One Sock Finished!

Hi All! Thanks for the warm welcome when I posted the start of my first sock a few weeks ago! And sorry for ignoring the common question of what yarn I was knitting with for so long! It's been crazy busy and I kept forgetting to actually look at the ball band until recently.

Anyway...I finished sock #1!! I love it and it fits perfectly. I really like the colors and the pattern the yarn makes. Now...the yarn is Fortissima Socka mit Bambou in the colorway laub. That link gets you to a product page but frankly I haven't been able to track down a source to actually buy a skein of this yarn (I got it at my now LYS). This is a fingering weight yarn and is a wool/bamboo mix. I liked knitting with it but I don't have anything to compare it to. The pattern is simply a ribbed cuff with a stockinette body knit from the top down (I don't have the name of the pattern with me but I'll post more information once the second sock is done). I knitted with size 2 dpns. As I am new to the sock world, I don't have a clue what type of heel I did. It was a flap with a S1, P1 pattern on odd rows, S1, P across on even rows if that tells anyone anything :). I like the fit of the heel on my foot but again, I have nothing to compare it to at this point.

I hope to get the second sock done fairly quickly but we'll see. I'm going to try to not be one of those people who only does one sock of the pair...but wow, there are so many interesting patterns out there that it is tempting to cast on one of those first! Like look at that Monkey AllyB started! Such a great pattern and she's doing great on it! Tempting, tempting , tempting!

Monkey, new version

I decided I didn't care for the feel of the fabric that I created with the Opal Rainforest with size 2 needles. It resulted in a fabric too loosely knit which made for a very rough texture. Not what I would want to wear on my foot all day.

After some discussion with Jessica at City Knitting I decided to try another version with a size 1 and this yummy yarn. Here's what I've got so far...

2 repeats of the lace pattern - what do ya think?

It's difficult to get a good view of this pattern without a foot in it but with the dpn's it is difficult to try on, so a hand-held cuff will have to do for now.

I'm thinking that if I get this one done I won't feel so bad froggin the Opal sock. *sigh*

I picked up 2 skeins of this yarn at the Michigan Fiber Festival a couple weeks ago. The actual color is more pink than the picture shows but this gives you the general idea. It is by Gypsy Girl Creations and came from Stonebarn Fibers. The color is Ice Cream Sundae. It is fingering weight.

I'm going to try to get this knit up by the weekend...although it is salmon fishing season and we do have to prioritize a bit here, lol.

New Sock Knitter

I just wanted to say hi and let you all know I'm starting my socks soon. I joined this kal a couple weeks ago but hadn't started yet. I just was hoping that someone could share an easy starter sock pattern that I can work on. I've been looking around and nothing really inspired me. I'd love it if you could comment on what pattern you started with. I'm going this weekend to buy sock yarn. I've already been working on dpn's and cirs so that won't be new. :)

thank you for all your help. I'm excited to get started on my first sock.

Nat
www.barknknit.blogspot.com

Working on another sock.....

Started a sock pattern I have been meaning to try. It is from the book "Kids Knitting". I thought I would try it as a break from my other sock. I finished that sock and I was not happy with the grafting of the toe. You can see it is a bit pointy. So in order to make me feel better I started a 'fun" sock were you add one extra Stitch after you finish the ribbing and it creates a spiral effect. Plus you just keep decreasing at the toe until only 6 stitched left and then to pull in the ends and sew it closed. Someone on my other blog said to try a three needle bind off I will try this technique on the other sock. The Kitchener Stitch I always mess up no matter how slowly or carefully I do it! I will start back on my other sock right after I finish my dishcloth for Fall into Autumn.

It's a Start

Hi all--finally decided to get on the sock wave and figured this would be a fun KAL to join as I struggle through my first attempt and those thereafter (see-I'm optimistic from the start!).

I attended a sock class last night (I know, I feel like I'm cheating!) and I present you the start of my first sock. It's a simple ribbed cuff, stockinette sock...I turn the heel next Tuesday (if I can find the time to knit to that point before then!).
Thanks for letting me in on the fun...I've enjoyed seeing all your first attempts!

Monkey loves a car, er, truck ride!

I forgot how much knitting I can get done while traveling the highway.

Monkey made some progress on the way to the Tigers game in Detroit on Saturday and even grew a bit during the game. (much to The Saints dismay-"I can't believe you're gonna knit at the ball park!")

Ah, well, we had a good time, the Tigers lost but they played Friday's game until 3:30am Saturday...and made up for the loss when they mowed down the Yankees yesterday 16-0! Yay, Tigers!

Oh, um, anyway, on to the Monkey progress...here he is...ta da!



Just the toe to go, and another Monkey, but who's keepin track, huh?

Nice thing about this pattern is that there are so many holes in it a couple extra where they don't belong will never be noticed by a non-knitter. tee hee And I'm not walking around pointing them out to anyone either! lol

I really like the stitch pattern, what do you all think?

Isn't he pret-ty?

I made him with only 3 pattern repeats in the cuff so he would be shorter than the original. I like me some short socks!

Sock on everybody!

For Alana.....

I was going to leave this in comments but it started to get a little long. If you are that unhappy then you should rip the sock out. I don't think it is you, I think the yarn is too soft. Sock yarn should have some gumption to it. Even if it is sold as sock yarn it looks to soft. Save it for a baby project. Try the Lion Brand sock yarn or a washable wool. Sock yarn needs to have a solid hand or it won't knit up correctly. Now for the hole at the top of the gusset: It is always a problem for every sock knitter. I do this simple fix: Pick up two extra stitches at the top of the gusset. You look for the horizontal thread between the first instep stitch and the heel flap stitch. Insert needle into the left half of the heel flap stitch and pick up 1 stitch; then pick up the right half of the first instep stitch from the row below the stitch on the needle. Both of these stitches are on the gusset needle. Do the same on the other side of gusset. These two extra stitches are worked together on the first gusset round. This sounds complicated but it is not. Follow the directions along as you are doing it. Sock knitting is a crap shoot. You have to start slow and work your way up to success. You can do it! Don't be discouraged. And if you find you still have a little hole at the gusset, well, no one said you couldn't sew it closed with invisible thread.

An after thought: to reinforce areas of sock that wear out quickly there are several tricks:
1. Use a reinforcement thread sold at yarn stores along with the sock yarn in the pertinent areas.
2. Go down one size smaller needle for that area of the sock.
3. Work a 3-stitch garter border in heel flap.

I hope this will help you. Hang in, I think you sock looks good!