Waffle Rib Socks

I keep forgetting to blog this yet another pair of socks based on Sensational Knitted Socks. For the past few weeks I've been going through a relaxing socks knitting phase, I think at least partially inspired by the otherwise stressful time in my life. Knitting easy socks with pretty yarn is therapeutic.

With these toe-up socks I wanted to try starting the stitch pattern from the tip of the toe, because I often wonder why the toe in knit socks is almost always the default stockinette stitch. I think I will be doing more of this in the future.

I used Araucania Ranco Solid for the yarn, and 2.25 mm circular needles by magic looping. As with other socks lately, I used Judy's Magic Cast-on and a short-row heel, my favorites. Knit with 64 stitches and a gauge of 8 stitches per inch.

The Ravelry project page

Garter Rib Socks #2

I seem to be having a simple socks phase. After I finished the man-sized socks in the previous post, I wanted to knit a pair to fit my own feet, and use some of the yarn I bought from a craft fair a week ago. It was my first time using Fleece Artist Somoko, and I find it quite lovely to knit, and I love the fuzziness from the bit of mohair in it. I don't usually go for sock yarns with even this amount of variegation, but I was curious about the fiber content. I'd love to knit with this yarn again, just in a more solid colorway. The needles were 2.25 mm, and the pattern the same modified version of Garter Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks as in the previous pair of socks, just with 64 stitches this time.

The Ravelry project page

Garter Rib Socks

A toe-up, short-row heel version of the Garter Rib socks from Sensational Knitted Socks. I used 72 stitches to fit the husband's feet, and knit them on a 2.25 mm circular needle, magic-looped.

I find that toe-up socks are more comfortable to knit with a circular needle, while cuff-down socks seem to go better with DPNs (the toe-up cast on is awkward on DPNs, while the beginning of a cuff is almost equally awkward on a magic loop). The 80 cm long HiyaHiya circular needles I've been using seem pretty suitable for magic-looping. I would make the cord maybe slightly more flexible, but other than that, I have no complaints. They are so lightweight and yet sturdy.

I also found the yarn, Araucania Ranco Solid, very pleasant to knit. What's left to see is how the yarn holds up in use, since I've read some reports of it felting on feet.

The Ravelry project page