GG Pumpkin Spice Delight October "Vanilla" Socks // TAAT, Toe-Up

PROJECT DETAILS

Status FO
Started 10/8/2023
Completed 10/14/2023
Pattern Name N/A - Vanilla Socks
Designer N/A - Vanilla Socks
Size 40 stitches
My Measurements US 7.5 Women's Shoe Size
Yarn Handspun / Hand Dyed; Color: Pumpkin Spice Delight; DK Weight Yarn leftovers
Needles US 1.5 (2.5mm) / US 3 (3.25mm) 40" Circular

NOTES

In a moment of inspiration, I decided to dye and spin up some fiber from my stash.

Modifications

  • Used my go to Vanilla Sock Recipe, 40 stitches around for DK weight sock

    • Two-at-a-Time (TAAT)

    • Judy’s Magic Cast On

    • Fleegle Heel

    • Italian BO

RESOURCES

  • (Book) Hand Dyeing Yarn and Fleece // Gail Callahan

  • (Book) The Complete Guide to Spinning Yarn: Techniques, Projects, and Recipes // Brenda Gibson

  • (Book) Color Works: The Crafter’s Guide to Color // Deb Metz

Final Thoughts

I really like this sock! This was my most successful dyeing project so far, and the colors were exactly as I had hoped (inspired by fall and Pumpkin Spice).

July "Herrensocken" Stash Socks// Daniela Muhlbauer // TAAT, Toe-Up Mods

PROJECT DETAILS

Status FO
Started 7/1/2023
Completed 7/20/2023
Yarn Various types of stash yarn
Size Smallest sock size, 48 stitches
Needles US 1 (2.25mm)

NOTES

I decided to use the argyle pattern from this cuff down sock pattern to fulfill the theme for this month’s sock bash challenge: a new technique.

Modifications

  • Switched to Toe Up vs. Cuff down

  • Judy’s Magic Cast On - (My favorite vanilla toe shape for my foot) 8 stitches each needle (16 total); Round 1: knit; Round 2: K1, M1R, Knit until 2 stitches, M1L, K1 (both needles); Round 3: knit - Repeat rounds 2 & 3 until there are 48 stitches total for the foot

  • I used US 0 (2mm) knitting needles for the foot of the sock until 6” (3” of foot not knit); US 1 (2.25mm) knitting needles for the sole

  • Decided to

  • Two-at-a-Time (TAAT), until the lace chart

RESOURCES

  • Converting a cuff down sock to toe up // Interweave Knitting // Website

Final Thoughts

The final result looks good, but I wasn’t completely satisfied with my modifications. I also missed a colorwork repeat.

"Mercury Socks" // Kim Drotar

PROJECT DETAILS

Status FO
Started 5/1/2023
Completed 5/6/2023
Yarn Malabrigo Yarn Ultimate Sock; Colorway: Gloria
Size Smallest sock size, 48 stitches
Needles US 1 (2.25mm)

NOTES

I was able to use some leftovers from my “Boneyard Sweethearts” hat. This light color was a perfect color for the lace pattern.

Modifications

  • Switched to Toe Up vs. Cuff down

  • Judy’s Magic Cast On - (My favorite vanilla toe shape for my foot) 8 stitches each needle (16 total); Round 1: knit; Round 2: K1, M1R, Knit until 2 stitches, M1L, K1 (both needles); Round 3: knit - Repeat rounds 2 & 3 until there are 50 stitches total for the foot

  • I used US 1 (2.25mm) knitting needles for the entire sock

  • Used my favorite heel construction - Fleegle Heel + No Holes Version

  • Knit 5” for the leg before starting 1x1 rib

  • Reversed the lace chart

  • Two-at-a-Time (TAAT), until the lace chart

RESOURCES

  • Converting a cuff down sock to toe up // Interweave Knitting // Website

Final Thoughts

This sock flew off the knitting needles. These were a surprisingly quick knit. I could see myself knitting these again.

"Laurelhurst" Socks // Star Athena

PROJECT DETAILS

Status FO
Started 4/18/2023
Completed 4/30/2023
Pattern Name Laurelhurst
Designer Star Athena
Yarn Scrappy Yarn Left Overs - Succulents (Stress Yarn Knits) & Malabrigo 362 Under the Sea
Needles US 0 (2.0mm), US 1.5 (2.5mm)

NOTES

I wanted to use up some scrappy yarn, but I didn’t want a truly scrappy look for my sock. My yarn combo was perfect for this slip stitch sock.

Modifications

  • Switched to Toe Up vs. Cuff down

  • Judy’s Magic Cast On - (My favorite vanilla toe shape for my foot) 8 stitches each needle (16 total); Round 1: knit; Round 2: K1, M1R, Knit until 2 stitches, M1L, K1 (both needles); Round 3: knit - Repeat rounds 2 & 3 until there are 50 stitches total for the foot

  • US 0 (2.0mm) for the toes and foot; US 1.5 (2.5mm) after the heel & for the leg; US 7 (4.5mm) for the loose bind off - I experimented with several sizes and, for me, this produced a nice stretchy bind off

  • Used my favorite heel construction - Fleegle Heel + No Holes Version

  • 4.5” length for the leg and then started the lace chart - sock was about 6.5” in total leg length

  • Reversed the lace chart

  • Two-at-a-Time (TAAT), until the lace chart

RESOURCES

  • Converting a cuff down sock to toe up // Interweave Knitting // Website

Final Thoughts

I really liked knitting this sock. I can see myself making this sock again.

"Water Bubbles" Socks // Anna Lange

PROJECT DETAILS

Status FO
Started 3/13/2023
Completed 3/28/2023
Pattern Name Water Bubbles
Designer Anna Lange
Yarn Scrappy Yarn Left Overs - Succulents (Stress Yarn Knits) & Malabrigo Cote D Azure; New Yarn: Malabrigo 362 Under the Sea
Needles US 2 (3.0mm), US 1.5 (2.5mm), US 1 (2.25mm)

NOTES

I was drawn to the idea of knitting up this free pattern for the March Grocery Girls sock challenge. The theme for March was “under the sea”. Both the pattern and the turquoise yarn (Malabrigo, “Under the Sea” colorway) fit the theme.

Modifications

  • Knit smallest size - 56 stitches total: US 2 (3.0mm) for the leg; 5” length, 2 repeats of Chart A; US 1 (2.25mm) for the heel flap and turn only; US 1.5 (2.5mm) for the foot and instep

  • Two-at-a-Time (TAAT), until the heel; I then went back to TAAT after all foot decreases had been completed

RESOURCES

  • Knitting Help - Decreasing in a Charted Pattern // VeryPink Knits // Youtube

  • Tubular Cast On // Andrea Mowry // Youtube

  • Nbgriz Water Bubble Notes // Ravelry

  • Tubular Bind Off in the Round // Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Youtube

Final Thoughts

This was a fun sock to knit. I had some trouble with the instep until I charted out the decreases in the pattern using graph paper.

Pink New to Me Designer "Everyday Socks" // Sandra McDaniels

PROJECT DETAILS

Status FO
Started 2/1/2023
Completed 2/12/2023
Pattern Name Everyday socks
Designer Sandra McDaniels
Yarn Bad Sheep Yarn, Spell On Yarn
Needles US 00 (1.75mm), US 1 (2.25mm)

NOTES

It was great to try out a new sock pattern from a new to me designer.

Next time, I would do a tubular cast on versus folding over the cuff due. I felt like it made the cuff a little too thick for my liking.

Modifications

  • Knit smaller size: US 1 (2.25mm) for the leg; US 00 (1.75mm)

  • Two-at-a-Time (TAAT)

RESOURCES

None this time.

Final Thoughts

This was a relatively quick, simple knit.

Garia Socks // Erika Lopez (52 Weeks of Socks)

PROJECT DETAILS

Status FO
Started 1/12/2023
Completed 1/22/2023
Pattern Name Garia
Designer Erika Lopez
Yarn Bad Sheep Yarn, Currant
Needles US 000 (1.5mm), US 1 (2.25mm)

NOTES

My first time knitting a sock pattern from the book 52 Weeks of Socks.

I enjoyed knitting these socks until I got to the Spikelet Motif. Like other folks have mentioned, I found the directions and chart confusing at first.

I finally settled on following the written instructions, and it helped when I visualized the 5 purl stitches like this:

XX **X** XX

Most of the motif is worked using the middle purl stitch as the starting point of the pattern. Sorry, that probably is super confusing, but that's what worked for me.

Modifications

  • Knit smaller size: US 000 for the foot; 7” foot length when sock is stretched;

  • Two-at-a-Time (TAAT), until the pattern recommends switching to knitting one sock at a time for the motif; I then went back to TAAT for the cuff.

  • US 000 (1.5mm) for my narrow foot, switched to US 1 (2.25mm) for the heel, the leg, and the cuff.

RESOURCES

  • Tubular Bind Off in the Round // Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Youtube

Final Thoughts

I chose this pattern because I bought the yarn for the Grocery Girls 2023 Sock Challenge and I wanted a sock pattern that was simple enough to let this yarn - superwash merino, nylon, and silver stellina - shine.

I followed the pattern exactly. I still think I prefer a Fleegle heel for my foot, and though the Russian Bind-Off is stretchy, my version flared out. I'm thinking I probably cast off too loosely.

Color Dipped "Ariel Socks" // Sari Norland

PROJECT DETAILS

Status FO
Started 8/25/2022
Completed 12/7/2022
Pattern Name Ariel Socks
Designer Sari Norland
Yarn Stress Knits (Leftovers) Favorite Base (80% Superwash Merino, 20% Nylon): Succulents & Ophelia colorways
Needles US 000 (1.5mm) - foot; US 0 (2.0mm) - leg; US 1 (2.25mm) - ribbing

NOTES

This is an ambitious pattern for me for a sock. But I’ve wanted to try one of Sari’s patterns for a while, and I couldn’t resist the light, spring like feel of this sock.

Modifications

  • US 000 (1.5 mm) - for the foot; US 0 (2.0 mm) - for the leg, after the heel; US 1 (2.25mm) - for the ribbing

  • Two-at-a-time socks, magic loop

  • Alternate between Increase rounds [M1R, M1L (both needles)] and Knit rows until 64 stitches (32 stitches each needle); adjust so there are 33 sts. instep needle & 31 sts. sole needle; knit an additional 4 rows at the end of the increases for toe

  • My foot length is 9.25”, so I stopped at 6” of knitting (round 15)

  • For gusset: 33sts. (instep) / 51sts. (sole); knit four additional rows for heel (no increases); back to 33sts. (front needle) + 31sts. (back needle)

  • Worked leg chart 2 full times; on the 3rd time stopped at row 8 (5” from the top of the heel flap)

  • Worked 10 rows, 1x1 rib; worked the bind off recommended by Sari on one sock and then switched to my TNT bind off (minus the 4 rows of slipping purl or knit stitches) for the other sock

RESOURCES

  • Tubular Bind Off in the Round (Recommended by Sari in the pattern) // Stitches n Scraps // Youtube

  • Tubular Bind Off in the Round // Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Youtube

Final Thoughts

This makes a very elegant sock.

Ultimately, I don’t need very many lace socks in my wardrobe, so this will probably not be a TNT pattern for me.

Also, I really needed to reference the chart for each round, which meant that this was a full concentration knit. I tend to prefer my socks to be a bit simpler, as I often use them as my travel / guild knit.

A tip for the charts: After knitting several rounds of the chart (which are on the small side), I realized that I was having trouble seeing which stitch was next. So, I put purple X’s in the empty “knit stitch” boxes, highlighted the purl stitch black circles yellow, and used pink and blue colored pencils to denote the left leaning and right leaning decreases. This turned out to be key.

Socks on a Plane // Laura Linnemann

PROJECT DETAILS

Status FO
Started 9/24/2022
Completed 11/20/2022
Pattern Name Socks on a Plane
Designer Laura Linnemann
Yarn Malabrigo
Needles US 00 (1.75mm), US 1 (2.25mm), US 1.5 (2.5mm)

NOTES

This was my knitting project for a trip to Greece and Germany in 2022.

Modifications

  • Followed the pattern mostly as written, but I used smaller needles to achieve gauge for the foot, switching to 2.25mm needles for the leg (after the gusset turn) and 2.5mm for the ribbing.

RESOURCES

  • SSP // Very Pink Knits // Youtube

  • Tubular Bind Off in the Round // Knitting with Suzanne Bryan // Youtube

Final Thoughts

This is a great travel project! It turned out to be just the right size and amount of knitting to take with me on a 3 week trip filled with activities.