Pair 27 - Lateral

This pair was made for my running buddy Charlene from Bushfield Joggers.
She  is a fab person who has been helping me at Parkrun overcome my fear of dogs and we have a great time running round together, putting the world to rights.

I thought she was worthy of a pair of my socks, so asked her to choose a yarn as I had this pattern in mind.

She chose a Flamboyance one- Box of Crayons which had been in my stash for ages.

The pattern is a Cookie A one, so I loved it anyway.

It was a really easy pattern to set and follow, although it did come out a bit baggy even on a 2.75mm needle.  I also used the magic loop technique on this pair which I am now converted to.

If I knit these again I will use a 2.5mm needle or even go down to a 2.25mm.

The colours are so vibrant and fun and pooled and spiralled in a pleasing fashion.

These were done after the Christmas distractions, so I could be back to some prolific sock knitting again.

Started 21 December 2013
Finished 10 January 2014

Pair 26 - Aquaphobia

This pair was a travelling pair and also a simpler alternative to other projects. 
They kept getting put on the back burner so took a while to complete.

The yarn was a fabulous Flamboyance one called Northern Lights which had been a sock club mystery yarn so I decided to use it for this pair for myself.

The pattern was a slip stitch one which created a very thick and cosy fabric.  The pattern was supposed to stop highly variegated yarns from pooling which it didn't achieve as the photograph proves.

The pattern was relatively easy to follow, but did need the odd tweak on the heel turn.

It isn't one of my favourite patterns for this reason.

Started 17 July 2013
Finished 4 December 2013

Pair 25 - Embers

This pair was knitted as part of the Knitting Army project organed by Easy kints- Jon Dunn-Balham.
The yarn and pattern was provided by Easyknits and I was also able to select an extra skein for my help:-) The finished socks and shawls knitted by volunteers will be photographed for a book he is publishing in 2014.

I chose a Lemon coloured one in the Twinkle range.

The yarn used was one of the Deeply Wicked range and was a pumpkin/orange colour which was a lovely vibrant shade.

The yarn wasn't so much of a pleasure to knit with. It kept splitting and untwisting which made knitting the socks less fun than other pairs.  I can only presume I had a rogue skein as I've had other yarns from this supplier and they have been lovely to knit with.

The pattern was relatively easy and straightforward to follow, consisting of 2 charts to follow simultaneously, but they had a shared number of rounds.

I was nervous knitting these and the socks were frogged several times in places if I felt they looked less than perfect.

They did use a lot of yarn and I was left with less than 2 metres at the end.

That said they did look fabulous at the end and I can't wait to see them in print:-)

Started 31 July 2013
Finished September 14 2013

Sock Innovations Project

In May 2011 my friend Shirley gave me the Cookie A book - Sock Innovation as a birthday present.  After perusing the designs I decided I would like to knit the entire book, so set out on an odessy to do just that.
Just over 2 years, 15 skeins and many hexipuffs later I finished the final pair in the book - Villai.
This pair was knitted for Shirley as I promised her the last pair in the book, she chose a yarn, but didn't know the pattern she was going to get.  I had decided on Vilai at about Pair 5-6 as I knew it would be a design she would appreciate.

The patterns were knitted in a random order to keep things interesting and because there were some I wanted to knit before others.

I found the book had a good mix of cables, lace and knit/purl patterns.
I particularly enjoyed knitting Angee as it was straightforward and easy to get set, Eunice mainly for the lovely yarn I used, but the cables worked so well on this pair. Kai Mei were interesting as a post op project as the cuff element was a straight rib, so low concentration needed and the sweeping foot pattern was straight forward and easy to follow as a pattern and you could see it moving across the socks.
My least favourite patterns were Devon and Rick, mainly because they involved a lot of open lace work and I felt my socks looked scruffy, some of this was due to needle size and at some point I would like to have another go at them on a smaller needle.  The heavy cable designs of Kristi and Bex were challenging but once I got used them the socks grew quickly.  Milo involved a lot of construction work and having to follow 3 charts in a special order, but the finished effect was stunning, especially the OXO design down the back of the cuff/leg.

More by accident than design I seemed to have knitted most of the designs in Laughing Yaffle Yarn, probably because I have so much in my stash as it is my favoured brand of hand dyed sock yarn.  Sunshine were knitted for my mother in some yarn I had dyed myself and Wanida and Cauchy were knitted in commercially available sock yarn like Regia/Opal.  Finally Bex were knitted in Wollmeise that I had purchased from a fellow online knitter.  This was a semi solid yarn which is what the very dense cable pattern required.

This project grew in April 2012 to the concept of 100 pairs of socks which is why I'm writing this blog!

The initial Sock Innovation project took a while, what with deviations for Christmas Presents, scarves and other minor distractions along the way.

It is the first time I ever felt inspired to knit an entire book and have enjoyed knitting every pair- some more than others! It has also got me hooked on Cookie A's patterns and I have been collecting them on Ravelry and they form a major part of my queue:-) I have sent a copy of the photo to her as I'm not sure how many people have done the entire book.

The next mini project, after some random pairs because I like the patterns will be the Cookie A Jazz Collection. 

It would be so cool to collect every pattern she has designed and knit them, but some are unavailable now so that may not be possible, but I will do what I can!

Pair 24 - Vilai

 

Here is the final pair of the Sock Innovations project - Vilai.

 

They required slightly more attention than first anticipated, but once the pattern was set was relatively straightforward to knit.

The pattern did involve the occasional use of 2 cable needles and an intricate lacy pattern for the sides of the socks.

 

This pair were knitted for my friend Shirley who bought me the book as a birthday present in 2011,

 

The yarn used was a Laughing Yaffle one - Wallflower which Shirley had picked out of my stash for the final pair in the book.

 

Started 22 June 2013

Finished 13 August 2013.

Pair 23 - Bex

This is pair 14/15 of the Sock Innovations sub-project.

It was a challenging pair to knit as it was another heavily cabled pattern a bit like Kristi ( Pair 19) Once I got going and finally memorised the various different cables going in all directions they grew quite quickly.
They were fun to knit, although seemed to take an age to start progressing.
The yarn I purchased from another knitting Fetch user - Velociraptor who was destashing. The yarn is a colourway called Palomino and by Wollmeise.
the yarn had a high twist and kept re-twisting and tangling slightly.

The socks had originally been started in O Tannebaum but the yarn was too busy for the pattern and ended up as Pair 20- Vanilla instead.

I only have one more pair to knit to complete Sock Innovations.

Started 19 April 2013
Finished 20 June 2013

Yarn used Wollmeise - Palomino

Pair 22 Dragonfly

This pair is one of my favourites.
The pattern can be found here
I started this pair as another alternative to the complex Bex ones which are still in progress at the time of writing this entry.

I also arranged to do them as a mini KAL with a Ravelry/Knitting Friend Leesa.

I was drawn to the pattern because of the name and the design.  When my son, Stirling passed away in 2005 we had the story of the Waterbugs and Dragonflies at his funeral and afterwards several friends kept spotting dragonflies in unusual places.  As a result the dragonfly became a sort of symbol for Stirling, so it would have been rude not to knit this pair of socks, especially as we approach his anniversary this week (6 June)

I set a target of that date to complete them and managed it with a week to spare.

The yarn is Flamboyance Pharos in the Circus Circus colourway, I don't often buy pastels, but thought it looked pretty and the pattern and yarn were a perfect match.

The pattern was pretty straightforward.  There is a discrepancy with the heel turn figures, I ended up with 18 sts after working all sts in the heel turn.

I particularly like how the yarn pooled to create 2 completely different socks and would definitely knit is pattern again.

Started 1 May 2013
Finished 29 May 2013

Pair 21 - Vanilla

This pair was done alongside Pair 20 - Devon and also as I started Bex. 
It is a very simple pattern, just knit ebery round after the ribbed cuff. It made a pleasant change from some of the intense cables adn lace patterns of recent pairs.

The yarn was originally going to become pair 14/15 of Sock Innovations - Bex but the yarn was too busy for the cable pattern, so was ripped out and became this pair.

The yarn is a Christmas themed colourway and called O Tannebaum.
It is another of my beloved Laughing Yaffles yarns. 

Started 4 April  2013
Finish 27 April 2013

Pair 20 - Devon

This pair is 13/15 from the Sock Innovations project.

This pair did end up sidelined for the previous pairs which were commissions and were generally a simpler sock to knit than some of the heavily cabled ones.
Not my favourite pair and they have come out pretty ugly looking.
The pattern is rather lacy and I think the main issue is the needle size is too big.

The yarn used is another Laughing yaffle one, colour way is Cranberry crush.

I will be knitting these again at some point, when I've done some other ones and next time will use a 2.5mm needle to see if it looks any better.

I washed the socks and the pattern tightened up and looks so much better as shown in the 2nd photograph

A bonus is, this pair marks 1/5th of the way to my target of 100 pairs of socks:-)
Started 23 December 2012
Finsihed 14 April 2014

Pair 19 - Kristi

Pair 12/15 from the Sock Innovations project.

This fabulous pair were a second commission for Chicken Licken from Fetcheveryone.com website.
I really enjoyed knitting this pair, they were a major challenge beign a heavily cabled pair of socks, but the yarn selected for them - LY Silk blend called Neptune was so lovely to work with and such a soft yarn, I was almost reluctant to part with them.

I did tweak the pattern and didn't do the full leg repeats as they would have been far too long.

The recipient was thrilled with them and they fitted perfectly.
I will definitely be knitting this pair again at some point for myself.

Started 28 Jan uary 2013
Finished 31 March 2013

Pair 17, 18 - Small Person's Socks

I'm counting these as 2 pairs- the rainbow ones at the top of the picture are for M4P's 18mth old daughter who loves them:-)
The teeny pairs are for her 8 week old twin boys and I'm counting as a pair.

They were all knitted wsith leftover sock yarn I have in my stash and I thought it would be cool to knit the children some socks as well.

I didn't have enough of the LY Peony that Pair 16 was knitted in to make the children's pairs.

They are a scaleed down patter, the baby ones are in a K2 P2 rib pattern, the bigger ones have a 10 round rib cuff then are just knitted.

The baby ones are very stretchy and I have been told stay on tiny feet better than bootees.

The toddler ones have been knitted int he past in Red and White yarn to make Christmas decorations.

Pair 16 - Monkey

This pair was from the Knit.Sock. Love book by Cookie A- I do love her patterns!
The socks were a commission from a friend on this website - http://www.fetcheveryone.com
When I started these socks she was expecting her 2nd child which was actually twins! She wanted a pair of handknitted socks but didn't know how to knit them herself or had the time as she also has an 18mth old daughter!
However, a few days after we arranged the yarn and chose the pattern via the website her twin boys decided to make an appearance into the world a month early!

The yarn is Laughing Yaffle's Peony colourway and was a delight to knit with.

The pattern Monkey is very easy to knit and enjoyable seeing it grow. I will definitely be knitting this pattern for myself at some point.

As with the power of the internet, we have never actually met, but hopefully our paths will cross at a running event in the future.

Started 27 January 2013
Finished 23 February 2013

Pair 15 - Sam

Pair 11/15 of the Sock Innovations Project.

This pair was knitted for my good friend Kate who hasn't had a very good 2012 and deserves something lovely.
She chose the yarn from my stash bag and the pattern out of the book.
The yarn had other ideas and was incredibly reluctant to become this pair of socks, with multiple restarts needed and having to reduce the number of repeats for the leg element and come down a needle size for the heel and foot.

Once I got going it was an easy pattern to follow and works rather well with this yarn.

I think I prefer more cabled style of pattern than some of the heavily laced ones which tend to look a bit scruffy in my knitting.


Started 8 December 2012
Completed 21 January 2013

Yarn used Laughing Yaffle Passionflower colourway.

Pair 14 - Milo

Pair 10/15 of the Sock Innovations Project.

This pair was started while I was still off work following knee surgery.

It was quite a complex construction involving 3 separate charts and a particular order to work them in.

I got the hang of the pattern and was progressing well, then I returned to work which cut my knitting time drastically!

I also deviated from the project rather with some side projects of fingerless gloves for my daughter and a hitchhiker scarf for my husband.  Both projects can be viewed on my ravelry projects - http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Girlieuk

The yarn was another of my favoured Laughing Yaffle yarns- Rhubarb and Custard which shows the pattern off well, although the photo doesn't do it justice.

Started September 12 2012
Finished November 25 2012

Pair 13 - Kai-Mei

This is pair 9/15 in the Sock Innovations sub project.

I completed these quickly as I was able to knit them during the day as I've been immobile following knee surgery.

It was an easy pattern to follow, mainly a simple but boring K3 P3 rib for the leg then a small lacy panel that creeps across the foot which was more interesting to knit. 
I also learned a new technique of a backwards loop cast on when I had to create stitches, this is a good technique for when I'm next doing earflap baby hats.

I chose a semi solid Laughing Yaffle Yarn I had in my stash.  The colourway is called Midnight owl and was lovely to knit with.  I couldn't knit the socks at night as the yarn is rather dark though.

It made a change to have a simpler pattern as my concentration was lacking in the immediate aftermath of my surgery.

Next pair will be either Bex or Milo, both of which are more complex and challenging.

Started August 28 2012
Finished September 10 2012

Pair 12- Lindsay

This is pair 8/15 from Sock Innovations.

Yarn used is another Laughing Yaffle one- Winterland
This pair isn't one of my favourites, took a few restarts to get the right size needle as the pattern does knit up generously.
Once I got going with the actual pattern, it was fine and lovely to knit, but I'm really not keen on the wrapped short row heel and toe.  They come out slightly baggy and I prefer the heel flap and short row(decreasing method)

Finished these reaonably quickly while in the first few days of recovering from knee surgery.
I'm currently incapacitated, so that means more knitting while my knee recovers from an arthroscopy and lateral release surgery.  Does mean I can't run or exercise at the moment, so knitting is keeping me reasonably sane.
Hoping to finish pair 13- Kai-Mei in the next couple of weeks and have a prolific sock period until I can get more mobile again.


Started July 17 2012
Finished August 26 2012

Fellow Sock Knitter

I forgot to blog this last month and I must name check Monique, who also knits socks.
http://onlysocks.blogspot.co.uk/

She has some fab patterns and I will be cribbing some for my target of 100 pairs:-)

Tonight will be spent finishing my Suduko blanket squares and spare square from the Liquorice Allsorts yarn, then hopefully in the next day or so pair 12 will be on the needles- Lindsay from Sock Innovations.

I do love Cookie A's patterns and have a feeling that her patterns will feature very highly in the overall total.

Pair 11 - Rick

This is also pair 7/15 from the Sock Innovations book.

Seemed to take an age to finish as I had several false starts while trying to get to grips with the pattern.
It was the first time I have knitted different left and right socks.  The pattern itself was only 4 rows, but jogged after each round and coupled with a yarnover at the start or end of a round, meant I had to shift where that was on my needles to avoid a large hole appearing.

This isn't one of my favourite pair of socks from the book, I have knitted better and I feel the pattern with all the loops and yarn overs looks a bit scruffy.

The yarn works well, it does mask the pattern a bit in the photos, it is more obvious when being worn.

Started 30 May 2012
Finished 15 July 2012

Pair 10 - Herringbone Rib

I've been in a prolific knitting period recently, not sure why.  Having a knee injury which restricts my running to 3 tiny 5 mile runs a week instead of at least one run being of 10+ miles may be a factor, there's certainly no increase in available time, maybe a small amount since my courses finished in April.

The patterns knitted recently have been rather quick growing or easy to remember like this one.

Several false starts with the lovely Odyssey yarn from Flamboyance. The colour is called Dazzle Ships and it certainly does!

I tried and failed with another Socktopus pattern - De Stijil which would have looed cool, but it was a mess, even after following the pattern to the letter.  So the yarn was rewound and I tried Cookie A's Hedera with it.  The pattern worked, but it was getting lost in the myriad of colour, so it was turned back into a ball of wool.  I finally found this pattern and it worked perfectly, complementing the yarn and being an easy pattern of 2 rows to remember.

So I am now 10% of the way to my target of 100 socks.  It's quite a milestone and a lot of socks already. 

I do like sock knitting, it's quick, portable and I like the organic nature of the yarns and never quite knowing how it's going to end up.

These socks have 2 different stripe patterns, from a single continuous skein which is weird, but also rather interesting.

Of course being more productive with knitting socks means I make space in my yarn bag for some more.......

Pair 9 - Owlies

Fetch Sockathon 3.

Started this pair on 8 May after a few false starts with yarns that the pattern got lost in the beige/natural colours seemed to suit the pattern very well.

Used black beads to compliment the yarn.

As the socks progressed, one round of owlies appeared to be ninjas with little black masks on them, which looked very cute and from then on the socks were referred to as ninja owlies.

When I started the 2nd sock, the yarn was in a slightly different place and I didn't quite get the full ninjas like the first sock.  There are a few hiding in different places in the 2nd sock though.

Happy with these, I learned a new technique of single cables without a cable needle which was much quicker and less fiddly. 

As this was the 3rd cable pair on the bounce, I'm feeling a little cabled out and after Herringbone Ribs are completed- they were started alongside owlies I will be switching to a lace based pattern for some variety.

LMG likes these socks and asked if I could knit a purple pair for her, so yarn was purchased and when I get some silver beads to go with it and a fine crochet needle I will get to work on them, I expect them to be number 12-13 of this project!