Eleven Stitches

Whew, Finally!

My Sockapalooza socks are done!  Just in time, too!  OK, I had some time to spare, but deadline knitting makes me nervous.  It invalidates the point of knitting (in my opinion) to be stressed out about it.

Pattern: Loksins! by Cassie of Too Much Wool
Yarn: Socks that Rock Lightweight in Sherbet, 1 skein
Needles: Susan Bates DPNs 2.75 mm (US2), Addi Turbos #1 2.5mm (first sock), Knit Picks DPNs 2.5mm (US 1-ish) (second sock)
Time To Knit: June 8 - June 25, and July 15 - July 22
Modifications: I started out with a picot edge. I knit the first two repeats on 2.75 mm needles to give a little more room in the top of the leg. I also grafted the toe when I got down to 16 stitches.

I liked the pattern a lot.  It's clever, pretty, and fun to knit. I was originally expecting to knit this pattern in a solid color, and I'm pleasantly surprised at how well it worked out with a variegated yarn.  I found that getting the Knit Picks DPNs made the second sock go much more quickly than when I was using the Magic Loop technique.

I'm planning to package up the socks soon so they can be sent off to my Pal.  I really hope that she likes them and that they fit!  It's been fun to knit socks to a different person's specifications.  Thanks, Alison, for putting together a great swap!

Eleven

Once again, I've finished my last single sock.  It is for my Sockapalooza Sockpal, and I think that she will like it.  If this sock is not outrageous, I'm not sure what is.

Pattern: Loksins! by Cassie of Too Much Wool
Yarn: Socks that Rock Lightweight in Sherbet
Needles: Susan Bates DPNs size 2 for the first 2 cuff repeats, Addi Turbos size 1 for the remainder
Time to Knit: June 8 to June 25
Modifications: I did a picot edge and knitted the first two repeats on size 2s.  I also grafted the toe.

Because I didn't have any 2.5 mm needles, I had to resort to using my Addis.  I tried doing 2 circulars, but that was really annoying me, and I switched to Magic Loop.  It was OK, but I still think I prefer my standard DPNs.  Jody's hint about using a 24" needle helped a little bit.  I switched from my 32" to my 24" and things sped up.

It was fun knitting this sock to someone else's specifications.  I got lucky in that my pal's foot is about the same size as mine, but her color preferences were a little different.  Yay for branching out!

So once again I'm retiring from the Single Sock Liberation Movement.  For real.  Like, Michael Jordan retiring from basketball real.   (Does this mean I have to start crocheting single socks, kind of suck at that, and go back to knitting single socks again?  Hmm....)

Eleven has been my favorite number for a very long time, and it does seem appropriate that I knit eleven singles.  It's been a lot of fun!  But now it REALLY is time to stop, which means a contest will be forthcoming.  See you then!

What She Wants

I've become very accustomed to knitting socks for myself.  I know what I like, and I know what fits me.  I'm not very used to knitting socks for other people-- in fact, I've never done it before!  I think that this is why it took me awhile to get started on my Sockapalooza pal's socks.

She wants outrageous.  I kept thinking about ways to define what I like as outrageous. Maybe Fair Isle?  I know-- a complicated pattern!  But when I was honest with myself, I really knew that I should be knitting something very bright and very colorful, with the pattern as a secondary feature. 

I've found a great yarn to fit the bill.  This is Socks that Rock Lightweight in Sherbet, and it is bright!  As Sacha put it, she wanted to go eat kids cereal after seeing this yarn.  It's magically delicious! 

I did find something to keep me happy, too.  Loksins is a pattern I've been wanting to try ever since it came out, and it is playing quite nicely with this yarn.  Maybe some day I'll knit it again in a more subtle colorway, but I am enjoying this bright version.

With a picot edge, it's cute, bright, interesting, and (I hope) exactly what my SockPal is looking for.