Ribbed Lace Socks

I finished the Ribbed Lace socks I started a long time ago. I don't even remember now when I did start them. I finished them last night. I knit them in Lorna's Sport in the Somerset colorway on size 2 needles. This was a fun knit and an easy pattern to remember. I will probably knit it again.

Chevron-arific!

Just in time to wear for the LSAT on Saturday: the Law School (Chevron) Socks!

More details are on the blog, if you scroll down a couple posts past the baby hat FO. I hope they'll bring me luck on Saturday!

I'm sorry I haven't been commenting as much on everyone's blogs (hi, Carrie and Susan!) but I hope to after the first of the year when the application process cools down and the holidays are over. Then it will just be knitting and baking the "bun" in the oven (due March 10).

I would like to thank Alison for her helpful comments on working the forethought heels on the chevron-type socks. I followed her advice and decreased every other row (per the pattern) for half of the heel, and then I decreased every row. Bingo -- no nipply heels! This pair turned out much better than the Welt Fantastic pair I made.

Did I mention lately how much I love SKS? My sister just took up knitting, and wants to start making socks, so I think I might get this book for her for Christmas.

I hope everyone has a good holiday season!

Waterfall Rib

Here is a picture of the socks I made for my daughter on the trip to Montreal back in October. Actually, I started them then and had to finish them once home. The yarn is Bernat Sox Hot Orange. I used the 2 circular method and the waterfall rib pattern. I would have liked to make the cuff longer, but she likes ankle socks. She's happy with them and that's what counts!

Sock Answers

Why make socks when you can buy them in bulk at the store?
I mainly knit socks because they are quick(er) to knit, they are easy to fit and they don't take a lot of yarn/money to make a nice gift for myself or others. But I still wear a lot of store socks.

What is your favorite sock yarn?
I never met a sock yarn I didn't like.

What is your favorite online sock yarn store?
Astrid's Dutch Obsessions. Great prices, great selection. Even with shipping to USA the prices are very good. I have chosen the cheapest/longest shipping and found the yarn arrived a lot sooner than I thought it would. About 4 weeks. If you subscribe to her e-mail list she will tell you all about her sales.

What is your favorite pattern from SKS?
Hands-down that would be Ridged Feather. I think I have made 4 or 5 sets of that now, and can't seem to do anything else lately.

Hope you USA folks have a terrific Thanksgiving. I am very thankful to be able to share my knitting with you, and I love reading about and seeing your beautiful socks!

Peace!
Susan
ZenKnit

Sock Answers

Why make socks when you can buy them in bulk at the store?

Several years ago I was shopping in Target, and was puttering around the hoisery section looking for some warm chunky socks. While looking, I thought, "Hey, I can knit, why don't I make some?" and then immediately thought, "My god, spend all that time knitting just for a pair of socks???" and totally dismissed the idea. I never did find any delicious chunky socks, and wound up buying a set of thin boring socks that had holes a month later. That very evening I was at our knitter's circle, and the hostess showed us 2 pairs of hand-knit socks. I had never seen such fabulous socks. I was wowed. I was hooked. The next day I ran to the LYS, bought yarn, a pattern, and double points. Within a few weeks I had finished that pair and bought circular needles, and within a few months I had made socks for the whole family, more pairs for me, and started collecting a formidible stash of sock yarn that continues to grow. I love my homemade socks. They feel RIGHT on my feet, while other socks just feel tolerable. They are beautiful to look at and give me joy. I also like the portability of knitting socks. I can stuff the yarn into my pockets and knit on the socks as I travel, or whenever I have a few spare seconds. That's one thing I like in particular about the circular needles, they are much more durable as a project than double points, which always fell out.

What is your favorite sock yarn?

I like anything that stripes. I'm always in search of better stripes. I have knitted more regia than anything else, possibly because it's affordable. Second to Regia would be Cascade Fixation. I had a Fixation fix a few years ago, but haven't knit it for a while. I really need to try Socks that Rock, I keep reading about it.

What is your favorite online sock yarn store?

I've ordered a lot from TheKnitter.com. The prices are very reasonable, the service excellent, and I'm a sucker for free shipping. I also have ordered from knitpicks.com.

What is your favorite pattern from SKS?

I really love how the basket rib weave knits up. I also like the mosaic socks, though I have yet to make a pair that really pleases me.

Valerie
http://knitikas.blogspot.com

Monica's Chevron Socks

I have finally finished the socks I was making for my sister. I used the Chevron pattern with 77 stitches, they are knit in Opal Dreamcatcher (I don't remember the color#, sorry). I was trying to make them identical but there seems to have been a glitch in the dyeing process, so they aren't. They do match on the legs though. I like them and I hope Monica will too.

Socktacular!

Why make socks when you can buy them in bulk at the store?
Why knit a sweater or bake a cake? I think it's the same principle. You have to enjoy the process. Overall, I am a product knitter. I knit in order to produce an item, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the process. Aside from that, it's all about the fabulous yarn and the excellent custom-fit!

What is your favorite sock yarn?
My favorite sock yarn is Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock. LOVE this stuff. The density and texture are outstanding. It's superwash and wears well. The colors are intense and creative. Love love love! (A close runner-up is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock. Nice twist, great colors, wears well).

What is your favorite online sock yarn store?
Tough question, since my favorite yarn (Socks that Rock) can only be bought online at www.bluemoonfiberarts.com I feel like I could never do without them:), however, for overall selection, price, and customer service I would have to go with www.simplysockyarn.com . And for Lorna's Laces, hands down, it's all about www.yarn-store.com . Even though Simply Sock Yarn stocks it too, they don't have the realtime stock meter of each colorway! I love that. Also, Angelika (of yarn-store.com) ships exceptionally fast. I'll order on a Friday and have it on Monday! (She just added two new exclusive colorways...I couldn't resist green apple:)

What is your favorite pattern from SKS?
So far my favorite pattern has been the basket weave rib. It's simple and looks fantastic. It works well with mostly solid yarn or hand-dyed.

Sock questions

Oh, I can't resist the sock questions! Here are my thoughts:

Why make socks when you can buy them in bulk at the store?
For me knitting is more about process than product. Socks, like hats, are great fun to knit because compared to other knitted items they are quick to make, involve virtually no seaming and there is huge pleasure & satisfaction in seeing a complete, three-dimensional object 'grow' off the needles.

What is your favorite sock yarn?
There are so many but I might nominate a lovely cashmere blend that I had from Posh Yarn in the UK. The red dye comes off on my fingers but the yarn is so soft and luscious to work with.

What is your favorite online sock yarn store?
I've had quite a lot of things from Angel Yarns at http://www.angelyarns.com/ - very good for the Opal yarn range as well as their own hand-dyed, and I've already mentioned Posh Yarns for luxury blends: http://www.poshyarn.co.uk/


What is your favorite pattern from SKS?
I haven't made that many but I am slowly completing a pair of toe-up Beaded Rib socks (there's a nice photo in SKS, it's in the five-stitch-pattern section). I was on a steep learning curve with the provisional cast-on & hundreds of stitch markers on the heel and toe, but the beaded rib stitch pattern is lovely - not that hard to execute and looks really elaborate. I am nearly finished making these socks and I will proudly post a photo when they're done.

Rachel

Sock Answers

I'm game. Here are my sock answers:

Why make socks when you can buy them in bulk at the store? For the challenge of it. Something about the construction makes it so much more interesting than other knitting. And until I received my first pair of socks (in the Sock Wars contest), I had no idea about how wonderful handknit socks feel. They are Cleckheaton yarn in a wool/silk blend. Now I am a true believer. The rest of the socks I make may just be for me.

What is your favorite sock yarn? I like Lorna's Laces. I'm knitting with Lana Grossa right now, and the one finished sock is really soft and comfy. Claudia's Handpainted is also very nice.

What is your favorite online sock yarn store? I've only ordered online from Knit Happens, which is one of my LYSes. I ordered Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Black Purl. But I actually saw someone knit up a Clapotis from the same yarn and colorway, so that sock yarn might not actually go into socks. (Horrors!)

What is your favorite pattern from SKS? I'm digging the chevron pattern in the Lana Grossa grey/black/white stripe right now, but I'm pretty much over striping yarn, so I'm going to move on from there. I love the Elongated Corded Rib, and may make another one of those. But I also have envied the Harebell Lace and Oriel patterns I've seen on the blog, so those are up next.

Looking forward to seeing everyone else's answers!

One Elongated Corded Rib Sock Down

Thanks to four days away from home and all of the associated chores that go with home, I actually finished the first of my Elongated Corded Rib Socks. I had been feeling rather ambivalent about this pattern, and have decided that some of the ribbed sock varieties aren't the most flattering for my calves. But with the beautiful Socks That Rock Peaseblossom yarn, I ended up liking the end result:



Now it's on to Sock #2!
More on my blog

Deb

I'm new

I'm new too sock knitting, my wonderful SP9 pal sent me this book to start this new obsession LOL...I'm going to choose my sock and i'll post back about what i'm going to make :)...I'm currently doing the Blueberry Waffle pattern ( found at knitting pattern central) in KnitPicks memories Rocky Mountain Dusk...but I messed up on the heel...I thought i'd try a short row heel...I forgot to do the wraps and now there are holes :(...i'm debating starting the heel over or keep going and sew up the holes after and remember to do it right for the 2nd sock LOL...I put it down for a bit and i'll start another from the book :)

Sock Questions

I'm a couple of days behind in posting the questions I promised, but I engaged myself in some insane lace knitting that has to be done by the end of November to wear to a holiday party. So not too much sock knitting going on right now. Here are the questions. Feel free to answer right here on the SKS blog and if you have any questions you'd like to add, let me know.

Why make socks when you can buy them in bulk at the store?
What is your favorite sock yarn?
What is your favorite online sock yarn store? (I'll add the answers here to the sidebar, so everyone can find them.)
What is your favorite pattern from SKS?

I look forward to seeing your answers!

Hostess note:
Stariel, I need your email address in order to send an invitation to you. You can email me at the address in the sidebar. Thanks!

Elongated Corded Rib

I completed my Fail Safe Socks yesterday. I used the elongated corded rib pattern which works out quite nicely with variegated yarn.

More Sensational Knitted Socks

I am not sure where I heard about the book but there is a pre-order for it up on Amazon NAYYY. I don't know when it is supposed to come out and I hope it isn't going to take forever because I am already anxious for the next book. Now I just have to figure out how to add my name to the list on the sidebar because it's not there and I don't know what to do to get it there. More sock knitting to come in a few weeks. I have some really nice sock yarn I bought at the TTC Knitalong just before Halloween and it's crying out to be used.

Intro

Hello socksters!

I've been reading the blog for a while, and have been waiting to finish my most recent pair of socks before posting. These socks pictured were made toe-up from Big Print remnants I found in my stash. I didn't use a pattern from the SKS book, but I did use the yarn-over cable stitch found in there. I knit toe-up until I ran out of the yarn, and then knit a fairly chunky cuff to make the socks tall enough.

I am also in the middle of a pair of socks using Trekker yarn, a gift for my husband. These, too, I'm using my own pattern, but utilizing the basket-rib stitch from the book. This is a gorgeous stitch! I'll be sure to post pictures when they're done.



I knit one pair of socks using a pattern directly out of SKS. It was after struggling through errors in the version I have that I found this blog, because I was googling looking for support. I was glad to see the errata linked here!

These socks were knit from Knit Picks' Essential, using the mosaic sock pattern in SKS, and the crusader's check stitch. They're very fun to wear!

Nice to be a part of this blog. I loooove seeing every body's pictures. What a great collection of gorgeous socks!

Valerie
http://knitikas.blogspot.com

Another Newbie

Hi everyone,
I just joined and am thrilled to be here! I am making my second pair of socks from this wonderful book. I used it to learn how to knit socks, and am now a member of the Socks That Rock Club who makes socks on a regular basis.


My current pair from this book are "Elongated Corded Rib," which I am making with Socks that Rock Peaseblossom. They are looking lovely already, and it's a nice, easy, rhythmic pattern.

Looking forward to seeing everyone's socks!

Deb
http://rather-be.blogspot.com/

Just Joined

My name is Rochelle. I just received my invite to join the KAL. I've already knit one pair of socks from this fantastic book but I will be doing more. I love this book and I can't wait for the sequel "More Sensational Knitted Socks" that is due out in the spring, I believe.

Hostess Notes

Hello there,

I just glanced at the archives and realized I've had the KAL blog going for nearly a year and I also realized I haven't been the best hostess, but I am vowing to change that. I have been looking at everyone's socks even if I haven't been commenting. A lot of really great socks you guys have been making! I have just finished some long overdue maintenance, meaning I've added people's names to the sidebar. If I missed you or if your information or blog is wrong, please let me know. If you asked for an invite and have not received one, please let me know because occasionally things do get lost or put in the wrong email folder.

I thought to get things started back on the blog, I'd come up with a few sock related questions for you. I'll do that sometime in the next few days, so if you have a question you'd like me to add to the list, just let me know either in the comments for this post or in an email. Thanks for being patient with me. I'm forgetful and I get easily overwhelmed with things.

Your Hostess,
Alison