and that I can just as easily buy some when I land. But that is not the point. The point is the absurdity of the rule which allows me to board an airplane with pointy metal knitting needles and a scissors, but limits my sunscreen to 3 oz.

I'm not a rule hater on principle. In fact I am mostly a rule follower, stickler even. But I can not help but be irritated by rules that seem both silly and even a little stupid.

Packing extra extra light means I'll be traveling with sock knitting - portable, compact, and pocket-able.

In other but somewhat related news; I have finished objects to share. Having deadlines - like the one to be prepared to teach my workshop - always puts me in "finisher mode". And so yesterday I finished my Waves of Lace Shell. Finally. It took me almost a year to finish - not because it was a difficult project, mostly I just didn't work on it that consistently, it sat for long stretches at a time. In fact as lace goes, it was fairly simple; easy to memorize repeats, and a beautifully written pattern.

I also finished yet another One Skein Wonder shrug. The first one I made over a year ago was so teeny-tiny I gave it to The Boyfriend's daughter. Then I made a second one for myself that fit, for awhile, but is now too big. A good problem to have I know. So I made a third. And it fits.


For those of you keeping score at home, this means my WIPs are down to three - The Waves of Lace Scarf, and the Branching Out Scarf, and socks. The lacy scarves will be sitting this trip out, they will stay home. I'll be off to Minneapolis tomorrow with a tiny carry-on, socks in my purse and on a mission to buy sunscreen when I land.

New House Rules!

New house rule: for every pair of hand knit socks I complete, a crappy store bought pair will be thrown in the trash.


Running socks, and my single pair of Smart Wool shorties are exempt from this rule. The Smart Wools were a gift, and I wear them all the time. I love them. As for the running socks, I have just enough pairs to run 6 days a week, wear a clean pair on each run, and not have to do laundry more than once a week.

I think it should be noted that I am a recovered pack rat, which means I don't like to have extra stuff around. It should be further noted that I define "extra" as "not used and/or having no sentimental value".

It has become perfectly clear to me that as I knit and accumulate hand knit socks, I will never ever wear the crappy store boughts, rendering them "not used". And since they have "no sentimental value" they will be "extra" and therefore trash.

The hand knit socks are far superior. And it is my house, and I make the rules.

Socks! Complete!

Do you see that? That is a pair of socks! A mated-for-life pair of socks. Yes, I am pleased to announce that with much sticktoitiveness I have successfully completed my first pair of socks.

They were pretty simple actually - no toes to graph, no heels to turn. They're yoga socks. I don't do yoga, but they will make my feet feel loved. And allow me to admire my summery pink toenail polish.

Upon completion I immediately started another pair - those shortie socks I said I'd get to. This time I'm using a slightly different pattern, in hopes of gaining a better understanding of the anatomy of a heel turn. Progress.



And then it will be on to an endless queue of handmade socks. Ambition.

My new found appetite for hand-knit socks has presented me with an unforeseen, but small, problem: I must now figure out how to take compelling photos of my own feet.

Suggestions...?

In Which I Will Not Be Defeated by Socks

In my last update on the sock saga I quoted The Boyfriend and his observations about the determination, and stubbornness I'm displaying when it comes to learning to knit socks. I'll quote him again - "I forgot to account for your stubborn streak".

Again, he's not wrong. I have such a streak. And I've stubbornly set my mind to becoming a sock knitter. Come hell or high water, as they say.

That stubborn streak has seen me through a couple of triathlons, and more recently a couple of half marathons. But it wasn't just the will that got me through these athletic endeavors. There was also the proper gear and a good amount of training.

And so it stands to reason, at least in my mind, that with the proper gear, and some training, and my willful ways, I can master the art of sock knitting.

That's been my current focus.

Yesterday the gear arrived in the form of a giant box of sock yarn and a sock cocktail kit from Knitpicks. The sock cocktail pattern is really more a mix and match recipe, giving instructions for different toes, cuffs, heels, and leg patterns. A great learning tool.

I also, by coincidence or providence, which ever suits your taste, received a free download of 5 sock patterns from Knitting Daily.

As for the training, I signed up for two classes being offered at my LYS. Two classes being taught by Cookie A. the sock designer and author of the new book Sock Innovation: Knitting Techniques & Patterns for One-of-a-Kind Socks
The classes are not until July, but that just gives me time to practice so I can make the most of this learning opportunity.


Meanwhile, since my last post, I've completed the make-it-up-as-you-go yoga sock I mentioned in the previous update, and I'm pleased to report it fits. And I like it. And I'll knit it's mate. Tonight perhaps.

Sock Update

This whole learning-to-knit-socks-thing is becoming larger than life. I know in my last update I said I would knit the shorty sock again, but smaller. And I will, just not right now.

I decided to try my hand at a yoga sock first - no heel and no toe, much simpler. I knit most of the first one before deciding it was too small. I frogged it and began again. This time going up a needle size.

Half way through, I decided this yoga sock would make more sense if it was knit from the toe up, instead of from the top down. So I'm re-working the idea and coming up with a new design.

For those of you counting along at home, that's four socks started, one large lonely floppy sock completed, and a pattern half written. Progress.

While walking one of the dogs and discussing said progress with The Boyfriend yesterday he made the comment "this just isn't like you." He refers of course to my usual and utter lack of patience and sticktoitiveness when things don't come out just right. He's not wrong. It isn't like me, but I said it before and I'll say it again - I won't give up on socks.

Back On Dry Land with One Sock

I'm safely back on dry land and I can say most definitely I will never cruise again. I'm just not a cruiser. I enjoyed the fresh salty air, and the down time to read and knit. I also had the pleasure of snorkeling, and a swim with sting rays in Grand Cayman. They were lovely - graceful and gentle and the softest silkiest creatures I've ever laid my hands on. But I didn't love being stuck on a boat with an excess of rowdy strangers. Live and learn I guess.

I did have ample time to knit and I finished a sock while stuck on that boat. My first official sock. I learned a lot from the single sock - the basic structure and anatomy of sock knitting, how to turn a heel, and how to properly graft a toe.

Unfortunately, it will never be a pair of socks. It is simply too big, and a little floppy. Enough so that I won't knit its mate. I can see no point in two socks that don't fit. Instead I'll move forward and onto the next pair.

I have already gone down two needle sizes, as I always do, to accommodate my loose knitting, and knit the lonely sock with a US 0. I'm going to try the same pattern again, but this time I will cast on fewer stitches and see if I can't knit a sock that fits. If I can I will knit its mate.

Frogged Sock!

My first ever pair of socks has been frogged. I was correct when I said "not much to it really" in regards to knitting on two circulars. In fact, I'm a little disappointed with myself that I didn't google it sooner. So much lost sock time.

The trouble was I didn't read the pattern I chose for my first socks all the way through. A mistake I tend to make fairly often. Turns out it wasn't very well written. I assumed I would be joining and knitting in the round, seemed fairly obvious, so the cuff and the leg went just fine. But then the heel flap. I'm sure all sock knitters know the heel flap is worked flat, back and forth in rows, and I suspected that would be the case. But my pattern didn't specify and I couldn't be sure.

After reading several other patterns I ascertained that indeed I would work the heel flap and the turn in rows. I made an educated guess as to how many stitches I should work the heel across, as this was also not specified in the pattern I'd chosen. A little lost time to research, but time spent learning can never really be considered lost. So I forged ahead armed with my educated guesses.

The heel turned out pretty good. Next came the picking up of stitches and the gussets and the return to knitting in the round. Again my pattern let me down. Only this time I didn't feel like guessing, and I was running out of patience.

I took some measurements and notes, treating this half done first sock like a giant gauge swatch, and then I frogged the damn thing. Easy come easy go.

I spent the rest of the evening browsing my queue on Ravelry and reading patterns all the way through. I found several which seem to make sense and to be written with more specific instructions. I'll give these a try.

I won't give up.

I'm too pleased with how simple it is to knit on two circulars to just give up. And I've filled my queue with the oh so many socks there are to be smitten with. And my friend Amy has already requested socks for Christmas. And next week I'll be on a cruise and I'm determined to spend a good portion of my time on deck knitting socks.

I've Been Gone for a Minute...

I've been gone for a minute, now I'm back with the jump off...

Actually I'm back with sock knitting. That's right sock knitting. Those of you who have read this blog in the past, and those of you who know me, will probably remember that I like to say "I knit. But never socks." Famous last words, I suppose, because I just taught myself to knit socks on two circular needles.

I've been working on the Waves of Lace cami and a slightly metro-sexual sweater for The Boyfriend since about Christmas time and neither of these projects is very conducive to social knitting. The Boyfriend's sweater was big and fairly bulky to lug around. Plus it's wool and I live in Texas. The Waves of Lace, like all lace, requires that I pay attention to what I'm doing.

When my Stitch N Bitch chicas get together on Sunday nights I find myself looking for a knitting project that's portable, quick, and that I can work on while enjoying a glass or two of wine and keeping up with the conversation. I've done a few hats that I'll never wear (again, I live in Texas), and my kitchen is fully supplied with handknit dish clothes.

Socks would fit the bill, but I don't knit socks. Or more correctly, I don't have the patience to deal with DPNs. I fumble them, I find them awkward, and when I've tried them in the past my knitting has either fallen off, or I've picked them up backwards and knit things insideout.

Socks on two circulars would solve the problem. And my friend and fellow stitcher Tracey of Yarn Unravelled and I have said more than once "we should take a class". She shares both my desire to knit socks and my intolerence of DPNs.

A few weeks back while finishing yet another dish cloth, I jumped online and checked the class shedule at our LYS. Seems Socks on Two Circulars will be taught while I'm away on vacation. Frustrated, I goggled "socks on two circulars" and I found a couple of videos by Cat Bordhi.

Turns out there's not much to it really. In fact it's down right simple.

I have a pretty healthy stash of sock yarn. That's correct, as long as I've been knitting and saying "never socks" I've also been stockpiling sock yarn. I've got no explanation other than to say I must be a little nuts. Harmless, and well mannered, but a little whack.

Another quick internet search, this time on Ravelry, and I was all set up with a plethora of simple sock patterns.

And now, I am well on my way to being a Sock Knitter.