Victory is Mine!

I thought this post needed some Olympic attitude! For the fifth knit from Wendy Johnson's Toe Up Socks for Everyone, I finished the Victory Socks.

 

Pattern: Victory Socks from Toe Up Socks for Everyone
Yarn: Scout's Swag Merino Sock in Orchid Satisfaction
Needles: KP Options US Size 1.5 (2.5mm)
Date Started: 10/23/11
Date Finished: 7/15/12
Mods: None. But this is the first pair I knitted 2 socks at a time on 1 magic loop needle. It went pretty smooth although I had a yarn tangle at the end!

 

 This pattern was really fun to knit I just got derailed by all the baby knitting I've had in the past few weeks. They really should not have taken so long.

 

Love them! And I really love the Scout's Swag yarn. Her color sense is amazing. The purples flow so beautifully.

Close Enough

The fourth socks from Toe Up Socks for Every Body are done. I think these might be my favorite so far.



Pattern: Crocus Socks from Toe Up Socks for Every Body
Needles: KP US size 1.5
Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in Lettuce
Date Started: March 26, 2011
Date Finished: September 26, 2011
Mods: None- But I did knit these two at a time on a magic loop. That's not why it took me 6 months between sock pairs. (You might remember a certain wedding shawl that took up a lot of time.) I might knit everything 2 at a time from now on. No more remembering how many repeats or how many cuff rows. And definitely no second sock syndrome!



The color in this photo is more true to life. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything closer in color to the Louet Goldenrod shown in the book. (Look here.) But it's OK, I really wanted to use up stash yarn.



Plus, this Malabrigo yarn practically glows. The color is incredible.




Makes me think I need a new camera. Hmmmmm....

Finished Just in Time

I go back to work today. My knee is feeling great and I'm hoping that I'll be just fine. Now I just need to remember how to do my job! (just kidding, mostly)

Anyway... With the back to work deadline looming, I knit my fingers off the last 2 days to finish the third project in my "knit the book" project. I finished weaving in the ends this morning.



Pattern: Bouquet Socks from Toe Up Socks for Every Body by Wendy Johnson
Yarn: Scout's Swag Superwash Merino in Maravilla
Purchased: July 1, 2010
Date Started: February 28, 2011
Date Finished: March 20, 2011
Mods: None.



Here's a close up of the pattern. Truth be told, I didn't love knitting these socks. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't digging the process as much as I did with the two previous socks in this series. Then it dawned on me, there are eleventy million purls in this pattern. Too.Many.Purls. They turned out beautifully but not a pattern I'm likely to repeat.



Close up of heel. I love, love, love this toe up heel flap. I've always preferred a heel flap but, since my feet are a dainty size 12, I like to knit socks toe up to be sure I don't run out of yarn. Until this book, I thought I was relegated to short row heels forever. But Wendy saved the day. Now I can have heel flaps and toe up socks. Swoon!



Check out that gorgeous toe. Thanks again to the Stash and Burn girls for pointing out the Cat Bordhi video on You Tube. I finally figured out Judy's Magic Cast On. In fact, I didn't know I was doing it wrong but I always had a seem on the toes of my socks. Not terrible but not really what was intentioned. Now my socks have smooth even toes. Double swoon!

At the rate I'm going, I have knit 3 pairs of socks in 2011. Part of me thinks, "I'm already even to my sock knitting total for 2010. I'll knit 12 pair this year! YEAH! GO socks! I'll get through my stash!" But then, the realist in me remembers that I'm going back to work and my knitting progress will probably slow way down. Plus, I'd probably like to knit a few things besides socks on 2011. We'll see. No promises. But I'm excited to have my knitting mojo back.

WIP-Less

Can you believe the title? It's true! I finished all of my outstanding WIP's. Including this little beauty that was cast on in July 2007.



Pattern: Kusha Kusha Scarf Kit from Habu
Yarn: Habu Textiles A-20/21 1/20 silk stainless steel- I bought the kit from Churchmouse Yarn and Tea
Needles: KP Options- size 8, 6, 4, and 3
Started: July 2007
Finished: February 26, 2011
Mods: None

This project felt never-ending. Slogging through miles of stockinette using yarn as thin as thread was difficult. Maybe that's why I was constantly setting it aside for other things. Finally, Kusha Kusha's time as come.

I'm also working on "knitting the book", Toe Up Socks for Every Body by Wendy D. Johnson. I loved knitting the first pattern in the book so much (Rosebud Socks) that I'm planning on knitting each pattern in book order and in the original color. Although, I'm not going to use the original yarns. I have plenty of stash to use up and matching up the color gives be a good reason to go to dig deep and pull out some almost forgotten yarn. This is the second pattern featured in Wendy's fabulous book.



Pattern: Laurel Socks
Yarn: Vermont Organic Fiber Company O-Wool Classic 2-Ply in Sage
Purchased: May 7, 2008
Needles: KP Options size 1 1/2
Date Started: September 2, 2010
Date Finished: February 25, 2011
Mods: None. But I must say, I LOVE her toe up heel flap construction.



Close up of the lace design.

My gauge changed from knitting the first sock to knitting the second. In fact, I nearly ran out of yarn during the bind off. Hopefully, no one will ever notice even though the look of it bothers me a little.

So that's it. I officially have nothing on the needles*. That won't last long, of course. I probably won't even make it through the day.


*Technically, I'm still working on the Sheldon Plays Dress Up Kit from Knit Picks. But I prefer to think of this as hibernating since I've finished 2 of the 4 outfits. You see, it's really 4 projects and I've done 2. You see the logic here, right?

A Rose is a Rose

After buying Wendy Johnson's book, Toe Up Socks for Every Body, I was really inspired to go deep stash diving and cast on.



Pattern: Rosebud Socks
Yarn: Sundara Sock Yarn in Cupid
Purchased: July 20, 2006- That's deep stash!
Needles: KP Options Circulars US 1 1/2
Date Started: June 18, 2010
Date Finished: July 11, 2010
Mods: None.



I've never done a toe up sock with a heel flap. Toe up patterns always seem to have short row heels. I LOVE the heel flap.



This pattern was really fun to knit. It was interesting but not too complicated.



The Rosebud socks are the first pattern in the book. (I even knit them in a similar color.) I enjoyed knitting them so much, I may just cast on for the second pattern today. This could turn into a "knitting the book" project. But no promises on that yet.