Diagonal Lace Socks

Of course, I decided to take photos after I blogged about them yesterday :) 

Pattern: Diagonal Lace Socks by Wendy Johnson
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Tonal in Harvest Tonal
Needles: US 0
Method: Magic Loop and toe up
Modifications: At the cuff I decreased to 64 stitches per sock to knit a 2x2 rib because the socks are a bit loose. I probably could have omitted one lace repeat. There is also an errata in the pattern. On even rounds, you should knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches; I just knit even because I found the errata when I was halfway through the socks and didn't want to change :)

The pattern is free on Ravelry as a preview for her book Socks From the Toe Up. I own the book as well, and am really looking forward to knitting more patterns from it! Even though these socks took me several months to complete, they took me out of my sock knitting comfort zone but I love how they turned out. They were a great project for when I wanted something that required a bit more concentration but didn't need my entire focus.

I am so happy it's the weekend! Enjoy friends!

WIP: Diagonal Lace Socks

I cast on this pair the other day:

Pattern: Diagonal Lace Socks by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Fingering in Harvest Tonal
Needles: 2.00 mm 
Size: Medium-size (as written in pattern)

It's a very simple lace pattern and the repeats are fairy easy to memorize; a perfect pattern where you can devote your attention to it without having your eyes stuck to the pattern. The pattern is also free on Ravelry, but I am pretty positive I want to own the book :)

Scott's Socks II

I love the stripes!

Woo hoo! 

Yarn is Classic Elite Yarns Alpaca Sox. The colorway should actually be called Mr. Grinch, because that's what the color reminds me of! But really, I don't know what the colorway is called.

I used 2.25 mm needles because I read Alpaca Sox needs to be knit at a tighter gauge since it loosens. I did not love knitting with this yarn. It was very splitty and undefined. But I absolutely looooove the finished fabric!! So squishy and wonderful. I have two other skeins of this yarn (in different colors) that I received for Christmas last year, and I will undoubtedly knit a pair for myself.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Summer Socks

I finished these babies yesterday! From now on, socks shall only be knit with sport weight yarn; they're a breeze! (Scott's socks will certainly be knit with sport weight from now on)

It's Sereknity Yarn and Fiber and was won in a contest put on by Gina House of SleepyEyes. It is sport weight and 260 yards. I knit these toe up with Magic Loop and was determined to use all the yarn! I did end up using most of it, except the last yard or two.

I started with a 3.00 mm needle and switched to 2.5 mm for the ribbed leg because I was worried it wouldn't be snug enough. I think it was a good call because they fit beautifully!!

I am seriously over the moon with these! It might be because they are the quickest socks I've knit so far (only six days! I feel like those all-star sock knitters who whip out pairs before you can blink. Yes, Andi, I mean you!) It also might be because I love hand-knit socks and now I have another pair!


Happy Thursday! The weekend is almost here!


(Progress photos can be seen at this post)

Updates!

I have so many things to update on! Hopefully, I will slowly catch pack up on blogging.

First thing, I finished and sent the hats off!

 

Second thing, I have been trying my hand at two-at-a-time toe up socks! I love to learn new techniques and there are so many benefits to knitting socks this way. What appeals the most is always knowing you will have enough yarn to finish the socks (unless they are knee highs).

The first toe up socks I tried were the sample socks from Melissa Morgan-Oakes Toe up book:

Little toe cups are my favorite!!

which turned into....

These should fit a toddler, according to the book.

And then I cast on a pair for me from Regia 4-ply Silk - yarn I received last Christmas.

And this is more or less where I am at now:

I'm probably about two or three inches up the leg. They feel fine! Nice and silky on my feet, and I can't wait to wear them.

So far I have almost three pairs of hand knit socks for myself !!! It's so rewarding to look in my sock drawer and see the pairs I knitted. But then I get to thinking about Scott, and how he only has one pair of hand knit socks... so of course I wanted to knit more for him.

We went to Loopy Knit and Crochet in Missoula and he picked this yarn:

It's lovely stuff! The colors are beautiful and the little alpaca hairs are nice.

The other night I was knitting the toe cups and finishing the Hunger Games trilogy! I haven't read a book so fast in awhile! And there's a great deal on Amazon to purchase the trilogy on the Kindle for $18.99, so I did :)

And right now, I'm relaxing on my day off. I picked up an afghan I started sometime last year but never finished. I really had only started it before I stopped crocheting on it, because it's less than two feet wide (it's the Round Ripple afghan I'm so fond of).

Happy Crafternoon :)