Thanksgiving is still weeks away and I am seeing Christmas decorations in the stores already. So I don't think I am out of line in showing you some of my Christmas gift knitting.
If you are my children....stop right here! Don't look. These may spoil your Christmas surprise.
I got a late start this year but the annual gift socks are underway. I knit them toe up and I love the freedom this gives me to use every last bit of the skein (at least to make them as tall as I want). I divide the skein into two balls that I weigh on my kitchen scale so the skein is divided in half by weight.
The green socks are knit with Scorched Lime "Smooshy" from Dream yarns. The yarn is soft but it's more of a sport weight so I chose the Van Dyke sock pattern, which is written for sport weight yarn. The heel is a basic gusset heel which is less bulky than the split stitch heel. Smooshy is thicker than other sock yarns so the gusset heel is a good pattern choice I think.
I loved the Must Stash yarn in the Dark Side of the Moon colorway that stripes and would happily order it in other colorways but the web store is closed until the owner can fill back orders and restock. The Yarn Harlot made socks and posted them on her blog and the yarn sold out almost immediately.
The striped socks are basic split heel socks. This yarn is fine and thin and oh so soft. It knits up less bulky and I have family who likes not-so-bulky socks. And best of all, the hank comes in two separately tied skeins, which are then twisted together. The store owner has started both skeins at the exact same place/color so your socks come out evenly without the knitter having to mark the skein and try to find the exact color spot to cast on to make the socks identical. Genius! I hope this catches on and other yarn vendors start selling their yarn the same way. A knitter can dream can't she?
Both patterns can be found in Wendy D. Johnson's Socks From The Toe UP book.
2 pairs down and ....afew lot more to knit.
At least I am not hanging them in front of the mantel yet.
If you are my children....stop right here! Don't look. These may spoil your Christmas surprise.
I got a late start this year but the annual gift socks are underway. I knit them toe up and I love the freedom this gives me to use every last bit of the skein (at least to make them as tall as I want). I divide the skein into two balls that I weigh on my kitchen scale so the skein is divided in half by weight.
The green socks are knit with Scorched Lime "Smooshy" from Dream yarns. The yarn is soft but it's more of a sport weight so I chose the Van Dyke sock pattern, which is written for sport weight yarn. The heel is a basic gusset heel which is less bulky than the split stitch heel. Smooshy is thicker than other sock yarns so the gusset heel is a good pattern choice I think.
Both patterns can be found in Wendy D. Johnson's Socks From The Toe UP book.
2 pairs down and ....a
At least I am not hanging them in front of the mantel yet.
One of these days I am actually going to knits socks! I love yours!
ReplyDeleteThey're beautiful Bonnie! I've never done socks toe up -- I guess I'm a creature of habit. And, since cuff down has a lot of decreases, I'm assuming in toe up you'd have a lot of increases. I like decreases better than increases LOL.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful job!
ReplyDeleteYour family will love their gifts :)
These socks are wonderful Bonnie. Love love that dark Side of Moon.....going to check that out as soon as she is open again. I too am knitting socks and leg warmers for boots. Take care, be calm and continue to knit on:)
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful, beautiful gifts, Bonnie. Your family is blessed that you can knit them such lovely socks.
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely Bonnie! In my fantasies I knit socks, but first of all I need to learn to knit someday! In the meantime I will enjoy looking at yours. xx
ReplyDeleteThose are so amazing. Just perfect! I love the colors.
ReplyDelete