Beginner toe-up sock knitalong...

[pamelamama]

Ok, started a thread!

Here's my plan... I'm looking at this pattern (http://www.hellchick.net/needles/patterns/toeupsocks.shtml).

I have the lion brand self striping sock yarn and size two needles.

I'm either going to cast on with a figure eight method (http://www.wiseneedle.com/knitpatksox.asp) or this funky Aloha Toe method (http://www.queenkahuna-creations.com/crazytoesandheels_alohacaston.pdf).

Does this look like a good way to get going? Any other suggeston? I'm open!

[Ruth]

will post my cool tubular cast on method later when babies are sleeping - i think it would work well for this.

[Meredith]

Pam, when are you thinking about starting this? I need to go get me some yarn... we have the cool Magic Stripes Lions Brand at my Hobby Lobby... I think I will pick some of that up.

I was also looking on Ebay, and found this (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=36593&item=8157628 121&rd=1).. there is a TON on Ebay right now as far as sock knitting yarn is concerned. Two pages... Ebay (http://search.ebay.com/sock-knitting-yarn_W0QQsojsZ1QQfromZR40)

ETA: Well, on most of those, they don't ship to the US. Oh well.... still fun to look.

[Sabrina]

joann.com has it on sale for 5.99. And if you intend on ordering anything else, shipping is free over $25.
Just thought I'd mention it.

[~Jo~]

I'm knitting toe up socks at the moment and am using this pattern: You're putting me on (http://tiajudy.com/putmeon.htm) socks (I'm knitting the generic version.

I used the figure 8 cast on, the tip is that it's ok for the first row to be really loose, after knitting a few rows your can tighten it up, doesn't show at all. Here's a great bit about toe up cast on (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/FEATtiptoptoes.html), I have tried the easy toe and recommend it for an easier cast on.

I don't like short row heels in socks becuase it messes up nicely printed yarn (but that's just my own opinion). I also like this pattern as it looks just like top down socks too.

Good luck to all new sock knitters, there is such a proud moment when you can show off socks you have knitted yourself. ;)

[cozystitches]

I started these: http://www.woolandwood.freewebspace.com/lace_top_regia.htm and doing them 2 socks on 2 circs style!!! :) :) I'm onto st #24 on each needles... ;) :) I'm using some sock yarn that I got a loooong time ago, I know it has some cotton in it..but other than that I have no idea! :)

Hugs,
tammy

[averymybaby]

I'm going to AC Moore today to look for yarn for the baby raglan. Hah. Now I'm going to have to gander at the sock yarn, and I bet you I'll pick some up! And then join this little knitalong! Peer pressure, I tell you, peer pressure! ;)

[jessanddanny]

I have SO SO SO many things on the needles right now, but I want to do this, too!!!! When is everyone thinking of starting these? Seth has surgery on Monday and I would TOTALLY be up for joining in if it's after that...

Can I just do them on dpn's or mini circs? I haven't figured out ML'ing yet and don't want to take the time to figure it out right now.

[averymybaby]

I would do DPNs.



See, I'm already planning on using DPN's and I haven't even commited to this knitalong yet! Agh!

[littleturtlemama]

I'd join, but I've already got a pair going (1.2 through the first sock) FOR ME :D They were suppossed to be for my mum, but she didn't like the colors :p So theya re mine, mine! (Can you tell I never knit for myself, LOL?)

[Adamina]

Ooooh, a sock knit along. I just knit my first pair of socks right before Christmas, using the pattern in the magic loop book. They're a little big, and I got impatient so the leg is short so they look more like booties. But they are so warm and comfy in wool I hate taking them off to wash. For the knit along, I plan on making toe-up wool socks for my 15 month old.

[mamapez]

Cool! Maybe I'll try my hand at the worsted weight version...I think I'm too slow to try anything smaller. :)

I'm knitting toe up socks at the moment and am using this pattern: You're putting me on (http://tiajudy.com/putmeon.htm) socks (I'm knitting the generic version.

I used the figure 8 cast on, the tip is that it's ok for the first row to be really loose, after knitting a few rows your can tighten it up, doesn't show at all. Here's a great bit about toe up cast on (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/FEATtiptoptoes.html), I have tried the easy toe and recommend it for an easier cast on.

I don't like short row heels in socks becuase it messes up nicely printed yarn (but that's just my own opinion). I also like this pattern as it looks just like top down socks too.

Good luck to all new sock knitters, there is such a proud moment when you can show off socks you have knitted yourself. ;)

[Quinlonsma]

I've never knitted socks before!! give me a few days to finish this sweater and pants and I'm in. :)

[Aurora]

:juggle

Oh, man! I have beeen obsessing about knitting socks for weeks now. I never have knit any so this is all new to me. I want in on this too. :D I'll have to see what I can find at my LYS. :decision

[mamapez]

Every time I go into a LYS, I think I should buy some sock yarn. But it is sooo tiny and knit on such tiny needles that I always think, "eh, later maybe." Now I wish I had gone ahead and bought some anyway. Or some self-striping yarn at least.
I went to JoAnn, Michael's, and Wal*Mart yesterday, and no self-striping yarn to be had. I won't be able to sneak into a LYS for awhile and wanted to join in. So I bought some Bernat Denim Style (light blue & white tweedy kind of thing). It is worsted weight, so that should help me keep up. :) we shall see...

[Ruth]

I'm going to make some 'welly socks' for ds with dk weight wool using the putting me on sock pattern.

So anyway the smart tubular cast on - this will be perfect for magic loop: you cast on the number of stitches you need for your toe on one needle, then get the two ends of your circ and pass the stitches purlwise alternately one onto one needle the next onto the other until your stitches are split evenly onto the two points et voila!!! Clear as mud right? I read about this technique as a way to knit tubular on two needles but couldn't work out how to do increases etc. but it will work great on magic loop (this wasn't exactly the same obviously, in fact the more I think about it the more different the original technique actually was lol).

[Aurora]

Pam-How many skeins of the Lion Brand Sock yarn do you think we will need for a womans med(7)? I couldn't find amounts on the pattern you posted. :hide

Thanks!

[Sabrina]

I think when I ordered the Magic Stripe yarn (is that the one you are talking about?) it said it had about 330 yards. In most of the patterns I have, that is definately enough for a pair. :)

I couldn't resist ordering some of the yarn when I ordered my swift. :D

[Aurora]

Thanks!

[pamelamama]

I've started fooling around with differnt toe cast-ons and I think I've got it.

Ruth, your method sounds cool too!

[pamelamama]

http://www.woolywonder.com/lookie/socks/SIP.jpg

[Aurora]

:highfive

[mamapez]

:fruitcake

[averymybaby]

So, Pam, I'm gleaning that you figured out how to knit both at once? :D

Which cast on was that?

So far I'm still :lurk -ing on this knitalong. ;)

[pamelamama]

I used an invisible cast on that I got from the queen kahuna sock book I just bought.

http://www.queenkahuna-creations.com/

[pageta]

Okay, I'm in. I'm using this (http://home.earthlink.net/~jeffnstasia/sox.htm) pattern. I'm using some Jawoll sock yarn I got to make dh wool socks from patternworks. Happy me!

[Meredith]

Pam... I am sure you have said what size needle you got, but what size is that? 1 or 2?

[ravingcutie]

Hey, Miss Pamela - how are you liking that book? I've been so curious about it since you first posted it......I almost bought it today, but she's not shipping until mid January....ugh...oh well.

I think I'm going to join in - starting tomorrow....after the stash game you know. I need cool socks to wear with my birks come spring.

BTW, Pamela has extremely pretty,shapely feet!

[averymybaby]

is anyone doing the lace knee-highs on pg 101 of the latest interweave?

[blueskymama]

I'm knitting my first pair of socks too, but calf down. So why did you all pick the toe up method?

[pamelamama]

Toe up seemed like more fun?

I am using size two needles, since LYS had no size ones in addi. :irked

Katie: I'm very overwhelmed by the ton of info in the book, since I am a new sock knitter. When I take time to absorb each new item, it's like OHHH!! She has her own style and the book is very detailed with tons of photos. I suggest you get it! I think she's kind of a neat person!

Thanks for the compliments on my feet. In reality I have Flintstone feet.

Tana: Our patterns seem very similar!

[feebeeglee]

OK, I'm in.

Faith looked at your foto and said you had knit some glasses for your feet, Pam.

[pamelamama]

Faith, good guess!

[pageta]

Tana: Our patterns seem very similar!

Yes, they do. Mine talks about doing the short rows with yarnovers. I got out my Winter 2004 (current) issue of Interweave Knits and referenced the short row article in it. Then I tested my skills on the longies I have on the needles for Ben. It is a lot more complicated at first than just wrapping the sts, but now that I have the hang of it, I think I prefer the yarnover method. Slipping the stitch back and forth and then picking up the wrap gets a bit tedious compared to the yarnover method. But learning the yarnover method and which way to wrap the yarn and then pick up the yarnover when you go to knit it is far more complicated than the simple wrapping of a stitch.

DH really likes the socks so far. I'm knitting them one at a time and every time I try it on him to see if it's the right size, he says he wishes it was done because it's so much more warm and comfortable than the socks he usually wears. Makes me smile! I told him I'll make him one pair a month and by the end of the year, he'll have a dozen pairs.

[pamelamama]

Tana, I was digging the 'catch' method as well for the short rows. Have you tried all the different method suggestions yet?

[pageta]

Just the yarnover (and wrap method, of course).

The others look interesting but I'm still getting good at this method. I'm really liking it though (in case you hadn't figured that out).

[pamelamama]

What's wrong here?

First of all, they are very pointy. I maybe should have cast on more. Ok, noted. Second, they seem very wide. I think I kept going too far. Should I take it out, or keep going, possibly living with a baggy sock?

http://www.woolywonder.com/lookie/clapotis/sockprogress1.jpg

http://www.woolywonder.com/lookie/clapotis/sockonfoot.jpg

[Ruth]

oooh, baggy socks would be bad - just imagine them wrinkling up inside your shoes euggghhh! You're going to have to frog lol.

[mhurst]

What's wrong here?

First of all, they are very pointy. I maybe should have cast on more. Ok, noted. Second, they seem very wide. I think I kept going too far. Should I take it out, or keep going, possibly living with a baggy sock?

You should probably just send them to me when you are done because I have wide feet and they would fit me perfectly :D

ETA: yeah yeah I know, I should just knit my own darn socks! :D :lol: but this way is faster :D

[averymybaby]

Aren't most handknit socks pointy at the toes? I've seen plenty of pointy socks, methinks. Also, they might not seem so wide when you have the whole foot done and can put your foot in it and put weight on it.. your foot will spread out. Well, that's me trying to rationalize not frogging. :LOL

[mommomrebecca]

I'm starting some toe-up socks for Levi TODAY! The only catch...I'm gonna crochet 'em. Can I still be you guys' friend? Or do I get kicked out of the knitalong on a not so technical technicality?

[Aurora]

Pam~how many stitches did you cast on in the beginning?

Ok, I just got back from my LYS and I have some Regia Jacquard yarn in black, grey and white and 2 size 2 24" Addi's. :fluffo They are going to be for dh.

[pageta]

Tana: Our patterns seem very similar!

Another difference...mine talks about doing the short row heel in garter. I don't think yours says anything about that. Supposedly it makes it stretchier. I'm sure it would be easier if you're doing your first try at short rows with yarnovers - you'd just have to learn the knit method. Any thoughts on garter vs stockinette?

[feebeeglee]

My grandmother always did a garter heel, and my father said it was cushier and more durable than 'plain knit', as he calls it. She was born in 1901 and was responsible for the family socks like Debbie Stoller's gran. I figure long-wearing was a big plus!

I'll be doing mine garter.

[pamelamama]

http://woolywonder.com/blog/wip/WIP.jpg

http://woolywonder.com/blog/wip/sox.jpg

(ignore the clapotease, eh?)

[pageta]

Ooh, that's about how far I am...on a pair for myself. I got one sock done for dh, but I need to frog the cuff and re-do it with some shaping. It was in 2x1 rib and became half as tall when he put it on as it was when it was off. The bind off is very loose for how I usually bind off rib, but it is too tight and uncomfortable for him. So I'm going to re-do it with 2x1 which merges to 2x2 and then merges to 2x3 and I think we won't have this problem. According to my LYS, they quit shaping in the calf in the 1950's. I started a pair of socks for myself last month from the top down and had to completely frog them when I was 4 inches from the toe because the cuff had the same problem as dh's sock. That sock was 6 rows 1x1 rib and then stockinette, but just the same, it needed shaping. I'm trying to keep socks as simple as possible and not make them any more complicated than they need to be. However, I'm thinking that the shaping in the cuff is well worth the extra bit of effort. Thanks for allowing me to spew for a moment.

The pair I'm making for myself is out of Cascade Fixation based on the Broadripple pattern at knitty.com. I had to change the lace pattern a bit to do it toe up, though. The pattern is from the top down and says to do *k2, yo, k3, ssk, k2tog, k3, yo, k2* but I am doing *k1, k2tog, k3, m1, k2, m1, k3, ssk, k1* instead and the result is almost the same. I could have done the yo's but I decided I wanted m1's instead. I think they'll be really cool when I'm done. Happy me!

[BethyM99]

Tana, you crack me up!! I'm :lol: at the thought of you creating simple socks. Whatever you create will be exquisite, no doubt!!

I'm waiting for my sock yarn to arrive. Mr. postman needs to be my friend (my swift is in the same box!)

[mamapez]

Man, I haven't even started yet. I did pick up some Sassy Stripes yarn because I want to try the fancy self striping yarn. It is acrylic, though.

[ravingcutie]

Just started mine. I'm working on size 3 DPNs, because that's what I had here at home. That Queen Kahuna caston is pretty slick!

The only thing I want to know is what's the best stretchy BO for the ribbing at the top? I don't want it to constrict.

[feebeeglee]

I'm going with size 5s with worsted weight yarn. I may get monster socks!

[averymybaby]

I'm thinking of buying "Socks Soar on 2 Circular Needles" (or whatever it's called). Is anyone using this? Feedback?

[Sabrina]

Ok, I started my socks last night. Is this the way they are supposed to look? It seems a little misshapen.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/Fatale/Dcp_2713.jpg

[pageta]

Do you have your foot inserted all the way in? It looks a little floppy on the toe but that should be fixed by sticking your foot in all the way. It looks weird to have pointy toes on socks, but they sure do fit well.

[Sabrina]

I also haven't grafted the toe yet, maybe that's why it looks funky? And it does look better when I push my foot in further. It's just hard getting a picture of it. LOL

[Aurora]

I'm thinking of buying "Socks Soar on 2 Circular Needles" (or whatever it's called). Is anyone using this? Feedback?

I have this book. I bought it 18 months ago when I bought Knitting Basics, Knitters Almanac and the LTK Soaker pattern. That was my learn to knit purchase. LOL I was too afraid of the Socks Soar book but pulled it out and taught myself to knit on 2 circulars the other night. Lots of fun! It explained it really well.

I was going to do the toe-up pattern but I think I am going to start the first sock pattern in that book. :knit

[pamelamama]

Ok, I started my socks last night. Is this the way they are supposed to look? It seems a little misshapen.



I thought one point of toe up socks was to start with a closed to so you dont have to graft? What pattern are you using?

[marnie]

so i bought my size 1 DPNs today. a few days ago i was experimenting with acid dyes and some wonderful sock weight organic merino i had lying around but was afraid to knit with.

i'm checking out Tana's link: my question... it says "increase every other row" or whatever, but it doesn't specify what kind of increase. (ok, i admit it, i skimmed). any ideas?

[pamelamama]

http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/basic_techniques/increase.php found this handy :)

[marnie]

ok, i just wondered if there was a standard "sock toe increase" or if i could choose whichever one i'm most comfortable with. thanks, Pam.

[Sabrina]

I'm using the toe-up pattern from the Twisted Sisters Sock book. Maybe I should've done a round toe instead?

[pageta]

For my increases I used the M1R/M1L because it is more invisible than kfab (which leaves a bar). Knitting into the stitch below is also fairly invisible but doesn't have a left and right version to my knowledge. Believe me, I'm getting really good at both versions of the m1 since I'm using that in my lace pattern as well.

[Sabrina]

The increasing I did was knit to the last 2 stitches on the first and 3rd needles, then knit into the stitch below the next one, then knit 2. Then on the 2nd and 4th needles, knit into the stitch below the one just knitted, then knit across. But I ended up just doing this using the magic loop and placing markers to designate the needles. Kwim?
I'm not feeling so well today so I don't think I'm making much sense. LOL

Did anyone else do this?

[pamelamama]

For my increases I used the M1R/M1L because it is more invisible than kfab (which leaves a bar). Knitting into the stitch below is also fairly invisible but doesn't have a left and right version to my knowledge. Believe me, I'm getting really good at both versions of the m1 since I'm using that in my lace pattern as well.

I have been doing a left and right version of the lifted increase, knitting in the stitch below, from the crazy heels and toes pattern book.

Marnie, I'm no expert at waht is usually used since this is my first pair of socks! :)

[marnie]

ok, so i guess the consensus is that some will be better than others for various reasons but technically you can do whatever you want.

[ravingcutie]

Has anyone gotten to the heel yet? It says until 15-20% of the stitches are not short rowed (Hellchick's pattern)....maybe I need more faith, but that seems like a small percentage not to be heel.

I already tried leaving 15-20% of one needle's stitches unshortrowed. That's not right! Misread the pattern... :getu I frogged it - it came to this tiny point so small that it probably would have worked for an infant sized sock!

[ravingcutie]

I think I've figured out my problem. The original pattern assumes that you're working on 2 circs. I've got 4 DPNs....anyway, I think that 50% of the stitches are supposed to be on each needle, so I should work the heel shaping on one needle, until 15-20% of the stitches on that needle are not short rowed.

I hope this is right, because that's what I'm doing. That's exactly what I did when I made up the girls' sock pattern and it seems to be the correct proportions.

[pageta]

I have 56 sts total. I short rowed half of them (28) and had 8 sts not short rowed and it fits great. Eight is 15% of 56.

I did manage to salvage dh's sock. This weekend I went to a sit and knit group and showed everyone my sock. The consensus was that I needed to cast off looser so I did the crochet cast off with a huge crochet hook. The sock now fits fine. They said with the ribbing I don't need to do shaping because it won't stay up if I do. If I was doing the cuff in stockinette, I would need to do shaping. So now I can start the other sock. All I have to say is that this is the last pair I'm doing 2x1 ribbing on the cuff. Next time I'll do 3x2 because 2x1 is just too tedious, and I think 3x2 will be more snug because there will be fewer jots between knit and purl which is where yarn gets eaten up quickly. I did try his sock on me and except for the foot being too long, it was a great knee-high sock.

At the moment I have 4" of the cuff done on MY socks. I think knitting socks is great because $10 of yarn has kept me very happy for over a week now. I haven't even been tempted to buy more yarn. This is just great!

[Sabrina]

Yay! I am so happy, I got past the heel and I'm working on the leg.

And Tana, I feel the same way. I think I'm hooked. :)

Although, now I really want to get some funky dyed yarn for my next pair, LOL.

[littleturtlemama]

hey tana (and other sock knitters, LOL!0 Wnated to give a tip on getting the ribbing to look perfectlyly even and snug, without the annoying knnit-to-purl "drag" after the knit stitch. Check out Annie Modesitt's combination knitting tutorial at http://www.modeknit.com I don't do combo knitting generally because my tension is perfectly even without it (I know, slap me now, LOL!) but I find that it is super helpful in making my ribbing incredibly even, and more *sproingy*

[ravingcutie]

Thanks for the input Tana. I feel better. I think it was too late at night when I read the directions. I knew how I *wanted* to work the heel, but could't reconcile that with the writting instructions.

[pamelamama]

I've been testing out combo knitting on teh ribbing as well. This is how I learned to knit... we called it 'baby knitting' lol

[Quinlonsma]

pam your new photo is creepin' me out :balloon


:lmdo

[mhurst]

pam your new photo is creepin' me out :balloon


:lmdo

Yea that was the first thing I thought this morning when I saw it. Sorry :lookroun: Bring back the boys :D

[averymybaby]

but look at her 2 different colored eyes! isn't that cool? :)

[ravingcutie]

Did anyone else get annoying little holes along the heel using the HellChick's pattern?

I've been wondering what about wrap vs turn? Some patterns just say to turn the work and keep going. Is that inferior? The double wraps are a PITA and I don't like how they look.....

[pageta]

So I want to know, has anyone else considered knitting socks for their children? I just measured Ben's feet (age = 18 months). They are 4.5 inches long, 5.75 inches around the arch, and 5.25 inches around the ankle. Yes, he has fat feet. So assuming a gauge of 7 sts/in and that I want the sock to be 90% of the ankle measurement, I'd cast on 16 sts with the figure 8 cast on (8 on each needle), increase until I had 32 sts...and that's all the further I've gotten. I wonder if it would work. His feet are really fat, but he does need new socks. I bet knitting a pair for him wouldn't take very long. Based on where I started shaping my heel (6.5 inches on a 9.5 inch foot), I would probably start the heel on his sock after about 3 inches (thinking as I type).

Should I try it?

[Sabrina]

Do it! I took my kids measurements and I'm knitting them socks next. :)
I'm on my second sock, so hopefully once I feel better I can knit faster and get these done. I figure the girls' socks should take no time at all.

[pageta]

May I suggest...this cast off when you get to the top of the cuff?

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Sewn Cast off

This is from Knitting Without Tears; it has been a favourite of mine for many years (hmm, that's an ambiguous sentence - I meant the cast off, but it applies equally to the book. . . .)

Break yarn, leaving a tail about 4 times as long as the circumference of the sock. Thread a tapestry needle.

* sew forward (right to left) through two stitches as if to purl, leave the stitches on. Sew backward (left to right) through one stitch as if to knit and remove the stitch.
Repeat from * until you run out of stitches. Work in tail on the inside of the sock and trim any excess.

Denise's variation for circular knitting:
For the very first stitch only, after you go backwards through it, do not remove it, instead move it to be the last stitch on the final needle. It will then become the final stitch to be cast off. This gives a neater finish to the end of the round.


Basically, it's a stretchy cast off that looks nice and doesn't make the top edge of the sock bulge out like casting off loosely can. I used this method when I finished my socks last night and was very pleased with the result. It has exactly as much stretch to the edge as the rest of the sock. In fact, I'm going to re-do the edge of dh's first sock (again) using this method.

[Ruth]

tana, I just cast on my knitalong socks which are welly socks for ds - hoping I'll catch up now :)

[marnie]

Pam, I'm having the same problem you had: my socks are very wide. Your update photo looks fine, they don't look too wide. did they adjust or did you frog and change what you were doing?

[pamelamama]

I frogged back and redid it!

[marnie]

damn. ok. off to do the same. thanks.

[ravingcutie]

Where's everyone at? I'm just binding off my first sock.

Those of you who used circs, do you like them better than dpns?

[Sabrina]

I am just about to finish my second one. The next pair I might try cuff down just to see the difference.

[marnie]

i'm making the heel of my first one now. i had to frog back from the ankle to the top to make it less wide.

[pageta]

I finished a pair for myself and am still working on the pair for dh. I really need to make some for Ben too - most of his socks are too small.

[pamelamama]

I got stuck on another project so this one is in the bottom of the bag. I'm up to ankle ribbing on both socks, one long circ.

[pageta]

As for Magic Loop vs dpns, I'm actually 50/50. The silly cable can be a pain with the magic loop, and I've become much more comfortable with dpns (they used to drive me crazy). I'm more equipped on the Magic Loop method (more 40" needles than dpns) so that's what I use. I really do get mad at the cables sometimes, though. Either they're flopping in my way or they're too stiff and won't loop around like I want them to. But dpns have twice as many opportunities for ladders, and I get tired of having to stop and switch needles. Really, I'm 50/50 on this one.

[pamelamama]

Hey, tana, there's an easy toe up sock pattern in the magic loop booklet that was fun to do! That was my first sock ever, really. I only made one though, because it ddidnt fit eli.

[Adamina]

I finished my first pair from the Magic Loop booklet. They were meant to be for a baby basket I'm making for a friend, but they were big enough to fit my toddler. Lucky her! Now I'm starting my new pair on smaller needles.

[pageta]

Well, I FINALLY finished dh's socks this morning so now I'm working on a pair for Ben (ds). I swear, dh's socks took forever because the k2p1 cuff was 1.5 times as long as the rest of the sock. I had to knit until I ran out of yarn. I made two French Market Bags while knitting that cuff - I would knit two rows on the FMB and then two rows on the sock. It broke up the monotony and the repitition on my hands. Never again am I doing 2x1 rib for dh. Actually, the next pair I make him will be from soem black Cascade 220 I have - he wants a warm pair to wear when he shovels snow, and the pair I just made is more of an everyday weight than a superweight.

[marnie]

finished my first sock! i'm so pleased with myself :pink

i used the pattern Tana posted.

here's the photo and me blathering on about it:

http://marnie.makeko.com/blog

[Sabrina]

What a pretty sock! I love the color. :)

[marnie]

thank you! i love that dye. and i'm totally smitten with monochromatic variegated yarn.

[pageta]

Very pretty. Did you try the Elizabeth Zimmermann cast-off I suggested? You break your yarn and thread it on a tapestry needle, then go through the first two sts on the needle purlwise then back throug the first st knitwise and slip it off. It comes out exactly the same tightness as the sts below and doesn't bulge out like a really loose cast-off with larger needles seems to do. I had to cast off twice before I tried that method and I will never cast off a toe-up sock again with any other method. It works great!

[marnie]

i used something similar:

http://www.wonderful-things.com/newknit6b.htm

i did it several times and it was too tight, finally when i got it loose enough it was all ripply. i haven't washed/blocked yet so that might help, but i doubt it.

it's also 100% organic merino yarn so i expect hateful stretching and shapelessness. but they're soft :D