Sock mishap

  Started knitting the other sock yesterday and noticed a massive pull  along one of the rows all along one side of the sock. I ripped out about an inch of knitting then tried to get the sock back on the needles, no joy at all so had to frog the lot. So far I've re knitted the hem and a couple of rows, the other sock is about 3 inches long.

  The weather today is wonderful, sunny and warm with clear blue skies and hardly a breeze. Far from t shirt weather but definitely bbq weather. There is a feeling of spring in the air, not sure how long that will last until winters back. Its a nice change from the gales we've been having though, 76 mph gust recorded locally yesterday daytime.

  Been having trouble with my Internet connection, its been running way too slow for a month or two and today it keeps knocking me off line so I'm not sure when I can get this post up. Hopefully I'll be back online asap.

Hope you all have a great day, take care folks.

Found the socks

   Found the socks eventually. I hadn't knitted no where near as much as I thought I had. I'm going to have to learn how to knit socks again, its been that long I only have a basic understanding. I'm sure it will come flooding back once I knit each part, like riding a bike, without the skinned knees and tears.

  Got two swatches done on the slip stitch colour method and am doing a third one, this one is only using two colours which creates a problem with the colour changes at the rows. I didn't really think about it much, I knit on connected needles so I just slid the swatch along the needle, across the wire and onto the other needles. Not the best solution but works well. I'm sure theres a correct way to do things but as yet I'm just experimenting a little.

  I'm going to make a start on knitting the socks, I didn't do any yesterday. I'm probably a few days away from needing to do any of the hard stuff, plus I want the legs a little longer than normal.

  Have a great day, hope all my American friends are safe from the storms there. Take care folks.

Oh where, oh where

 Can my socks be?
   Before we start today, sorry yesterdays post(sl st colour work) didn't contain a lot of information/instructions. I'm planning on doing that post on Saturday with a couple of pictures of a swatch or two. I'll write basic instructions then on using 3 colours for a simple checked pattern, and where to find more information.

  When I knit socks I use the magic loop method and do the pair roughly at the same time, not on the same loop but I have two magic loops that I swap between every few inches or past a part like heel stitch. That way the socks get finished around the same time, I find this way much easier to knit a pair instead on knitting one full one then having to knit another.
  I mention all that because last year, probably around June ish I started a pair of socks that I really should finish so went looking for them last night and for the life of me I can't find them. I think I know where they are but there not there, which is very annoying. I have plenty of sock yarn but don't want to start another pair until I finish these ones, where ever they may be.

  Thats all for today, going to hunt a half finished pair of socks and maybe do some spinning today as well. Hope you all have a great day, take care and stay warm(my American friends).

Baby Socks.

Knitted baby socks

    These are the second pair of socks I ever knitted, my very first pair of socks were a pair of white ones done in the same yarn as the baby hat and mittens. Not sure if I've put up the baby mittens pictures yet, maybe next week I'll do that along with those socks too.

knitted baby sox

  One of the socks is inside out that's why it looks a little odd. Baby socks are great beginners items to knit as there small making them quick knits using very little yarn. All baby clothes are like that making them great beginners projects, even if you only end up giving them to a charity shop.

  I used good sock yarn to knit this pair using the magic loop method. One tip a friend gave me when knitting baby socks and mittens is to knit 3 items because theres a very high chance one will get lost, its a good idea and also added practise for beginner knitters.

knitted baby socks

     Short and sweet post today, I need to get more spinning done. I'm half way on the scarf, just over 3 feet but have fallen behind on the spinning. Hope its as lovely and sunny where ever you folks are like it is here, even put some washing on the line its that nice. Have a great weekend.

Magic Loop Socks

Red Socks

Magic loop red socks

    These are the second pair of socks I ever knitted.

Red sox

The only changes I made were to the cuffs. I did 1*1 rib instead of 2*2 rib. You can see the 1*1 rib cuff in this picture.

   The yarn is knitpro, knitpicks that a friend sent me from the states. I love the little coloured bits in it.

Red Sox

  For a fuller post on socks see my first socks post.

Magic loop red socks

  I made these socks longer in the leg and they fit me much better. There a lot more comfy and so far my best pair. I do love the variegated yarns but I also love these solid coloured ones with the interesting flecks of colour.

(Click pictures to enlarge)

My first socks

My first socks knitted with magic loop.

My first socks

    Socks can be a daunting task for the beginner with a few new things to learn, heel stitch, short rows and Kitchener stitch. All pretty easy to do but still a little off putting. I think the hardest being Kitchener stitch, its looks harder than it really is but is very easy to get confused while knitting it. Have to pay attention, I think one video recommended getting a glass of wine, throw the dog out and take the phone off the hook. Maybe good advice the first few times, or always.

Me wearing my new socks

  I use magic loop to do all my knitting in the round, there are parts when doing the sock its very tricky but I much prefer it than going onto use 4 or 5 double point needles.
  The hard part was doing the gusset and it took me awhile and a lot of yellow half baby socks before I mastered it. Even watching the only video I could find it still took me about 4 baby socks to get it.

Zig zag sock yarn

  If your going to do socks with magic loop I strongly recommend Kelley Petkun sock class videos, online.  There a great help even if the gusset part was hard to follow. 


   These socks were knitted using zig zag sock yarn, its only 50% super wash new wool but at £3.50 its one of the cheaper but good sock yarns. I used 3mm knit picks / knit pro interchangeable needles. I need to buy some smaller needles but you can't buy them any smaller than 3mm as interchangeable. The length of cable you need for doing socks in magic loop is 80cm, it can be done using 60cm I think but would make it more tricky on certain parts.  A longer cable would be fine.

Heel stitches on my sock

Here you can see the heel stitches, they add a little thickness for strength and comfort to the heel.
 This part of the sock is hardest, with turns and pick ups for the gusset. The gusset is the triangle part near the ankle, think you can see if better in the upper picture.

heel stitches & gusset

You can see the heel stitches and gusset in this picture, click to enlarge.
   Once past the heel and gusset its plain sailing to the toe decreases and kitchener stitches. The toe decreases are pretty straight forward, just don't get turned around or they wont match.
  And last is the kitchener stitch, its easier than it looks but very easy for it to get messy and confuse you.


  I always do both socks, on separate needles at the same time(some folks can do them on the same needles). This way I can finish both socks roughly at the same time instead of having one sock laying around waiting for me to get around to knitting it a friend. Plus I think it helps keep everything looking identical.

My first knitted socks

The socks were knitted down towards the toe, some folks prefer to do toe up socks. I didn't use a pattern for these. To me a sock is a sock and in stocking stitch doesn't really need a pattern, but will need trying on towards the end. To get the size right I use a online sock calculator with a few tweaks of my own. 

knitted socks

I might come back to this post another day and edit it all, seems a mess to me and I've missed a lot out. Like the part were these aren't really my first socks. I knitted a couple of pairs of baby socks before I attempted to knit these for myself.

Bargain sock yarn

Got 200g of dark ish grey sock yarn today for £1 + £2.50 postage including basic sock pattern. Not a fantastic colour, its like school uniform grey, but for the price its pretty amazing. 75% super wash wool so not cheap nasty stuff. 200g (50g = 210m) will do 2 pairs of socks. She has a couple of other colours but there not that inspiring either though the rusty orange might be. Going to get some more and maybe try my hand at argyle socks. Of course I don't have to use it for socks. I could knit hats, gloves or even a thin summer sweater with it.
 If you want her eBay link to buy some for yourself please ask in comments or email me. No affiliation with me.

I also bought some coloured pencils today to help me work out what I want to do with the tartan scarf. I think that's going to be my next project and first real Christmas present. 
Not sure what I'm going to do with the backpack, might keep it for myself as a yarn bag.I want to do a poll soon on which side should be the front, I kinda like both sides. Will have to take pictures first and fast because I'm almost done.