March Madness Socks

Today, after great thought and planning, I started a new pair of socks.
Big surprise, right?
These will be toe-up Jaywalker socks a'la Natalia Knits. Unless of course, I change it until it cannot even be recognized.
So, I was searching for Crimson And Blue for the perfect Jayhawk Jaywalkers.
I settled on a Regia. What, of all these words on this ball band, is the name of the Color?
There has to be a name on here. Doesn't it?
4-Fach Haltbar, 6-fadig, Marokko Color.
Hmmmm, there seems to be a web address..... Off we go to find our name.

What happened to Socktopia?

Does anyone know what happened to Socktopia?
I know the posts that I'm finding on the Blog/KAL or whatever it was long ago, but can't hurt to try.
I'm getting a "this might be for sale" message when I go there.
I totally missed the Harry Potter series, and am searching high and low for "dragon scale" like knitting patterns. The photos I'm seeing online are absolutely awesome!
How did I miss this? Well, I thing it was during my LACE phase last year.
There is just sooooo much cool stuff out there, how is one to keep up with it all?
Let me know if you know where I can catch up to the patterns or Socktopia.
TIA everybody...........
Ruby

Cat Bordhi Socks

Anyway, Cat Bordhi is awesome. Do you think she teaches the way she writes? I had this book for a long time before I actually dove into it.

But, back to Cat ...
There are many, many cautionary statements at the beginning about how helpful it will be to you if you knit the little sample socks BeFore you go on to the real socks. And, not wanting to have an orphan sock, and very small; I decided to do two at once. And, of course, I'm thinking: It's a little tiny sock - how much yarn would I need? So, I picked out a leftover camo color that I had made a nephew a hat from earlier. The first sock in the samples is a top down. Therefore: I have TWO Toe-LESS Camo Kid Knee Socks. They're very cute, and I'm sure they'll fit when he's about 3. And, yes, I'm sure that I'll be able to find some coordinating yarn to finish off the toes sometime in the next 2 years. But, jeeze, this is exactly why I like to do top-down sweaters and toe-up socks!
I know it's an OCD thing: I want to knit 'till all the yarn is gone. And I want the project to be finished when all the yarn is gone. It's the knitter's version of 10 hot dogs vs 8 buns.

Ok, so I knit in a little gusset at the top

In the interest of keeping the footies on the feet, I picked up stitches along the opening edge and then knit in a 5 stitch wide gusset where the shoe laces would be on tennies. I think it looks OK, and it's very commfy. And, they stayed on.

Well, the footie socks are a flop, or at least floppy

Well, I wore the (Essential) Crayon Footies all day, and was going to wear them to keep the feet warm to sleep (DH not being home to warm my tooties on). But, due to their footie nature, they simply would not stay on while reclining with blankets. The heels and back ankles are nicely ribbed and they stay up whilst sitting at the computer, and knitting in the recliner. They even stayed on during some (admittedly not very taxing) house work. But, whether it was due to them being as tired out as I was or a mistake in their design, they just won't stay on. I think the slit down the front instep is just too dramatic for them to hold their structure. So, the next step is washing (cross ed fingers for SuperWash) and blocking to see if that'll help.
Or, I might 'fill in some of the toeish part of the slit top to give them more structure.
Later ya'll

Finished the Crayon Footies

Photo goes here:
I finished the Crayon Footies. I'm going to have to research the yarn more though. I got it from Knitpicks and it's a self-patterning sock yarn. I thought the colorway was called Crayon, but now I'm seeing that is actually a Cotton Yarn that they stock now. And, to top it all off, it was a Clearance sale yarn when I got it. Therefore: it was a Great Bargain and, since it's from Knit Picks, it's great stuff. But, it's not on the website anymore. And the DH's cleaning up has probably gotten rid of all traces of the order, the shipping, and the ball bands. I used the Two at Once Toe-Up Sock Pattern from KnitPicks as a starting point. So, it's probably "Essential" yarn. The colors of mine are primary red, yellow and blue with white patterning.

Content:
75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon
Weight:
Fingering Weight
Gauge:
7 - 8 sts = 1" on #1 - 3 needles
Amount:
231 yards/50 gram ball
Care:
Machine Washable/Tumble Dry Low


One more reason to start one of those project scrapbooks I've read about.
Someday.......
Anyway, I'm test driving the Footies today. They don't look at all attractive before they're put on. But they're comfie and just warm enough wearing them as slippers today around the house.
Photos soon.....

Crayon Footies

Ok, I've started some footie like socks. I think this will work. I started at the toe, and I'm about to the point where I can cast off for the open foot look that I'm going for.
It's some Crayons yarn that I got from Knit Picks last fall. It's not using up much yarn.

Free Patterns at Knitting Daily / Interweave Press

Very good free pattern from Interweave Press for Caspian socks.

They're a toe-up sock on size 2 double points. I'm going to have to try them on circulars. Can't leave anything well enough alone, you know. And the pattern calls for Dale of Norway Tiur yarn. Since I know I don't have any, I'll be hunting down the specifications for that to see what I do have in my stash that needs using. It looks like a fairly difficult technique, designated as Intermediate in difficulty by the Interweave Press writers. We'll seee.........

Anyway, if you sign up for the Interweave Press Knit Daily newsletter, you get this free pattern and one for a "comfort shawl" that looks really good too.

Sidetracked by Knitting Pattern-a-Day 2007

Yes, I confess, I bought it for myself, and right before Christmas too.

And then I had to buy another one for my daughter.

And I didn't wait until the New Year to start looking at them.

And I'm not doing them in order, at all. The other daughter has been "helping" me figure out what to do next, and has confused them all hopelessly. There's some really gret stuff in there, but it's distracting me from the socks. Are Mits close? Surely I get practice points for "mits on 2 circs", right?

I did finish a pair of my version of the "Dragon Scale Mits" or wristwarmers. I did them in Incredible tape, shades of blue, and they really did look like dragon scales. Once again: No photos were taken before I gave them away.

Why do I continue to forget the pictures?

SNB Page a Day Calendar

Ok, the SnB calendar found one of my favorites, again.
The Socknitters site is great. And they're sooooo helpful.
Reams of pages of great information.
Don't miss their "Museum of Odd Socks", it gave me great encouragement.
and convinced me that I really do need to be a two socks at one time knitter.

It really got me off on the right foot when I started, back at the beginning of time, what? 6 months ago, or so?

Running Sock Total

Ok, so far the running total of socks is:
1 pair multi-color self striping, toe up, lacy socks. D2 wears them to school even though they are way too huge for her. She has cabbaged onto them in a big way. They look very interesting with her bohemian denim, calico, and lace skirt and her black Mary Jane shoes. Yeah, and you thought your mother dressed you funny.

1 pair black, alpaca and silk, top down socks. Sister in Law #5 was admiring them when they were partway done. They might make very comfortable Labor & Delivery socks, but I'm not sure how well they would wash out. Eeeeewwwww, gross! I'm still thinking, got a couple of weeks before the due date. Really, how can you refuse a pregnant woman?

1 pair barely started socks that got sent off to Sock Goddess in Sock Wars 2006. I died so early, it was pitiful.

Started, unfinished:
1 baby soft pastel & white DK sock toe
1 variegated baby pastel sock that I started in 1983. Red Heart yarn. I did get the baby hat finished for Baby #1 to wear home from the hospital. So there.

Started, and then ripped back completely
1 pair burgundy silk & wool

Enough confession. If I find more, I'll add them later. No guilt! None. really. I think.

A second try at Sock Wars Socks:
I know I was soundly defeated early on in Sock Wars, but,
I'm part of the Never Say Die group
So
I started another pair of Sock Wars Socks using the same pattern, but these are for myself. I think. The top cast on edge seems to be a little tight for my chubby calves.
But, they're in KnitPicks beautiful Elegance. Alpaca and silk. It feels so good to knit this. I'm doing bost socks at once, top down on two circular bamboo needles. I've gone back and forth between one and two needles a couple of times so far.
Last night I started the heel flap, so we'll see how it goes.
(Post Photo Here)

Sock Wars Brutal ....

Wow, Sock Wars was rough on me! As a neophyte sock knitter, I was killed off so fast it was embarrassing. I am so mortified. But, I will have my revenge someday.
I'm going into training, after a recovery period at an undisclosed knitter's rehab center, to be ready to enter the next Sock Wars as an experienced veteran.

As inspiration, I am wearing my wonderful Butternut color KnitPicks classic wool socks every chance I get. Since sending off my pitiful partially started pair of socks to be finished by my very kind and talented assassin, the generous Sock Goddess, I have started no less than 4 pairs of socks and finished one pair. DH knows I have lost my mind, but he's really perplexed by this behavior.

I need a 12 step program to get through this. This blogging is part of the therapy.
Thanks for visiting!

Ordering from Knit Picks

Mock Crock Socks
I haven’t started these yet, but I downloaded the pattern by Susan Lawrence from Knit Picks and ordered some green Essential yarn. Now, I just realized that the pattern calls for Size 1 Dpns. Did I remember to order them? Did I plan on finding them in my stash? (Good Luck!) Organization is the Bane of my existence at this time.
Anyway, a young man I know has the “hot green” Crocks, and I thought a pair of green Mock Crock Socks would just be too cool! Now, the question is: will I finish them, and I guess it’s a second question: will I finish them while those Crocks still fit and are still in style, and before it snows?

Total Immersion in Socks

Ok, I took my first actual sock class.
Well, actually, once before, I took a sock class where the teacher was using 3 dpns and hand spun yarn, and the socks were going to end up felted later. I never got very far with that one.
Anyway, this is a 2 circs class. Very cool. Teensey Tinsy stitches!
So, I have a total of 5 socks started right now:
1 toe up individual sock, shown in the photos, to practice the figure 8 cast on that just sounds sooooo cooooool. But, it hasn't gone any farther.
2 toe up on 2 circs that really are flying: photos soon. They really deserve their own post.
2 top down on: 1 on 2 circs and 1 on one circ. We started the 1 on 2 circs in class and I tried (foolishly) to start the second sock of that pair on a 12" needle that I'm hopeing to then transfer over to the 2 circs with the first sock on the pair when I get it up to the same number of rows.

Anyway, I've also ordered from KnitPicks and waiting somewhat patiently for that to come.

But, of course, I don't have any DK yarn that I can lay my hands on right now. I'm sure it's in my stash somewhere: choice of several closets, 2 atics, storage bins galore. I really want to put it all in one place, but I think the fear of seeing all those Tribbles together is just overwhelming.

And, I really have to wait 'till the DH won't be there to watch the chaos.

First Try - a Figure 8 Cast On & Toe

This is my first cast on using a figure 8 for a Toe Up sock.
I'm not really happy with the increases. They look lop sided.
I think I need to learn a "left increase" and a "right increase".

Posting links to Sock Sites

Since this is the page where I'll be chronicling my sock knitting adventures, it will also serve as the place to collect all the best Sock Sites and links.
FiberQat has a blog and a really good Toe Patch start for Toe Up socks. I had the link once and lost it just as I was wanting to really dive into this. Hence the need for a list that I can access from anywhere. Ahhh, the wonders of the internet.
Enjoy

Ruby - Rough

This is what an uncut Ruby looks like:

If it's undamaged, it will be a hexagonal crystal.

Saphires are the same, only blue.

If they aren't Red or Blue, they're still saphires.

They can be gray, beige or brown, and end up being on your Emery Board nail file.

They are also known as Corundum, Al2 O3, and Emery.

Just so you know.

First Post, Phase Three

The Third phase of Ruby In The Rough.
Where we will discuss Socks and Knitting and other associated topics.
Under Construction until 09/04/2006: Labor Day, USA