April 23, 2010

Knee-High Cabled Riverbed Socks

More knee socks! Since I found a good template with the last pair, but wanted to improve some things (mainly the length), I wanted to give it another go immediately. The foot and heel are, again, based on the Riverbed Master Pattern from New Pathways for Sock Knitters by Cat Bordhi. The calf increases and the cable in the back are based on Laura Chau's Delicious Knee Socks pattern. The turned cuff with an adjustable elastic band is my own improvisation.

This time, I've very happy with the length of the leg. The only complaint I have is that I seem to have knit one sock with a slightly looser tension than the other, and so the foot/heel on one sock is slightly loose. It was my first time knitting (well, completing a project) with Opal, and, at least in a project with this much plain stockinette, it shows every little irregularity very clearly. Wet blocking will hopefully take care of that. I used a bit of Lorna's Laces Solid Sock on the inside edge of the cuff, because I was close to running out of the main yarn. I used 2.5 mm needles for most of the sock, and 2.25 mm ones for the inside edge.

April 12, 2010

Knee-Length Riverbed Socks


After several failed attempts at more complicated sock patterns, I fell back to a simple stockinette sock in a previously familiar pattern, the Riverbed Master Pattern from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters. Knitting them up to knee length was an idea that I only got when I was already knitting the leg, and started to wonder if I had enough yarn to make them longer. I did, and I still even had some yarn left over. I increased stitches for the calf, and then turned the cuff so there is space for an elastic band inside it. It looks like these are going to be my first knee-length socks that actually stay up. I may have to make more socks like these, but I think next time I will make them with a slightly longer leg. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Solid, which I love for its softness. I used 2.5 mm needles for most of the sock, and 2.25 mm ones for the inside edge of the cuff.

More details on the Ravelry project page

April 1, 2010

Belle Vitini aka March 2010 SKA Mystery Sock

Looks like this pair of socks was my only finished project for March! It's the Sock Knitters Anonymous Mystery Sock for March 2010 by Kristi Geraci. I left out the second pattern repeat from the leg when I realized that with two repeats the cuff went so high on the calf it started to get way too tight. With this modification the sock fits a lot better. I used 2.5 mm needles and Colinette Jitterbug. And, man, does this yarn bleed! Every time after knitting this sock for a few minutes my fingers had turned yellow. I've had bleeding problems with Jitterbug before, which I why I refused to knit with it for a while, but I was tempted by this colorway. These socks will be handwashed, in cold water, for sure.