Hey heyyyyy awesome readers! I hope you are all doing good and your little corner of life is treating you well. (And I hope this new fortnightly posting schedule isnβt throwing your Sunday routine totally out of whack π)
So it seems that Savage Summer is upon us once again in London, and without the air-con-ness of the office building to keep me cool, there’s many a sweaty video call happening right now π Ah well.
Shops are now opening again here (although restaurants and bars are still a no-go for a few days), and I for one am not desperate in the slightest to go out shopping. I saw photos on the news of people queuing outside Primark and the Nike store… I mean – queuing? Seriously? Are people *that* impatient to go shopping for god-knows-what that they want to queue up outside before the store even opens? Nah mate. Iβm staying firmly at home in my sweatpants, and will order anything I simply canβt do without online, and have someone bring it to my door like a normal person.
Face masks are now compulsory on public transport, but thankfully neither of us are going back to work any time soon – and we cycle our commutes anyway. I canβt even begin to imagine the shambles that is going to be the London transport network – social distancing fo sho ainβt gonna be happening, and queueing for a bus is going to require an almighty time commitment if a double-decker can only hold 20 people instead of the usual 100+. Couple that with the temperature scanners on office building entrances, one way systems on the office floors themselves, social distancing in lifts and all the other shiz that this βnew worldβ brings us, I for one am more than happy to stay inside working from home with the doggos for at least the rest of the year.
I was pleased to notice this morning that three months of getting up at the hugely more reasonable time of 8am rather than 6am during the week has almost (almost) got rid of the dark circles under my eyes, and my skin is much less oily and blackhead-y now itβs not subject to the grimy, pollution-y city-centre roads. Instead weβre cycling out into Kent at the weekends, into air that might even be classed as fresh, and swapping the view of a back of a taxi or bus for straight-up proper greenery.
YAS.
However, this time working at home has not translated into more sewing, as you know. Iβm not sure why, exactly. My best guess would be that all this *gestures to state of the world* messed with my creative flow, knocked it out of whack, and set it off in a different direction. Suddenly I didnβt feel like sewing, and my energies were diverted to reading and knitting instead. I also have an unexplained urge to crochet a blanket, spurred on almost entirely by this picture on Instagram:
Pretty, huh? My crochet skills are somewhat lacking, but I think they can stretch to a blanket π€
Annnnnnyhoo – Iβve got some socks for ya this week! My very first pair, which I am almightily proud of πͺπ»
You might remember (although likely not, I can barely remember that far back myself) that a while ago I tried out the βKnitcrateβ sock box. Basically, itβs a subscription box where each month – for around $20 – you get a skein of hand-dyed sock yarn, and a pattern to knit with it. Even though I loved the yarn that came in my box, I had many thoughts about the whole subscription thing – which mainly centred around me being fussy with yarns and not wanting to waste $20 on a skein of yarn that I wouldnβt have chosen myself or straight up didnβt like. Knitcrate must have felt my brainwaves when I first blogged my thoughts, because now they offer four different colourway options in the sock box to at least give you a bit of control:
Iβd be a lot more likely to purchase a box knowing something about what I might be getting, but even with the choices in colourways that they have now, Iβd want a mashup of the βenergise meβ (for basically all the colours) and the βchill outβ (for the turquoise, teal and royal purple, but not so much the greens). I know, Iβm so hard to please lol.
But with the particular Knitcrate I purchased, the details of the included yarn were already released before I purchased so I knew what I was getting for my $20. I knew what Iβd be making, too – the included sock pattern, because prior to this my first ever attempt at socks turned out to be an absolute shitfest: I didnβt buy the recommended yarn for the pattern (mine was slightly thinner), I was confused on the sizing, and the first try gave me a cuff that was too tight to actually get over my foot. Lolz. The second attempt – with bigger needles – was still pretty small. Too small, really, so I abandoned it in a bit of a strop and itβs still tucked away in the corner of my knitting bag waiting to be unravelled. I do like the yarn though, so Iβm hoping that when Iβm not so much of a sock-noob I can reuse it into an actual wearable pair of socks.
The yarn I got in my Knitcrate was by βThe One Stringβ – an indie dyer in Utah. Itβs the βCharmβ sock weight yarn, 90% Targhee superwash yarn and 10% nylon. The pattern that was included with the yarn is βDamson Espalierβ By Liz Harris, which is available from Ravelry here if you want a pair of these socks in your life.
I thought this box would be the hand-holding I needed to bring a pair of wearable socks into the world, and although I really love my finished socks, the quality of the pattern instructions was a little bit meh.
Before you even start knitting something, what do you do? Figure out the size you need to make. The pattern listed two size options – S/M and L/XL – but no indication of the size feet and calves that they actually fit. For someone thatβs knitting their first pair, this was not helpful to me. I dithered, likely muttering some complaints under my breath – and in the end went for the small/medium because I guessed that large would probably cater for a man’s size 11’s or something – but a size range would have been really handy, yβknow π€·π»ββοΈ
The next hurdle that I came across – again let me point out that I havenβt, at this stage, even begun knitting yet – says you should βcable cast on, using the pictured sock for referenceβ but in the one and only picture of the socks in the pattern booklet you canβt actually see the cast on edge, so, yeah thanks π Long-tail cast on it was, then.
LOOK HOW TINY THE NEEDLES (AND STITCHES) ARE ππ
I didn’t think the instructions were particularly clear in a couple of places either – one of them I was one row out to what they said I should be (but I couldn’t see how I could be at the row they said, if I followed their instructions) and the twisted stitches at the heel was also a particularly wordy section with no real guidance than to just try it one way, and if it βdidnβt look rightβ then do it the other way. So much for this being easy, huh. *sigh*
My last complaint – although a minor one – is that someone really needs to sort out the white balance in their photos, because the socks in the booklet are nowhere near the colour tones of the actual yarn π
I’ve never knitted socks before, but I’ve plenty of experience of knitting a cabled garment with a cable needle. You’re given the instructions to knit the socks without a cable needle – though this involves purling through backs of loops which takes an IMMENSE amount of wrangling the tiny needles into odd positions. I proceeded with my tried and tested method of cabling using a cable needle, but I’m not joking in the slightest when I say that this took an absolute AGE to do just one row. It’s SO fiddly. I wondered how I would ever get one sock complete at the rate I was going. So, I decided to give their cable-needle-free instructions a go. Well, it took several rounds to get into it – it felt like a proper arms-and-needles-all-over-the-show mission to do the left crosses (the right crosses weren’t so bad) but eventually, I got there and it did become quicker than cable needle method. But WOW I think I should have chosen a simpler pattern for my first pair π
The heel flap is… reinforced I guess you’d call it? It took me a while to figure out why there were all these slip-stitches going on, but after a few rows I realised that this made a thicker fabric, which is obvs what you want on the heel so that the back of your shoes don’t wear through your socks in five seconds. Clever.
The yarn behaved well, not splitty at all and really nice to work with. It did take quite a long time to do the ‘leg’ bit of the sock where the cable pattern goes all the way around – becoming slightly faster once you get to the ‘foot’ bit and the cables are only on the front half of the sock (stocking stitch on the rest of it – super fast!). Using Kitchener stitch for the first time to close up the toe took a couple of tries to get it looking right…
Not right:
Better:
A bit of a pointy toe though? Maybe. I also went wrong somewhere on the last few rows of the toe and had to rip back and pick up the stitches and try again… NOT fun when your stitch loops are super-tiny π
And then once you clap yourself on the back for completing a whole sock, you have to go and do it all over again! Well, I guess you don’t *have* to, but if you’d like to have a matching pair then yeah it’s rinse and repeat I’m afraid… with a sprinkle of Groundhog Day for good measure.
Oh, I also discovered that taking photos of socks is HARD! We took these in Central Park in NYC, just a couple of days before lockdown kicked in. It feels like an absolute age ago, but it was maybe twelve weeks back. It all seems a bit surreal, now.
(Also, geeeeeeez I have some serious cyclist calves going on ππ
I really love my finished socks though, and the yarn softened up A LOT after I washed them for the first time (in wool detergent, on a cold wash because I was so damn scared of shrinking them π³π). These bad boys have spurred me on to make ALL THE SOCKS, especially using the nice yarns that I picked up during that trip to NYC (on the final day before Knitty City closed). Socks are just so easy going – theyβre small, portable, and you can dip in and out to do a few rows when you fancy it. Plus, everyone needs socks, and can you ever really have too many pairs? No. No you can’t.
Next time on the blog… the long-awaited (very long-awaited) pink leopard print Dawn Jeans! πππYAS!
Happy Sunday guys βπ»π
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25 responses to “Rock Your Socks Off”
LOVELY CUMFY SOCKIES!! Beautiful knitting! X
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Thanks Maggie! I am definitely, 100% addicted π
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I think you were very brave to knit a pattern on your first pair of socks. If no one has pointed you in this direction I can fully recommend Winwick Mum for sock patterns. Easy to follow whether plain or patterned.
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You know me… I donβt like to do things by halves π Ooooh no Iβve not seen Winwick Mumβs patterns – thanks for the tip! (I feel my sock queue is about to get seriously longer!)
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Fabulous! I’d also recommend Winwick Mum for sock patterns; everything well explained and some hand-holding videos if you need them
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Thanks Tania! Iβm not sure how Iβve failed to come across Winwick Mum before?! Definitely adding some patterns to the list! π
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Love your socks. I have one hand knitted pair that I love, they are so warm and cosy. I have always intended to make more, but haven’t quite got around to it as yet. The ones I have were knitted from a kit bought for me by a friend as a birthday gift.
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Thanks Bren! π The socks are SO super cosy to wear! I love them… I wish I had more pairs but I canβt knit them quick enough π Go on, start another pair… the weather will be getting cooler soon so youβll be thankful for them π
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Love your socks! I knit too but have never been brave enough to tackle socks.
Funnily enough, my sewing ability/motivation seems to have disappeared during lockdown…Iβve picked up a cross stitch that I want to make a family member for their birthday but have been considering picking up the Girasole knitting pattern I started a while ago. Iβd given up on it in desperation because I made a big booboo and hadnβt put any lifelines in so had to rip it all back. Not a good day. Maybe if I start it now itβll be finished by the time it gets cold again!!
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Thanks Alison! π Lockdown has been a weird time, hasnβt it. I never would have expected it to affect my sewing in the way it has. Did you pick up your cross stitch or your knitting in the end? I have a lovely (but HUGE) cross stitch that I started many years ago which Iβd like to finish… one day π Putting lifelines in knitting is something Iβve never done… though Iβve heard of them. I must look them up because they sound kind of useful!
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I’ve been knitting socks too- not my first pair by any means but probably my best-fitting pair. I used some of the instructions from “Sock Architecture” by Lara Neel and I heartily recommend it if you want more nitty gritty (look- I passed up the opportunity to insert a knitting pun!) as, while there are patterns (top-down and toe-up (my preferred option as you can try them on as you go and there’s less chance of running out of yarn)) she also introduces the nuts and bolts so you can work it out for yourself (Socks a la Carte is similar in that you can “choose your own adventure” but less wordy and doesn’t explain the different toe shapes etc). It turns out that a long tapered toe is what works for me, although I have to deviate from the instructions slightly to accommodate my crazily high instep.
I think my next knitting project will be an attempt to use 800m of DK (from a friend’s destash)- I’m thinking that something vintage-ey might be the best chance of not running out of yarn…
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Iβm here for ALL the knitting puns π
Ooh thanks for the heads up on Sock Architecture – thatβs now in the Amazon basket! Iβve only done top down socks as I feel more comfortable starting with the rib than the toe – I have a weird feeling that if I start with the toe, somehow itβs gonna look messy and wrong and Iβll hate it. I guess thereβs only one way to find out, right? π€ I donβt even know what kind of a toe would suit me, so it would be good to learn!
Iβve got some stashed yarn that I want to try and use up – somehow I find browsing potential patterns on Ravelry to be *almost* as fun as the actual knitting π€ͺ Did you choose a pattern in the end?
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There is NOTHING like a pair of hand knit socks, and yours are gorgeous! I highly recommend Soak for washing socks (and all delicates) if you haven’t tried it. It’s magic, since you don’t need to rinse like a maniac…
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They are AWESOME, right? SO comfy, I wish I could wear them every day of the week (well I guess I could, if I knitted enough pairs!!) Iβve not heard of Soak, thanks for the tip! π
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Living in Sweden so we dont have lock-down but still at home a lot more. IΒ΄ve started to sew for ten minutes every day (or, at least doing something sewing related and thats quite nice! My knitting is stalled, I have a pair of vanilla is the new black on the needles (two at the same time is the way to go!) in a beautiful handpainted yarn. Thanks for the inspo!
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Hi Elisabet! Thatβs a nice approach – do a few minutes sewing each day π€ I know that knitting two at a time is a thing, but Iβve never actually figured out how you do that?! Do you need two balls of yarn? Iβm so confused!
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Theyβre GORGEOUS!! Bravo! ππ»
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Thanks Sara! π
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Ooh, they’re amazing! And your calves are mighty fine! Besides, muscular calves just accentuate nice ankles (I tell myself).
Knitting and crocheting are like some forms of wizardry to me. Everything I’ve tried to make so far (just one most regular possible stitch I don’t even know the name of) turned out looking like it was spending summer holidays at a moth colony because I skip stitches, do them backwards and don’t make them the same tightness. Kudos!
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Haha… Iβve never really thought about it that way, I guess thicker calves do make ankles look smaller π€ π€ͺ
LOL on the moth colony!!! πππ I remember when I was younger and just starting out at knitting, mine was like that too. Holes everywhere, plus each row seemed to have a different number of stitches π³ Honestly though, practice helps! Crochet is DEFINITELY wizardry though, I never got the hang of that! π€―
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They look lovely! The cable design looks awesome and the colours are beautiful β€ I wish I had the desire to knit socks as they use such pretty yarn, but I just imagine that they'd be a super sweaty feet fest! I think I'd end up taking them off after five minutes!
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Thanks Romy! π I guess Iβm lucky as my feet are ALWAYS cold. I swear they are like ten degrees colder than the rest of my body π₯Ά Which probably means I have a circulation problem or something π€·π»ββοΈπ
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Yes, I’m having a go at “With the New Cowl Neck” from A Stitch in Time vol 1. There’s quite a lot of reknitting involved and I haven’t got the tension for the pattern so am adjusting the number of stitches and rows to fit my measurements. I still feel there may be some yarn chicken involved…
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Haha… Iβm sure it will turn out fine! πͺπ» Iβm actually quite looking forward to Autumn so that I can get out the knitted garments π
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These are gorgeous! I like a simple sock personally, and the pattern on Ravelry called “Lisa’s Neapolitan Socks” is a simple sock pattern, but it has great instructions and links to videos that are really helpful. It’s the only sock pattern I’ve used and I’ve been able to adapt the basics of the pattern to using worsted weight yarn. Oh, and I’m fairly new to knitting, less than two years of it under my belt. π
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