Socks, Socks, Socks (again)!
Is it any surprise, really? I have sock clubs in high-gear and several new drool-worthy sock books, so of course I’m hooked again. (And it’s a good thing, considering my sock yarn stash.)
I recently started projects from the new(ish) book, Socks from the Toe Up by Wendy Johnson. It’s very quickly becoming my favorite knitting book. I adore Wendy’s patterns. She seems to really strike the perfect balance between her patterns being easy, yet challenging enough to be interesting. Of course the patterns also produce gorgeous socks!
I was so overwhelmed trying to decide which pattern to start with from this book that I concluded I’d just start at the front and work my way to the back.
The first pattern is Dead Simple Lace Socks. I cast it on using Wollmeise in the Dornröschen colorway, which is a semi-solid hot pink. (I’m usually hesitant to dip into my small stash of Wollmeise, so you can see how much I love Wendy’s patterns!)
The pattern is, of course, toe-up. I substituted Judy’s magic cast-on for the suggested short-row toe, but I did the recommended short row heel. Incidentally, I think I might finally be starting to “get” short row heels, wrap-and-turns and all! I turned the heel on the second sock last night so I’ll soon be wearing this pair and casting on Diagonal Lace Socks.
I was so enamored with the short row heel that I managed to do on the pink socks that I actually did it a second time yesterday…
This project is a pair of Spring Forward socks which live in my desk drawer at work. I knit on them during lunchtime, so needless to say they’ve been progressing slowly.
The Spring Forward pattern calls for a heel flap but I’d try to do a short-row heel from memory. And guess what? It turned out great! (Yay!)
I have a lot more sock projects waiting in the wings too. I have my BMFA Rockin’ Sock Club shipment from March still on the needles, barely into the leg. I screwed up turning several rounds of twists the wrong direction and it’s really irking me, so I think I may rip it out and try again some other time. I also just got shipping notification for the May club kit today! I’m hoping it gets here by Saturday so I won’t have to wait till after the holiday to get it. I’m very tempted to rip back the march pair and cast on the May pair when it gets here.
Then there’s the Loopy Ewe sock club! I haven’t even touched the March kit, really and the May kit arrived last week!
The yarn is DyeDreams Luster Sox which was a totally new brand and line for me. The fiber is 100% BFL and it’s super soft. The name of the color is “Shades of Ireland.
It came with a specially-designed pattern, “Kinvara” pattern by Monica Jines, a bright green canvas TLE tote bag, and a “Loopy for Socks” red/zebra-print pen. Sheri always finds the cutest goodies to send!
