While Turtlegirl was getting her socks off at Sock Summit 2009, I took care of her boys Calvin and Ripple. Also her fish. Which died. But the cats are thriving, so that was good enough to earn me some loot! Look what she brought me back from Sock Summit! Socks That Rock Rare Gems. Turtlegirl knows me so well. These are exactly my colors. I’m all about the cool tones.

Incidentally, Turtlegirl has a really cool sock pattern named after her cats Calvin and Ripple (Ravelry link). It’s really two patterns in one, with one sock named Calvin (wild and unpredictable) and one named Ripple (the traditional old man with traditional construction). I’ve seen them finished in person (Jane Prater did a particularly nice one), and they’re really cool, so if you’re looking for two new patterns for the price of one, I recommend it.

Thanks, Turtlegirl, I love my new yarn!

Pattern: Cedar Creek
Yarn: Creatively Dyed “Calypso” in colorway Mabolo
Needles: US size 0 (2mm) for foot and leg, US size 1 (2.25mm) for heel flap
Ravelry project page

Notes:This is one sturdy heel flap. They have you slipping stitches every row instead of every other, which is what I was used to. It’s an easy pattern to memorize but still requires some attention, making it good “on the go” knitting. If I had it to do over again I would have done a 1×1 ribbed cuff instead of the picot edge called for.

The yarn bled a little bit of blue but not much in its after-knitting soak. The skein is 500 yards and I’ve got plenty left. There’s no pooling or flashing, but the leg of one sock is noticeably darker than the other. Must have just been a darker patch which occurred during the dyeing process.

I have wide feet, but I’m usually a loose knitter so I didn’t increase from the called-for 60 to the 64 my gut said I should be using for the foot. They’re a little snugger than perhaps they should be. The pattern was clearly written and included a chart for the 12-stitch 4-row repeat. Like I say, it didn’t take long to get it down pat. I’d make these again.

Pattern: Cedar Creek
Yarn: Creatively Dyed “Calypso” in colorway Mabolo
Needles: US size 0 (2mm) for foot and leg, US size 1 (2.25mm) for heel flap
Ravelry project page

Notes:This is one sturdy heel flap. They have you slipping stitches every row instead of every other, which is what I was used to. It’s an easy pattern to memorize but still requires some attention, making it good “on the go” knitting. If I had it to do over again I would have done a 1×1 ribbed cuff instead of the picot edge called for.

The yarn bled a little bit of blue but not much in its after-knitting soak. The skein is 500 yards and I’ve got plenty left. There’s no pooling or flashing, but the leg of one sock is noticeably darker than the other. Must have just been a darker patch which occurred during the dyeing process.

I have wide feet, but I’m usually a loose knitter so I didn’t increase from the called-for 60 to the 64 my gut said I should be using for the foot. They’re a little snugger than perhaps they should be. The pattern was clearly written and included a chart for the 12-stitch 4-row repeat. Like I say, it didn’t take long to get it down pat. I’d make these again.

The day the sock queen, Turtlegirl, links to me happens to be the day that I have actually finished my Cedar Creek socks (Ravelry project link). If they’re dry in time, Turtlegirl, I’ll bring them to knit night tonight.

(P.S. Your sock blockers rule.)

The day the sock queen, Turtlegirl, links to me happens to be the day that I have actually finished my Cedar Creek socks (Ravelry project link). If they’re dry in time, Turtlegirl, I’ll bring them to knit night tonight.

(P.S. Your sock blockers rule.)

My current non-Jayne project.

Pattern: Flame Wave Socks by Ann Budd from Interweave Knits’ Favorite Socks
Needles: Two circs in size 4US / 3.5mm and Size 3US / 3.25mm
Yarn: Cascade Fixation (just under two balls) 98.3% cotton 1.7% elastic
Ravelry Project Page

Pattern modifications: None, really. These were knit exactly according to the women’s sizing provided in the pattern, going down a needle size since I’m a loose knitter. It was my first time working with Cascade Fixation and I was uncertain how its elastic qualities would work, so I didn’t want to fiddle too much.

These took just under a ball for each sock. They’re quite comfortable. I got the yarn on sale so they came in for under $8. I’d use this pattern and this yarn again.

Knitters have something called “Second Sock Syndrome.” You finish one sock and then feel like you’ve completed the project and have no desire to do exactly the same thing all over again. I don’t suffer from this for two reasons.

One, I constantly knit the same thing over and over again anyway. It’s called a Jayne hat. I may have mentioned it.

Two, my daughter has a computer game called Pajama Sam: Life Is Rough When You Lose Your Stuff. In it, the main character wanders through a magical land that’s inhabited by all the things he’s left lying around in his room. One of them is a single sock, which sings a song about how it misses its matching sock. I will go out on a limb and call it the best musical number sung by an article of clothing in a video game ever. Sorry for the poor sound quality, but you get the gist.

I cannot let one of my socks suffer the same fate as this poor, lonely sweatsock, so I always knit the mate. Just doing my part to lift the spirits of socks everywhere.

FO: Valentine’s Day socks
Yarn: two half-skeins Koigu KPPPM superwash wool, plus reinforcing thread at heel and toe.
Needles: 2.25mm/size 1 US
Pattern: Zhenya’s MUMTU sock pattern (link to tutorial).
(Ravelry page)



Notes: My daughter’s Valentine’s socks are done, and it’s only… what, March 23rd? Fortunately they’re meant to double as Easter socks. Even though these are only 52 stitches around, 6.5 stitches per inch, they’re still a little loose on her ankles. I should have gone to a size 0 needle for the ribbing. The ribbing wants to fold over, completely covering up the hearts on the ankle, so I’m pretty sure that when she’s wearing them with her Converse sneakers it’s just going to look like she’s wearing purple socks. Oh well.

The Fair Isle colorwork isn’t perfect, but it’s good enough for the purpose, and it was good practice. I was more concerned with being sure it wasn’t pulled tight in the back of the stitches so the socks would have proper stretch. That hurt my tension some. And I need to reinforce the gap where the ankle meets the foot. That continues to be a bugaboo for me when I’m picking up heel stitches and rejoining for the leg.

She was very excited to get them, proclaiming them “very comfortable.” It was difficult to get a nice picture with them on, because she couldn’t keep her feet still long enough to pose. I like the reaction, so who needs a pretty “socks on” picture? I’m letting all flaws go, because if she’s happy, I’m happy.

I haven’t dropped off the face of the earth, it’s just been busy hereabouts. Today I am cleaning like mad in preparation for having Em’s party here tomorrow. It’s like bailing out the Titanic with a Dixie cup. Still, I persevere.

It occurs to me that I haven’t shown these. These are Ann Budd’s Flame Wave socks from Interweave Press’ “Favorite Socks” book. 56 stitch caston, Cascade Fixation. I’m using size 4 and 3 needles instead of the recommended 5 and 4, as I am a loose knitter. It’s going quickly but the bulk of my time is still taken up with Jayne hats.

Speaking of, if Brown Sheep doesn’t ship out their yellow yarn soon, I’m going to road trip to Nebraska to dye it myself. The lack of yellow yarn is officially holding up the works now. Fortunately I have four acrylic hats in a row, but I’m on number four, and then I’ll have to resort to calling all over the state and driving hither and yon for odd skeins. It’s not an efficient use of resources, but time and Jayne hats wait for no man.

Okay, cleaning calls. If I’m not back by tomorrow, call the Coast Guard.

FO: Charlie Brown socks
Yarn: 1.5 skeins Dalegarn Baby Ull superwash wool
Needles: 2.25mm/size 1 US
Pattern: Zhenya’s MUMTU sock pattern (link to tutorial)

Notes: This was a 64 stitch foot, going to 60 on the leg to make the 10 stitch wide stripe chart work around the ankle. My colorwork on the second sock was better than it was on the first, since I was a little rusty on the two-handed Fair Isle technique. The yarn was very soft, and became even softer after washing. The nice form in the picture at left, by the way, is thanks to the awesome sock blockers that turtlegirl76 sells in her etsy store. Since these were a gift, using the blockers gave them the polished, finished look that I wanted.

These were made for my father, whose birthday it is today. It was important to me that these be machine washable since I don’t want my father to have to wash his socks in the sink. It was also important to me that they fit well, since he has some issues with his blood sugar and in that situation, one thing you don’t want to do is cut off circulation to the feet! For that reason, I measured his feet and made them to fit, even if it meant that he knew in advance that he’d be getting socks.

He got them at his birthday dinner on Wednesday night and liked how they looked. He put them on later that night (those aren’t his feet at right, they’re mine), and the following day I got a phone call that I’m still giddy about. Apparently they feel “wonderful” (said about ten times) and “fantastic” (about five times) and feel “like butter.” Like most of us, my dad buys his socks by the pack, whatever’s cheapest. I’m not knocking that, I buy my husband’s socks in packs. “I never knew socks could feel like this!” my father said. He sounded flabbergasted. I hope he’s not spoiled for cheap socks now.

As for me, I’m feeling like my heart grew about five sizes. I’ve knitted socks for exactly three people outside myself: my daughter, my mother, and my father. I’m thrilled that he likes them so much. He’s definitely going on the “more socks” list. And now, if you’ll pardon me, I’ll be floating around the house for the rest of the day.

Oh, and…