Socktoberfest

If you are a knitter and if you are online, you probably have heard about Socktoberfest by now. Being from Germany, from the land of the "Oktoberfest," I felt a strong urge to participate, or at least to knit some socks in October - does that count?

I already had some yarn sitting around (which knitter doesn't!), so it was easy to get a pair started. I picked the red and grayish black (Volcano Twist) Knit Picks Essential and cast on yet another pair of toe-up socks.

I used my new favorite magic cast-on again. I only cast on 8 (x2) stitches, and the result is a rather pointy toe. Not sure yet, how I will like that.




I had seen these really cute mini cable socks online and used those cables for my Socktober socks. I like the pattern. It's basically a four-stitch, four-rows pattern:

Row 1-3: k2, p2
Row 4: rt, p2




And here is the finished product. Another pair of socks for my (present, as in gift) stash (my husband says he is all decked out and does not need any more of my socks for the time being - even though red is his favorite color) from my (yarn) stash...

What's this obsession with feet and socks??? And what is a "fong"????

It's a "foot thong!"

I saw this really cool pattern for "The Fong!" on the "Island of Misfit Patterns" and wanted to make one:

Picture "borrowed" from the above source.

I had a tiny bit of Knit Picks, Felici, Coastal, left over from the below socks and cast on.

Well, the yarn didn't last long, so I put "The Fong!" project on hold, got out two more skeins of coastal and cast on another pair of socks. Just my standard toe-up, seed-stitch rib, run-of-the-mill socks.


But I made sure to bind off early enough to have enough yarn left over to finish "The Fong!" So here is another pair of (short) "Coastal" socks.


Okay, back to "The Fong!" I finished a pair, but am not sure, if it should go on the foot...


... or the hand. They can totally be used as little fingerless glove thingies as well. I can't wait to see if my daughter will prefer them on her hands or feet :).

I might make some more later, but I think they need a few alterations. First of all, I would but a little ribbing on both sides, to keep the stockinette from rolling up. Then I think the little between-the-toes part could be a bit wider, especially if you want to wear your fong with flip-flops. It's a cute idea though!

So while I was into kind of funky foot-wear (and I still had some of the yarn left), I also started a pair of "toe warmers."

Foto from Ravelry

And, of course, you guessed it... I ran out of yarn again. I finished one toe warmer, though I prefer the name "sockette," and started the second one, but didn't quite have enough. And Knit Picks doesn't make or sell the "Coastal" any more, so...

... I can either open up one of the fongs or finish the second sockette with a different yarn. Or leave it forever unfinished. Hey, it's happened before...

Sweaty (stinky) feet anyone???

I started another pair of toe-up socks a little while ago. Sort of as a stand-by, when I don't want to work on anything else. You know, the usual, Knit Picks, Felici, color: "Atmosphere," toe-up... I know I can do these socks, so when I need a successful knitting experience, I grab them.



But then I wanted to finish the socks, because I wanted to make them short so I would have enough yarn left-over for either these toe-warmers or footlets


or these ballet school dropout sockettes.


Note: these are the pictures that come with the patterns, not mine yet.

Aren't they both way cool?! My daughter has this really bad habit of wearing her shoes without socks (it's the in-thing these days). Since sweaty feet kind of run in our family, we just do better (and our shoes do better), when we wear socks. So I thought these would be great.

Anyway, so I rushed to finish the short socks and here they are:


I knit the instep part with my standard seed-stitch rib pattern. After the heel was done, I did the seed-stitch rib all around for maybe half an inch or so, then another half inch of plain knit, so the end would roll over. I like that. This time I used the purl cast-off somebody had recommended, and it really is pretty stretchy. My best one yet so far. Thanks!

Then, finally, I got to start the "sockettes." I got to the third line of the knitting instructions and already got stumped. I had to look up "kfb." The Knitting Glossary quickly came to the rescue. I love that site!

I made a few slight alterations as I went along and here is how I made the "sockettes" with Knit Picks Felici:

Cuff:
Cast 27 sts on dpns.
Rows 1-4: sl1, k to the last st, sl1 (this is supposed to create a little extra cuff that will fold over the shows to avoid blisters)

Heel:
Row 1: sl1, k2, *kfb, k3*, repeat from * to the last 3 sts, k2, sl1 (there are now 33 sts)
Row 2: sl1, k to the last st, sl1
Row 3: sl1, *sl1, k1*, repeat from * to the last st, sl1
Row 4: sl1, p to the last st, sl1
Repeat rows 3 and 4 18 times
Next row: sl1, *sl1, k1*, repeat from * to the last st, sl1

Shape heel:
Row 1: sl1, p16, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 2: k3, sl1, k1, psso, k1, turn
Row 3: p4, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 4: k5, sl1, k1, psso, k1, turn
Row 5: p6, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 6: k7, sl1, k1, psso, k1, turn
Row 7: p8, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 8: k9, sl1, k1, psso, k1, turn
Row 9: p10, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 10: k11, sl1, k1, psso, k1, turn
Row 11: p12, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 12: k13, sl1, k1, psso, k1, turn
Row 13: p14, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 14: k15, sl1, k1, psso, k1, turn
Row 15: p16, p2tog, turn
Row 16: k16, sl1, psso


Foot:
Get a 3rd dpn
Pick up 19 sts along the side of the heel
Turn around and work your way back across
Pick up 19 sts along the other side of the heel (total 55 sts)

Knit the next two rows until only 38 sts remain:
Row 1: sl1, k2, p to the last 3 sts, k2, sl1
Row 2: sl1, k2, k2tog, k to the last 5 sts, sl1, k1, psso, k2, sl1

Knit the next two rows until the sockette is 11cm/4.5 inches less than foot length, ending with row 1:
Row 1: sl1, k2, p to the last 3 sts, k2, sl1
Row 2: sl1, k to the last st, sl1



(Hint: After a while you can combine all sts onto one needle and continue knitting with two needles rather than three.)



Toe:
Repeat the next two rows until you have 65 sts:
Row 1: sl1, k1, kfb, k to the last 3 sts, kfb, k1, sl1
Row 2: sl1, k1, kfb, p to the last 3 sts, kfb, k1, sl1

Distribute the sts onto 4 dpns: 16, 16, 16, 17
K to the end of the 4th needle, sl the last st onto the first needle, and k that st tog with the first st on the first needle to join and start k in the round (total 64 sts: 16 each)
K 2 rounds


Toe decreases:

Round 1:
Needle 1: k to the last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
Needle 2: k1, ssk, k to end of needle
Needle 3: k to the last 3 sts, k2tog, k1
Needle 4: k1, ssk, k to end of needle

Round 2: k

Repeat these two rounds until you have 3 sts on each needle left (total 12 sts)
Bind off using Kitchener stitch.

(Note: I have not tested the revised pattern yet, but will hopefully do so soon. I kind of rewrote the pattern as I went along.)

Endless Knots

I finally finished the Endless Knot Socks! Yeah! They are cute, sort of. They are a little tight where the pattern is. The second one is a little looser, because I had the first one to practice on. What matters, though, is that my daughter loves them. She thought they were a little scratchy. Since the Felici yarn seems to get softer with every washing, she told me to wash them, so these would get softer, too. Haha, little does she know that these are wool! And, if you have ever had the joy of receiving a pair of socks my sister made (she is the sock queen, old style), you know the feel of wool socks!

So, after I finished the socks last night, I found myself without a project I wanted to work on.

Since I could not continue with my daughter's shrug until she came back home, and I could measure her back, and since I didn't feel like working on the "ugh" project (more on that some other time), I started my first tote bag. I have this Knit Picks "Cotlin" yarn I got a while ago, and I was looking what to do with it, and I thought a tote bag would be perfect. And since they kind of look as if they are made from lots of knots, I thought this would be a good next step for me :).

I found Elisa's Nest Tote published in "the purl bee" and really liked it. Mine is going to be lime green. I was surprised at how easily I grasped the pattern. I have never made a tote before, and I am curious to see how sturdy they are hand-knit. If I like how this one comes out, I have two more skeins of "Cotlin" in two other colors. I can mass-produce them and stash them away as gifts, maybe.

I took my tote project on the bus today (I take the bus to work every day). But the pattern requires me to pay quite a bit of attention, which I don't like to do on the bus. I get car-sick when I read on the bus or have to pay too much attention to what I am doing. That's why I usually just listen to music. It's just lately that I have had the urge to bring something to knit. But it has to be an easy pattern, where I can knit mostly without looking down. Maybe as I get more and more comfortable with the pattern, I don't have to look as much.

Well, that's it for today. Back to my tote...

And more socks...

Toe-up!!!


Okay, so you remember I was discussing the "sock" dilemma of having to judge if you have enough yarn to last you all the way down to the toe when you start your socks with the leg. I had mentioned that one way to avoid this, is to start with the toe, and then just knit the leg as long as you like it or until you run out of yarn. This toe-up sock was totally new to me. I had never even heard of such a thing, but decided to give it a try. And here they are, my first ever toe-up socks. Tada!

And boy, did I like it!!! It's so much easier and nicer. And my husband, who had been complaining a little bit about the heel not fitting quite right on the socks I knit for him (he has very narrow feet), totally loves the toe-up version! Here is a close-up of the heel.

And the pattern I used for the instep and the leg part is called seed stitch rib:

row 1: k all
row 2: k3 p1
repeat those two rows

And here is it, the moment you have all been waiting for, my all-time (at least until now) favorite toe-up sock pattern:

It's called "Fingering Weight Toe-Up Socks With Gusset Heel" and is published by Wendy Johnson (THANK YOU, WENDY!!!!!).

As you can see when you compare her picture with mine, I make some slight alterations, but for the most part, I am following her pattern, because it's easy and I love it!

My husband likes his legs long, so I oblige and make them long for him. I just continue the seed stitch rib.

By the way, I forgot to mention that the socks are once again made with Knit Picks "Felici" yarn. I think they call it "self-striping." Works for me. This colorway is called "Coastal." We all love the different colors in this house. And here is another one I made with the same yarn, just yet another colorway. And the same seed stitch rib pattern. I think they call this color "Firefighter" or something along those lines. My husband loves them!!! Red and gray are probably his two favorite colors, so this is perfect!

I also really like the feel of those socks. The yarn is really soft, and they wash well. I wash them in the machine, but don't stick them in the dryer. We all like them a lot.

And here a quick word about needles. All the socks I have knit so far are with double-pointed needles (dpn) size US0. I have several sets of cheap metal ones, and I also have one set of bamboo. I usually alternate between them. The bamboo ones are a little more fragile (since they don't bend, but rather break). So when I knit something, where I put a lot of tension on the needles, I use the metal ones, but when I just knit straight up, I prefer the bamboo ones, since they feel so much better.

I have some "Harmony Wood" in my shopping bag at Knit Picks that I can't wait to try out. I have some circular "Harmony" needles I really like, but I don't have any dpn's yet. Can't wait!

And now more about yarn. I am still learning about sock yarn. It seems like a lot of them are wool or have a lot of wool in them, so you have to wash them by hand, which is not really my thing. Also, we all have sensitive feet and don't really like scratchy socks all that much. So, I am trying out new yarns (or else I will be stuck with Knit Picks Felici forever, not that there is anything wrong with that. In fact, they just came out with a bunch of nice new colors.).

Anyway, so I thought I would venture out a little... We have this really nice new yarn store in town, called Gauge. They have free knitting classes every Sunday afternoon, and I went there with my daughter just to check it out. There were a lot of nice people there who were all very helpful. I bought some really nice sock yarn there, but a bit pricey. Well, for my personal taste anyway. It was about $14.00/skein, which is a lot for me. But then again, it is really, really nice, and I actually got 4 socks, well, more like sockies, out of them. Yes, that's two pairs! One for my daughter and one for me. One toe-up and one regular leg down. Or what little leg I have. Here they are:

Isn't that the coolest yarn?! I looked online for it, but apparently, it's no longer available. But it makes me want to go back to the local store to see if they have some more. It's Mondial Ciao. Even if I can't get the same color again, I imagine they might have other cool colors. But I am afraid I will spend way too much money there again :).


These socks go great with my purple croqs, my lime-green croqs and my daughter's burnt orange (UT Austin colors) croqs. So that's perfect for us!

Another skein of yarn I bought at Gauge I used for chunky socks. I found this pattern online at Tara's Knits for "Chunky Ankle Socks" and thought this yarn would be perfect for them. They were really fast and easy and I wear them a lot with my croqs.


Okay, and this brings us up to date to the socks I am working on right now and to date my last pair of socks. I am going toe-up again, same pattern, but this time I was trying my luck at Robbyn Kenyon's "Endless Knot Socks." I tried to provide a link, but it seems to be broken at this time.

I didn't use the sock pattern (I stayed with my true and tried Wendy's pattern), but I used the "Endless Knot" pattern. Well, I tried anyway, but I was having a really, really hard time with (and eventually gave up on) the whole "mosaic knitting" and just kind of "borrowed" the pattern, but did it with two yarns running along. I will try my luck again some other times with mosaic knitting. If somebody has any really good sites where it's explained where even I can get it, please forward me the link!

Anyway, this is where I am so far.

Oh, and by the way, these socks are going to be color-reversed. One sock will be lilac with purple pattern and the other one will be purple with lilac pattern. I used Knit Picks yarn (I bet you are really surprised!), but this time it's "Palette," which I already am not all that crazy about, because I am going to have to hand-wash them, which I absolutely hate!!!! Maybe they would make a good gift for someone who doesn't mind washing them by hand. Hm....

In any case, I will post a picture when both socks are done. I am kind of dragging my feet (haha) a little, because I think I am tired of socks for now, I am not happy with the yarn for these socks, and I never figured out the mosaic knitting, and the pattern makes the leg part kinda tight. So, who knows when I will finish them. Until then, tata.

Oh, and there is one thing I forgot to mention about toe-up socks. You start with the toes and end with the top of the leg. Then you have to bind off. And since most bind-offs are not very stretchy, that creates a problem. I have been looking around and have not found the perfect bind-off for toe-up socks yet. They are either too tight or, if they are loose, they look a little, hmmm, shall we say, sloppy... Anybody got any good bind-offs?????

Also, there is another way to knit socks I have heard of, and that's gonna be my next pair. The two socks are knit simultaneously on two circular needles. I am waiting for my size 0 circular needles to arrive, and then I will try that for the first time. Should be interesting.

What to do with that left-over yarn?

Or, how I knit my first fingerless gloves...

When you knit socks from the leg down, you never know for sure exactly how much yarn you need until you reach the toes. So you don't really know how long you can make the leg if you don't have lots of yarn and know for sure you won't run out. So you either have to be conservative or have plenty of yarn or knit your socks toe-up, but that will be a whole entire separate post.

Anyway, so for the "Felici" socks, I only had two skeins (that's what balls of yarn are called by professionals :) ), so I had to be conservative. I was so conservative, in fact, that I had yarn left-over. And since my daughter really, really liked the yarn and the colors, I thought I'd make a pair of little fingerless gloves for her. But then I found out, I didn't have enough yarn, so I had to let them sit unfinished for the longest time, until I received my next order of Knit Picks yarn and could finally finish them.

And here they are:

Okay, so they aren't perfect, but cute enough. Even with dirty fingers. Hey, maybe I shouldn't knit the gloves fingerless, so they would hide the dirty fingers.

Did I mention that credit is due Kathleen Taylor who posted her "Wristers" pattern, which I mostly (okay, I may have tweaked it a little here or there) followed, on the web.

Socks, socks, socks

How I started out (again) knitting socks...

If you have never knit socks, start! They are addictive! They are fast, you never have large areas of the same thing, so it never gets boring. You know, you knit a little, then you have a heel, then you knit a little, then you have toes, etc. Also, people really like them! They make great gifts (if you can part with them once you finished them). And there are all kinds of great yarns out there for socks, and all kinds of great patterns. I knit my first pair of socks in Middle School. Then I didn't make any socks for a long time, until fairly recently.

I didn't really know what kind of yarn to use for socks, but I had this cotton yarn around that was fairly thin, so I thought I'd give it a shot.
Well, they came out thick and stiff and nobody likes them. But at least I got to practice making socks and felt more confident to buy some nicer yarn to give it another go. So I found this online store, where they sell their yarn by categories, so even a greenhorn like me can figure out which yarn to buy for socks.

So I bought this really funky looking yarn at Knit Picks called "Felici," which comes in all kinds of colorways and made another pair of socks. By the way, since I had not knit any socks in a long, long time, I didn't really know how :). Also, the last time I used knitting instructions, they were in another language, so I didn't really know how to "read" English knitting patterns. I tried to find a pattern online that was easy enough for me to figure out. I basically found a bunch of different patterns (here, for instance, is a really cool site called "Socks 101") to pick and choose from (all those lovely people who put their patterns on the web may forgive me for not giving them credit, since it has been a while, and I didn't save the links I "peeked" from originally) and here is how I ended up knitting my first good pair of socks:

Basic Sock Pattern

The following stitch numbers are for fingering weight yarn (e.g., Knit Picks Felici or Essential), size medium men’s socks.

Leg

Cast on 72 (divisible by 3) stitches. Divide evenly onto 4 needles, so there are 18 stitches on each needle. Join into the round. The pattern for the ribbing is *k3, p3*, repeat. Repeat until the leg of the sock is as long as you like it.

Heel

Place half the stitches (two needles) onto a stitch holder or leave them on the two needles. These are the instep stitches and will be worked later. The remaining two needles are the heel stitches. Combine them onto one needle. Turn your work so that the wrong side (purls) is facing you.

Heel Flap

Row 1: sl1, p35, turn

Row 2: sl1, k35, turn

Repeat rows 1 and 2 a total of 14 times, then work row 1 again. You have now worked a total of 29 rows.

Turn the Heel

Row 1: sl1, k21, ssk, turn

Row 2: sl1, p9, p2tog, turn

Row 3: sl1, k9, ssk, turn

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until you have worked all the heel stitches.

You should have 10 heel stitches remaining on your needle. Turn your work so the right side of the sock is facing you. Knit across the 10 heel stitches.

Gussets

Please 5 heel stitches onto needle #1. Place the 36 instep stitches onto two needles again (#2 and #3), if you put them on stitch holders earlier. Place the remaining 5 stitches onto needle #4.

With needle #1, pick up and knit 15 stitches along the side of the heel flap. Work the stitches on needles #2 and #3. Pick up and knit 15 stitches along the other side of the heel flap and knit the 5 stitches from needle #4. The beginning of the round is now at the center of the sole.

Begin the gusset decreases as follows:

Round 1:

Needle #1: knit to the last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1

Needle #2 and #3: knit

Neddle #4: k1, ssk, knit to the end of the needle.

Round 2:

Knit all stitches on all needles.

Repeat these two rounds until you have decreased to 70 stitches.

Foot

Knit until the foot of the sock measures approximately 2 inches less than the desired length.

Toe

Round 1:

Needle #1: knit to the last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1

Needle #2: k1, ssk, knit to the end of the needle

Needle #3: knit to the last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1

Needle #4: k1, ssk, knit to the end of the needle

Round 2:

Knit all stitches on all needles.

Repeat these two rounds until 42 stitches remain.

Repeat round 1 until all stitches are gone.

Abbreviations:

K knit

K2tog knit two together

P purl

P2tog purl two together

Sl slip

Ssk sl, sl, k these 2 tog

Enjoy!

Here are two more pairs of socks I knit for my husband with the same pattern. For the first pair, I used "Essential" by Knit Picks (colorway: Black Tweed). The other one is grey and black "Risata," also from Knit Picks. Did I mention that I really like Knit Picks. And no, they are not paying me.