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Saturday 14 January 2012

So I made a second sock...

I've made another sock but it's not the sock to go with my first sock. Sock number two of pair number one has commenced and I'm about half way between the top of the sock and the heal but I might have gotten a bit distracted.

Last weekend I picked up some really lovely baby cotton on an accidental yarn buying adventure and decided that I really needed to knit a pair of baby socks with it. I mean how was I ever really going to get a true handle on the anatomy of socks without starting with the basics! Besides which this colored cotton was a heavier weight, calling for much bigger needles to knit a much smaller sock, and resulting in almost instant gratification!

So now I have made a second sock. A little tiny cute baby sock and I'm really happy with it. I now feel much more comfortable with the concept of turning a heal and sock construction than I did before.

I still have the second one of this pair to do (which I should do soon because I may have not run exactly according to the pattern I found online and might be holding the details of my slight modifications in my head!!!This never ends well), and the second one of my first pair to finish but I am no longer afraid. I no longer think of gusset as a dirty word! I no longer fear the sock!

The goal is now to complete these and then try one pair (both socks together) on one pair of circular needles. Not sure at this stage whether to try this top down for a first go or jump in, feet first, and start with the toe! The possibilities are endless.


Thursday 5 January 2012

I resolve to knit socks in 2012

I finished knitting two hippos and a bunny for my nibblings (niece's and nephew's) Christmas presents last week.

Yes their presents were technically a few days late for Christmas but this is a significant improvement on last years effort which they received in August. Fortunately being 2 and 5 year's old they didn't pick up on the fact that their presents were 8 months late but unfortunately do now anticipate two Christmases per year!

After finishing their toys and having a few days holiday break left I decided to take a look in one of my very disorganised yarn boxes for a new project. Instead I came across a 1/4 started pair of socks. My first ever pair of socks.

My partner bought me two balls of sock yarn early last year and I had every intention of completing two pairs of socks in time for winter. I got as far as needing to turn the heel on the first sock, panicked, and ran away.

Last week I resolved to make 2012 the year of the successful sock!

I did my research. Read my pattern. Trawled some blogs with all sorts of helpful advice for "turning the perfect heel". Contemplated watching some you tube clips but decided, given my unusual knitting technique, I would just get confused further. Ate plenty of left over home made Christmas shortbread and read my pattern another billion times.

On New Years day I took the plunge. Made a complete mess of it on the first try. Undid and then redid with some success!

Sock one (pictured) of two is now complete and, even tho it's the middle of summer I have been proudly wearing it on my foot.

So my big goal for 2012 (after finishing this pair of socks and maybe a few more) is to learn how to knit two socks at a time on one pair of circular needles starting at the toe. Wish me luck!