Thursday, February 07, 2008

Summer fruit

So a day of sun and the rain has returned. Maybe some summer fruit will cheer us up!

Details: Pattern: My first toe-up sock! I used Judy's Magic Cast On, Wendy's Generic Toe Up Sock Pattern for the short row heel, with some help from Misocrafty's short row heel tutorial and the sewn bind off from the IK which featured Ann Budd's guide to toe up sock knitting. Basically, I wanted something simple and fool proof so I'd get these right first time!

Yarn: Lovely Koigu KPPPM, colour P803 - lovely summer fruits colours - plum, raspberry, strawberry, papaya, watermelon. Interestingly, the two skeins, although from the same dye lot, are slightly different in tone - one sock is paler (or more pink) than the other. But not hugely and definitely not in a way that bothers me one bit!Sticks: 2.5mm 60cm KP fixed circulars x 2 (bought from Donni!). These were also my first pair of socks knit using 2 circs! I don't mind this method, although I think I like magic loop better. I did find that I have a "crease" up either side of the socks, where the needles joined. I think I was so conscious of avoiding ladders, and so pulled the yarn too tight on the first few stitches. Not sure how to get around that. Practice I guess...does anyone have any tips?

Time: 19 January 2008 - 4 February 2008. Not bad. Well, I guess it was a plain stocking stitch sock...which I very much enjoyed knitting!What I learnt: Well, quite a long list of firsts for these - first toe up, first short row heel, first time using two circs, first time using a different cast off method (well, for the second sock anyway...I learnt that my usual cast off is nowhere near stretchy enough for socks). Now, I just have to work up the courage and energy to find the already darned in end of sock 1, unravel the cast-off and redo it. Urk. But worth it, I know.

Stashbusting? Yes! Hurrah! 2x50g skeins

13 comments:

Alwen said...

Wow, quite a long list of firsts! Redoing the cast-on is but a speck!

amy said...

Hey, you! Great job! Look at all you learned!

Diana said...

Golly! You are turning out socks like there's no tomorrow!! I am waaaay behind.

Bells said...

I would go so far as to say this is one of my very favourites of yours. I want to lick the screen!

I'm not sold on toe up yet. I'm not feeling the magic.

2paw said...

I'm a bit worried about posting after Bells and her 'licking'!!!
You have conquered many Everests with these socks. They look beautiful!!!!

Olivia said...

Yeah, they are beautiful!! but I didn't have the lick-the-screen-urge because wool is fuzzy on the tongue dontcha know? Way to go on all those firsts.

TinkingBell said...

Big firsts - well done YOU! Lovely socks - gorgeous colours!

lilypotter said...

Nice job! I learned the same thing about my cast-off, too, but I haven't gone back to fix it yet. I just keep jamming my foot in and wearing 'em.

Nellie said...

The look great! The clourway is mouthwatering. And this awful weather is certainly promoting lots of sock-longing. I'm with Bells on the toe-up thing though. Maybe I need more practice, but I just cant get it neat enough. Yours look nice and tight and regular though - what the secret?

Sarah said...

Thank you toe up sock guru - I am approaching the bind off of my first Love Me Knot and I was going to be lazy and just cast off loosely - but reading this I shall be a good girl and learn how to do a stretchy one.

Love the finished product - the colour is very cheering.

Snoozen said...

Vibrant beautiful colours, they also look really comfie even on the screen. Congrats on your new skill, clever chick!

Ann said...

Lovely pair of socks & the color is gorgeous - love the rich warm red. I am knitting a pair of socks with Zen Garden yarn & the 2 socks are of different shades - not very prominent but I can see the difference.

Anonymous said...

Beautifully simple socks. And you learned so much knitting them.