Back on the sock jag….
As I half expected there were no circular needles to be found for love nor money yesterday. With a whole lot of football watching ahead of me I gave into temptation (again) and got down to yet another pair of socks. There is something about knitting socks that is just so addictive! I’m thinking it may be to do with the fact that they always get worn – I know I’m making something that I’ll love and get lots of wear out of. It isn’t like a pullover, where I might invest masses of time and decide I hate once it’s done. Plus a hank of sock yarn is never going to break the bank.
I have a big basket of goodies sitting next to my desk and a whole lot of Green Mountain Spinnery yarn has been distracting me for weeks. So I picked the colour I thought was prettiest – whose name I can’t tell you as it isn’t on the label – and got down to business. The yarn itself is called Forest and is 70% wool and 30% Tencel – and by the feel of it I think it will probably be pretty hard-wearing. It is the prettiest colour – subtle tones blending between green, lavender and blue. Just lovely! The colour changes are subtle enough that I can knit a fancy pattern without the effect being lost.
So here it is – the start of Embossed Leaves Socks by Mona Schmidt from my favourite sock book Favorite Socks 25 Timeless designs from Interweave.
So far I’ve only had one hiccup – I should have used the 1×1 rib method to cast on. I followed the diagrams in the book, but only succeeded in making a big mess that I then had to pull out again. Maybe I’m just stupid, because I’m afraid I couldn’t even work out what it was that I was trying to achieve (other than casting on of course. That much was obvious even to me!). Normally I ‘get’ knitting, but this time I only tied myself in knots. I guess that sometime when I’m feeling really lucid and smart I’ll have to try and find a tutorial online and work out what the heck I should have been doing! Any hints from knitting goddesses out there gratefully received!
It was only when I was well into the pattern that I noticed the similarities to the Oceanwind Knits Sleepy Hollow Socks that I made earlier in the year. I guess it must be something to do with the leaves that just draws me in! I just love pretty handmade socks – nothing like them!
Ah the simples pleasures of life! It really doesn’t take a lot to make me happy!
Helen
June 23rd, 2010 at 2:50 pm
What a beautiful sock pattern! So delicate.
June 24th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Do real wool socks itch, Helen??
June 25th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
I have Favorite Socks right beside me. I spent an hour and a half knitting while getting my driver’s license renewed, thought the Mock Wavy Cable looked funny but kept knitting, and then checked the errata when I got home – sure enough, it was wrong and I should have trusted my instincts. Oh well. Anyway, there is a much clearer explanation of what I think is the 1 x 1 rib cast on in Katarina Buss’ Big Book of Knitting, and also in Montse Stanley’s book (whose name I can’t remember). Both call it a tubular cast on, and I use it a lot for ribbed scarves and some sweaters. It does flare unless you use much smaller needles, which would not be a problem for sock cuffs.