Strong Assumption

#4 Socks for SKP2008
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Started knitting at age of 10, stranded knitting has been my problem.
I simply cannot knit fairisle knitting.
Why?
Because I believe so.

I've done with two stranded knittings, anyhow: one is a hat, and the other is "Canada" from the book _Knitting on the Go_.
Both are disastrous and tucked deep into my closet.

What's wrong with stranded knitting with me?
First and all, yarn in back becomes too tight or too loose, especially when I knit with double pointed needles.

I really love fairisle patterns, nordic gloves and mittens, Bohus and all. I've tried to knit them and all I did was just frogging them.

The 4th challenge for Sock Knitters Pentathlon is Ziggy, wonderful stranded knitted socks.
And the picture here shows how I did.
It was fun to knit this pair. I started knitting this on 2 Sep., 2008 and finished on 6 Sep., 2008. That's no later than other socks, such as sock with cables and lace patterns.

Yarn in back is sometimes too tight or too loose still, but it isn't so bad as before.
I need to try another stranded knitting.
And more.

Stealth Rattlesnake Socks

Stealth Rattlesnake Socks
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

It was a challenge. Indeed.
To me, it was a big challenge to knit a pair of socks during weekdays.
The 1st sock pattern was announced on weekend; the 2nd one on holidays. I was able to use two full days for knitting each time.
But the 3rd socks.
On the day of announce, which was 1:00 am, 2 July 2008, I was up waiting for the pattern. As soon as the pattern was revealed, I went to my stash closet and picked up yarn. I was thinking of solid or heathered colour, but what I had in my hand was Lisa Souza's Sock! Merino in Shade Garden. Very varigated.
As I went on kniting, I found out that it is difficult to knit cable pattern with this kind of colourway. The pattern doesn't appear clearly and that causes the diffuculty.
Still, I love the pattern and the yarn. Cable and rib pattern is one of my favourite for socks. It fits well. Cables make a sock a bit tight, but rib makes it relaxed.
I started knitting around 1:30 am on the same day, knitted a ribbing part. And I finished with the first sock around 4:30 am on Saturday. The second sock was finished around 3:00 am on Sunday. The second one was not so bad.
Now I know that I need weekend to finish a pair, or it would take me more than a week. That doesn't so bad, either. At least so I think.

BTW, it looks like snakes are hiding in the shade garden, doesn't it?
Oh, Rattlesnake Creek is desert? Is it?
Well, well, well....

Burned Out, But...

Berlin Muster
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

So, another pattern, another pair.

I've finished knitting the second socks of the Sock Knitting Pentathlon 2008, Berlin Muster. Aren't they gorgeous? Well, you can't tell its beauty from my handmade, but you can see that here.

Yeah, I feel fulfilled. At the same time, I'm overwhelmed a bit.
Maybe, what I did was too much for me: too much speed, too much work, too much knitting.

Exhausted, but still, I find myself thinking of next sock project.
And actually, right after I whipped off my Berlin Muster, I spun some Romney and plied it.

Well, Sock Knitting 2008 is such an inspiration.
Thank you all.

Unglaubtlich

Jacobian
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

I've done with my first socks for Sock Knitting Pentathlon 2008. It was started at 0:00 Eastern Standard Time, 1 March 2008. That means, 14:00 (2:00 pm) in our time. So, I had only 10 hours on the first day.

It usually takes more than a week to knit a pair of socks with fingering or sock-weight yarn.
But in two days.
What happened to me, I wonder.

I will take my "official" pictures next weekend.

Anyway, I'm so fulfilled now.

Plain Vanilla Socks

socks
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

I confess: I sometimes think knitting a plain vanilla sock is boring; it's the most boring thing to knit.

Still, I love to knit plain vanilla socks. It's addictive. Knit stitch after stitch, row after row. And out of nowhere (yeah, I know where it comes from. But it's a rhetoric, you know), I have a sock in my hands.

Again, I confess: I love knitting socks with lace patterns, socks with cable stitches, and socks with any decorative stitches.

But, any of them gives me this nice and cosy foot comfort when it comes to wearing. Well fitted plain vanilla socks is the best. They are the most comfortable socks to wear.

And the issue here is "well fitted." It must not be too loose. It must not be too tight. Just in size. That's what I care.

That means, you need swatching a lot. You have to try with different size of needles, different number of stitches and all. You may have to knit a complete sock to figure out what you really need.

This time, I was lucky. 64 stitches for circumference with size 0 needles is just my size. Well, I could have guessed, though. My not-so-rich sock knitting experience told me before I started.

At last, I confess: I love knitting plain vanilla socks; I love wearing them.

Information:
Yarn: Online Supersocke 100 Sierra Color 77
Needle: Size 0 (2mm) 80cm circular
Started in October 2007
Finished on 16 February 2008
Cast-on: Magic cast-on 24 stitches increase to 68 stitches
Heel: Short-row heel with wrap
Cuff: K2xP2 rib
Cast-off: Turbular cast-off

A Bit Longer

Lacy Rib Socks
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

This pair took me more than two months to finish.
Well, it was almost finished, as a matter of fact. I've just procrastinating . You know, you need a lot of energy when you begin and finish something.

This was my commuting project and the fourth pair for Summer of Sock 2007.
Here is some information.

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Martha's Vineyard
Needle: Size 0 (2mm) circular needle 80cm
Cast on; Magic Cast on
Heel: Short Row Heel with Wrap
Cuff: K2P2 rib
Cast off: Turbular Cast-off
Knit 2 socks at a time
2007/6/23 - 2007/9/9
Pattern: No.103 from _Knitting Pattern Book 300_

Now, this is my kind of colourway. It doesn't suit me at all, but I love blues, greens, and purples.
Cherry Tree Hill yarn is fabulous. But I had hard time winding a ball. I think it is slippery. Today, I wound another ball of Cherry Tree Hill and made a mess. I did wind other 8 balls just fine, each from different yarn companies. I really love this yarn, but I don't know I'd get another skein.

It was so much fun to knit with this yarn, though. Tight twist and soft feeling kept reminding me how fun to knit, especially socks.

I made these socks a bit longer than usual. I'd like to try something different for Summer of Socks 2007 socks. That's why.

I'm going to start next project for my commuting time, but I haven't decided which pattern I knit. I'm in mood of lacy pattern. I just want to do yarn overs. Maybe another Mata Hari socks.

I don't think I can finish it by the autumnal equinox. That doesn't bother me at all. Sock knitting, that's what I cannot resist.

After a Long Break

Rib Socks
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

I'm back. Well, more or less.

This is my third pair for Summer of Socks 2007. I thought I could knit more before the KAL began, but I can't. Tired of sock knitting? No! Of course not.
I'm just overwhelmed by my work. It's summer vacation season and I've worked more than 200 hours last month (And you know what? This isn't a hard work at all! My colleagues and boss worked much more than I did.) I had to see everyone going vacation while I was commuting to work. I know. They say there's no justice in the world. Maybe, maybe not.
In this month, I'll be busier than last month. I'm surviving somehow. Quitting work means death, you know.

I can't believe I really made this pair. I chose easy rib pattern and that made my knitting automatic sometimes. The yarn is fabulous. Once in a while, I felt as if I was knitting with chenille yarn. So smooth and so rich. As already written, this colourway isn't usual for my taste, but I really love it. I can finish this pair because of this bright colourway.

I have another pair waiting for me to cast off. I used toe-up pattern for it. I'm thinking of doing a kind of turbular cast-off. I usualy choose this method for casting off 1K1P or 2K2P ribs.
That is my commuting project. I've just begun my home project. It's another twisted stitch pattern. It is beautiful and complicated. It is too much for my exhausted-from-work brain to memorise the pattern. Every three or five stitch, I have to look up the pattern. Over and over again. But in a way, that makes me relaxing a lot. Knitting is fun and knitting socks is sheer bliss.

Sorry for the Artistic Picture

Gram Rock Socks
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Yeah, I know. It's just blurred.

Anyway, this is my third project for Summer of Socks 2007.
Yarn is SocksThatRocks GramRock colourway. This pink and rose (and yellow) colourway is usually not mine. I like blues, greens and purples.
But, you know what? This colourway really makes me happy. It's just fun to knit with this yarn. Ah, pink, what a lovely colour it is! And yellow, what a lively colour it is!

I've tried several patterns before I started knitting a sock. None was for this yarn. At least I thought so.
So, I just pick a rib patten. It's a kind of garter rib pattern, K5 P1 for odd rows and K every stitch for even rows. This simple pattern goes very well with the yarn. I'm pleased.

This is my first time using the Channel Island Cast on. It's a fabulous cast on method! It's very stretchy, and very sturdy, and also, looks so nice. I'm sure I'll use this method again.

BTW, I leave for the office 10 to eight, and get home around midnight every day during weekday. I go to work at least a day on weekends. I don't have much time to knit, really.
Still, I try to find time to knit with all my might :-)
After all, it's fun to knit and knitting makes me happy.

Upside-down Socks

Upside-down Socks
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Or, rather ,Grotesque Socks, so to speak.

Because it's just too much for a sock, as already written.
I've come to notice that while I was knitting the first sock. But, anyway, I've just finished the pair. And I've learned a lot.

A lot, indeed.

Well, here are some information about this pair.

Yarn: Lorna's Lace Shepherd Sock, Denim Colourway
Needle: Size 0 (2.1mm) DPN
Pattern: No082 from _Knitting Patterns Book 250_ by SHIDA Hitomi
Turbular Cast-on
Eye of Partridge Heel
Started on 3 July, 2007
Finished on 15 July, 2007

I definitely love Lorna's Lace Shephered Sock. This yarn is so soft, fun to knit, and almost solid's heathered looks are fabulous.
It was such a delight to knit with this yarn.
Unfortunately, the yarn as well as other sock yarns are not easily available around here. The yarn I used came all the way across the Pacific ocean. What a traveler!

Although this pattern is too much for a sock, it was unstoppable to knit it. It was just fun to knit it. It would be nice for a vest or a sweater. I would like to try that some day.
(And I know that someday never comes, as Creedence Clearwater Revival sang.)

Eye of partridge heel is so lovely. Well, it doesn't go wel l with the pattern very much. Still, I've been wanting to try this heel for a long time. And I'm pleased with the heels.

My next home project is a pair of plain socks with SocksThat Rocks Gram-Rock. Actually, the pattern is a kind of garter rib.
It's so nice to knit a plain sock.

Too Much for a Sock

Upside-down Sock in Progress
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Summer of Socks 2007 is great. I've been inspired a lot since the summer solstice. Everybody's doing tremendously wonderful jobs.
Before SOS2007 began, I was thingking of choosing the patterns out of my knitting pattern dictionaries. I have quite a number of patterns I'd love to use for socks.
Now, I really want to knit Breeze. I've seen some of the members of SOS 2007 already made their Breeze and every pair is so nice.

However, I'm working on two different socks in progress and the picture shows my home project, Upside-down socks.
I took this pattern from the book _Knitting Patterns Book 250_ by SHIDA Hitomi.
I enjoy knitting this pattern so much, but I've already noticed.
This pattern is too much for a sock.

What is too much?
Well, too decorative, too much work and yet less stretchy.
It must be nice for a vest or a sweater, but not for socks.

I call this "Upside-down" because I knit from the cuff. You see, the pattern book usually shows how to knit from the bottom, hence I made the last pair, Twisted Stitch Socks, from toe up.
This time, it seems interesting to see the pattern upside-down, so I just started knitting from the cuff. I like the way the pattern comes out, and anyway, if I look down my foot put on this sock, I can see it from the right side.

Finished!

Twisted Stitch Socks
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Yey!
This is my first pair for Summer of Socks 2007.

Yarn: Shelridge Farm Soft Touch Heather Colour: Fury
Needle: Size 2 (2.75mm) DPN Lantern Moon Ebony
Cast-on: Magic Loop Cast-on
Heel: Short-row heel with wrap
Cast-off: Turbular Cast-off
Pattern: No.067 from _Knitting Patterns Book 300 (ISBN 4-529-0417-7)_
Started on 22, June, 2007
Finished on 1, July, 2007

I'm not a creative person. I always need a pattern when I knit socks, or whatever.
Sometimes, I try to knit something totally original, but then, my mind ceases to work. My hands stop. And I wonder what I was trying to do.

Pattern books are for knitter like me. Well, they are for every knitter (and every knitter-to-be), but still I really appreciate them a lot.
I took this twisted stitch pattern from one of those books. At the very first time I saw this pattern, I thought it would be very nice for socks.

As already written, I was right.

It was just fun to knit this pair.
The pattern looks like chained hearts, more or less. Also, it is a bit whorled.

It was too hot to wear them, but I put them on.
Oh, how I'm content with them.
If I'd knit this pair again, I'd like to make toes a bit longer and foot parts a bit shorter.

I'm thinking of knitting next pair with a pattern from another pattern book.

Oh, I forgot.
I'm knitting another pair as an outside project (This pair was my home project).
I'll blog about them next time.

So Far So Good

Twisted Stitch Sock
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Yes, I've started my project for Summer of Socks 2007.
I'd like to try something different from what I have already knitted. So, I look into a pattern book Knitting Patterns Book 300.
I chose the pattern No.067 as a starter. It's a twisted stitch pattern and I thought it would be looked nice with socks.
I was right.
It looks great. I love twisted stitch pattern on socks, anyway.

The yarn I use is Shelridge Farm Soft Touch Heather and colour is Fury. It's very dark green, almost black. Also, there is very subtle dark purple. I think this colour and the pattern really go well.
This is my first time using this yarn. It seems a bit thicker than other sock-weight yarns.

I've listed up other patterns I want to try for SOS 2007. How many pattenrs I can knit? I'm really excited.

Whitby

Whitby
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

This is my second Whitby from _Knitting on the Road_. My first one was also made with Jaeger Matchmaker DK and I love that pair so much. So, I tried again with the same yarn. I used 2 skeins which I bought them on sale. A skein was 300 yen; at that time it costed 780 yen.
I followed the pattern except toes. I decrease the toes to 8 stitches and graft them. For the neat finish, I grafted the two stitches together at the beginning and the end.

One of the reason I love this pattern is it's made with DK weight yarn. It's really warm. I become to knit with fingering weight yarns more than DK weight yarns because most of the sock yarns are fingering weight. Still, it is much warmer and a little faster to work with DK weight yarn.

Another reason is because I love rib and cable patterns for socks. Rib patterns redeem the cable patterns' un-streatchness. There's a purl stitch diamond pattern in the middle and that tells you where you are.

This was my sock project at home. I usually knit socks on commute bus or train. I knit this at home because I wanted to use double pointed needles. I don't use DPN on the bus and train because it's much more dangerous than circular needles.

And I've already started next sock project at home.

Colourul Socks

Gentleman's Fancy Socks - Altered
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

I've made two pair of socks recently. All the knitting was done on the commute train or bus. Only a few parts such as turbular cast-off, Kitchner stitch, and so on, were done at home.

The green socks are made with Schaffer Anne and the pattern is _Gentleman's Fancy Socs_ in _Knitting Vintage Socks_. But I made a lot of changes. For example, the pattern says you start from the cuff, but I started from the toe with magic-cast-on; I chose short-row with wrap for the heels; I didn't add stitches for calves; and the length are shorter than the pattern.
Still, I followed some part of the pattern.






The red socks are made with Koigu KPPPM. The pattern is Rib and Cable Socks from _Interweave Knits Fall 2005_. I've alwasy wanted to knit this pair. I thought the pattern would be in _Favorite Socks_ but it isn't. Since it's been my next-to-knit list for a long time, I followed the most of the pattern, except toe. The pattern tells me the toe length is 7.5cm. And that is too long for my short foot. So, I made a little change at the toe. That's all.

I really love this sock and probably I will make another pair.

Following the Pattern

I'm knitting Rib and Cable Socks by Nancy Bush (IW Knits Fall 2005). I've already made one. I'm about turn the heel and that is a problem.
I have to follow the pattern and I don't usually bring the pattern with me.

As already written, the heel of the sock doesn't fit me. But I won't frog and I'm sure I'm going to follow the pattern.
Why? It is fun to knit something different. It is fun to try something I've never done before.
I usually use short-row heel with wrap or ordinary heel flap. They are fine and hardly uncomfortable to wear. Still if there's a heel pattern that I've never tried, I definetely knit that pattern.
After all, you won't know how does it feel unless you knit it and try it on. If it doesn't fit you, it would be a nice sample for the future socks you knit. It could be one of your collection of different heel pattern. And I like that.

Well, I have to memorise how to turn the heel or take the pattern with me.

Heel of Sorrow

My commuting project is Rib and Cable Socks by Nancy Bush in IW Knits, 2005 Fall. Using Koigu yarn, I've just finished the first sock. It really looks nice.
But, alas, the heel doesn't fit me!
As the project proceed, I put it on several times to see it fits or not. I didn't think it would not fit. The heel is rather large so I made toe a bit shorter.
Now, the toe isn't the problem. It fits well. I didn't follow the pattern for that part. I have a somewhat short foot. I don't need a sock with long toe.
But, oh, the heel! My feet are rather small but wide. So are my heels. I was quite certain that the heel was just for me.

Well, but it was hard to tell during working on a sock whether it would fit or not. You can tell that when it is done. And I know that now.
I'm going to start the latter sock tomorrow morning and also start to look for a pair of feet that would fit these socks.

Favrourite Tools

Whitby in Progress
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

My friend told me the other day about the time that she'd mentioned seeing me to one of her friends. Her friend said, "Oh, that Sock-Person!"
Yeah, I'm a Sock-Person. Most of the works I knit are socks. I'm proud of being called so.

As a Sock-Person, I knit a sock from cuff-down, toe-up, heel with flap, heel without flap, lacy socks, cable socks, rib socks, plain stockinette socks, knit any socks I like.
Especially, I love rib socks. It is not always fun to knit rib socks because it tends to be a mindless-knit. But usually it makes me delighted to knit them. The rib socks fit well and also, suit both men and women.

At the same time, cable socks are my favourite. It is always fun to knit cable stitches. The cable stitches are not very stretchy so it would be go well with rib patterns.
Like this Whitby.

However, I'd like to show you something else today. That is a set of DPNs. They are Clover Takumi Size 2 (2.7mm) Double Pointed Needles. They are about 16cm (6.3 inches) long. The very best length for a sock-knitting. But I can't find this length of needles these days. Maybe they're out of production. These Size 2 were found at the local handicraft shop on the way to the office. There were almost no yarns there, but they carries goods left such as the DPNs.

There's no handicraft shop you can pass by.

Sock Knitting Today

As always, knitted sock on the commute train and bus. Now I'm knitting rib socks from _Knitting Vintage Socks_. I arranged a bit, though. In the book, the pattern tells to knit from cuff-down, but I started with magic cast-on. Also, the pattern suggests heel with flap, but I used wrapped short-row heel.
Magic cast-on and short-row heel with wrap are the most used patterns for me. Magci cast-on is one of the most easiest method with a circular needle. Short-row heel is not so easy but I tend to knit heel with flap too large once in a while.

But, heel with flap is my favorite. I love the gusset. I don't particularly like heep flap, but that triangular gusset appeals me a lot.
Whitby makes me feel good with its hell flap.
Oh, I knitted a little bit of Whitby, too.
Before finish knitting Whitby, I'm thinking of making sock blockers with wire hungers.

I Love This Heel!

I Love This Heel!
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

I know, I know. I must stay in bed. And I've been in bed as long as possible. I wonder why I can take sleep after sleep during daytime and have a hard time sleeping at night.

But, I need something that makes me feel good. And I've started so-called home project, Whitby from _Knitting on theRoad_ by Nancy Bush.

I've already made a pair and I love this sock. Especially, this heel. When turning heel, the pattern, slip 1 knit 1 continues. Wonderful.

Usually, I knit socks only on the commute train or bus, anywhere outside my house. I seldom knit them at home.
When I catch a disease, I suddenly want to knit lacy shawl or stole. And I'm aware too well that the project results in catastrophe. Disease makes me feel dizzy and I just can't follow the pattern. The end.

Still, I want to make something. And I've started knitting Whitby. So far so good.
I have to find time to knit it, though.

As a Matter of Fact, I Spin

A little.
I've never thought I would spin. Actually, I started spinning not because I want to. I just wanted more twist on my beautiful silk thread. I looked for a tool to add twist on it and there I found a spindle. Then before I knew it, I was struggling to spin. I wonder why.

I'm but a novice spinner. These days I'm thinking of spinning only for socks. I love to knit socks (you may already know if you see other entries in this blog) and socks require rather small amount of yarn. Since I spin only with my spindles, sock knitting project seems suitable.

But novice spinner means he/she just wants to spin any fiber he/she has never spun before.
And I'm just right in middle of that stage.

Now I'm knitting Log Cabin Socks with handspun yarn. So far, they are the ugliest socks I've ever made. But I don't care. After all, it's just a beginning. There is a long road of spinning and knitting ahead of me.
Isn't it wonderful?