Little Change

See all the progress I’ve made?



No, of course, you don’t. I’ve only knit about three rows since you last saw the sock. I’ve been sick all week. You’d think this would mean I’d get a lot done on the sock but no. I’ve been working on my secret present knitting instead (I only have about two weeks to finish and I’m not even a third of the way done). And I only took the bus once this week so there wasn’t much time for the sock. Next week will be better.

I believe it is now obvious that I won’t be meeting my Socktoberfest goal.

New Yarn

I got some new sock yarn from Zen Yarn Garden. I wanted to try some cotton yarn sock yarn for a change.



The skein on top is Guava Jelly and the one below is Ocean Lime. The skeins are tiny. Is there really enough to make a pair of socks?



The tag says there is 400 yards per skein. I guess that means these will be short socks.

Sheba enjoys my sick day

Sheba is getting a lot of quality lap time today. At least one of us is enjoying my cold.

Vera on the Beach

As I said yesterday, we went to the beach this weekend. I woke up Saturday morning with a really bad sore throat and a cough. I hate being sick and I hate being sick at the beach even more. Anyway, I didn’t get as much knitting done as I had hoped.

I did get far enough along that I could see how the Vera colorway looks with the Jaywalker pattern.



Here’s a mosaic of all the photos I took of Vera on the beach. As usual, click on the photos to see larger versions.

Stash Sunday – Beach

We went to the beach this weekend so I suggested beach as a theme for Stash Sunday. I don’t actually have beach themed yarn so I had to come up with yarn that reminded me of the beach. It didn’t turn out as well as I had hoped.

The beach out of Koigu stash yarn.



It’s supposed to be ocean, sand, dunes. It might be better if the green koigu on the right was actually to the left of the blue. Then it could be really deep ocean.

I think this one is slightly better. The beach out of sock yarn (Koigu and Knit Picks).



I think the Knit Picks looks slightly better as sand.

Had I really been thinking I would’ve suggested Socktoberfest as a theme.

Tomorrow, the Jaywalker at a real beach.

Finished Socks

As promised, a photo of the finished honeymoon Jaywalker socks. They fit pretty well. I cast on for the large size so the socks are really loose, especially in the heel. The ladies who are getting the two gift pairs have feet about the same as mine (i.e. small) so I’ll be casting on for the smaller size.



Have socks will travel.

There’s a discussion thread at the flickr Socktoberfest group about how far your socks have traveled. That’s an easy question for me to answer. I have two pairs of socks that went to Scandinavia! Folks in the group have taken their socks all around the US, to South America and all over Europe.

Change in plans

Yesterday I finished my honeymoon Jaywalker socks (photos tomorrow)! I even weaved in the ends last night. Usually I put off weaving in the ends.

This morning on the bus ride into work I cast on my green Jaywalker socks. I didn’t get very far before I realized the Sunshine Yarns that I was using wasn’t super wash. I can’t give a pair of hand wash only socks as a gift! At least, not without asking which would give away the surprise.



Instead I’m going to knit the Jaywalkers in some of the Lorna’s Laces that have in the Vera colorway. I hope she likes the colors. It's a couple shades of olive green with purple and brown.



Fortunately the black, white and silver skein from Sunshine Yarns is super wash. I don't have any other colors that I think the receiver of this pair would really like in super wash. After I give her this pair and can find out how wild she's willing to go and if she's willing to hand wash socks.

Since I hate casting on I’m going put the green Jaywalkers aside until I finish with the other two gift pairs and come back to them eventually.

Where's Sheba?

Have you been wondering what Sheba has been up to? Well, since it’s gotten cooler she’s been very busy.



It’s a tough job but someone has to do it.

Sock Stash

Well, here it is.



I can’t believe that I have enough yarn for 21 pairs of socks. Actually more like 24 pair. I have two pair worth in the mail right now and there’s two pair worth not shown in the picture.

Here’s a quick count (roughly) from left to right. Four pair of Koigu, three pair of Sunshine Yarn, four pair of Knit Picks, one pair of Regia, two pair of Opal four pair of hand dyed yarn and three pair of Lorna’s Laces.

After pulling out the yarn and seeing this picture, I will not be buying anymore sock yarn until I knit at least ten pair of socks.

Sock Knitting Bag

A member of the flickr Socktoberfest group asked about sock knitting bags. Here's mine.



I got the bag at the Historika Museet in Stockholm on my honeymoon. It’s the perfect size for carrying sock knitting and it even has a pocket.

This weekend I hope to have time to take a photo of my sock yarn stash.

Got heel?

I had some time this week to work on the Jaywalker. I finished the heel and started the foot. However, I’m beginning to think I won’t be reaching my Socktoberfest goal. I’ll be lucky to finish this sock by the end of the month.

My first meme

When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? Or in a class?
I taught myself to knit socks. My friend Adina said they were really easy to knit so I decided to give it a try.

What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?
My first socks were the Comfy socks from knitscene. I picked them because they were knit with chunky yarn. Unfortunately G felted them the first time he washed them and I haven’t seen him wear them since (but I just asked him and he says now that it’s getting cooler he’ll be wearing them again).

What would you have done differently?
I would’ve used superwash wool instead.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?
I’ve liked all the yarns that I’ve knit socks with. The yarn I’m using now is fun because I dyed it myself.

Do you like to crochet your socks? Or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?
So far I’ve only knit socks on dpns. I’ve never used the Magic Loop method or knit toe up.

Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)
All the socks I’ve knit have had the same type of heel. I’m not sure but I think they’ve all been short row.

How many pairs have you made?
I’m working on pair six. I'm still kind of new to sock knitting.

Sock History

Instead of boring you with another progress photo on my Jaywalker sock I thought I’d share my limited sock history.

My first socks were the Comfy Socks from Knitscene and were knit out of chunky yarn. I wanted to get used to working in the round on thick dpns. The really small ones scared me.



My next two pairs of socks were Thuja Socks from knitty. I used worsted weight superwash yarn that I dyed myself. Both pairs looked pretty much like the pair below.



My next pair of socks were first pair that I knitted for myself. It’s a basic sock pattern out of Hill Country Sweet Feet in the May Project Spectrum colorway.



The next pair of socks I completed were also green. I knit Interweave Knits Diagonal Rib socks out of Hello Yarn Grasshopper. This pair took me a really long time to knit. I’m not sure why other then the rib pattern was rather complicated.



Fortunately my current pair of socks aren't green. Of course, the next pair I plan on knitting are.

Day Four

I wasn’t able to make a progress post last night as we went to see Metamorphoses at the Artist Repertory Theatre. It was an excellent play. Although I have to admit I’m a little disappointed that they weren’t able to fix the leaking pool but they did the best with what they had. Maybe someday I’ll get to see the play with a pool.

Of course, not posting yesterday means I have more progress to show you today. As you can see, the heel is almost done.



Next will be picking up stitches. I always have trouble with this step. I am a self taught sock knitter and I’m not 100% sure which stitches I’m supposed to pick up. Every pair of socks I have knit has had gaps in the heel.

Day Two

After some debate on my part, I’ve decided to call this post Day Two. Originally it was going to be Day One. My reasoning was that I didn’t do any sock knitting yesterday. Today was my first day of sock knitting so it should be day one. Then I realized I’d spend the entire month at least one day off. Day two it is.

Here’s my progress. It’s not much but I’m almost ready to start the heel.



I’m having trouble photographing this sock. The colors bleed into one. There is actually some stripes.

In case I haven't mentioned it in awhile, the yarn is Knit Picks Dye Your Own, dyed by me.

Socktoberfest!

Today is the first day of Socktoberfest! I have no new progress photos on the Jaywalker sock. Instead I have a photo of my Socktober goals. First, I will finish the Jaywalker sock. Then I want to knit at least two other pairs of socks.



Update - The green is Sunshine Yarns "Meadow" and the black and white is "Blacksmith".