July Socks - Pucker

I have a confession. While I started these socks in July I finished them in August. A chest infection will inhibit any ones crafting mojo.

The pattern is called Pucker by General Hogbuffer (love the name). It's a pattern I first spotted on pinterest. I knitted a pair of mosaic socks a few years ago and enjoyed it. So much I knitted four pairs and had others knitting them. That was almost three years ago now and it has taken me that long to find a similar pattern.

This pattern was easy to follow. The instructions were simple but in depth and the chart was well done too. I think it was actually easier to follow than the first pair I did. Specifically, the gusset and the heel were easier. The heel was simple and for the gusset you just followed the chart. Or maybe part of that comes with experience of following patterns but I don't think so. I still wouldn't recommend it for beginners but if you are up for a challenge go ahead.

The downside is the blocking. It badly requires blocking when finished. This wasn't the case for the first pair. The pattern is more close knit and it may have more to do with my tension. However, if you click on the link to the pattern at the start of the post you will see that one of the photo's is similar to mine so I'm not too worried about it.

The yarn I used was two solid colours. Red and off white and the brand was patons 4ply. I like patons yarn as it's quite soft and feels lovely on the feet. The author of the pattern used a a solid base and a variegated yarn which had a good effect. I might try this later.

August's socks are on the pins. They are special. It's a pattern that I am writing myself. Since August is my birthday month I wanted them to be special. So I've bit the bullet and I just hope it works out. To make it even more special my lovely friend Lisa has dyed me some yarn for the project. Can't wait to show the yarn off even if the socks don't work out. Watch this space.

July WIP

With most of my things still at my dad's I feel that I am limited on what I can work on just now. As a result I have been spending very little time crafting even though there are things that I can be working on. Instead I have been spending most of my free time with my nose in a book. I changed that the last few days and picked up my mushroom cross stitch. This came with me in the initial move but it hasn't been touched until now. I now want to get it finished although that might prove a problem as I don't have my sewing machine with me. However, I can get the actual cross stitch finished and I have just two mushrooms (although large ones) to go. I'm going to be sad when this is finished as I have enjoyed stitching them. Might have to make another.

July's socks are also on the pins and I went for a mosaic pattern this time. I am almost at the heel but put it aside when I wasn't feeling to well last week. Think I will have to get back on them tonight if I want them finished on time. They will also need blocked when done.

I am also working on August's socks. I'm not cheating. The yarn isn't on the pins yet. In fact I just got it today and it's special. It's the pattern that I am working on. I'll reveal more on that in August.

So that's it. I have sock yarn that I have been meaning to wind. I plan on knitting a basic pair of my sister. However, if I wind it I will cast it on. If I cast it on I will start knitting and then goodbye July socks.

Anyone working on something exciting? Inspire me.

Mosaic Socks (and learning something new)!

I know you have seen these socks before. I promise the images below are new. Or at least new to the blog. I have a tendency the last year or so to find a pattern that I like and want to knit again and again. The result is that everyone gets a pair for their Christmas. Last year it was the spiral sock pattern. A very easy pattern which was perfect considering I had placement then. But also one that changed when using different sock wools. This year it's the mosaic sock pattern. It's actually called "Tea Time" and was designed by Adrienne Fang found in "Sock Club". The first pair I knitted for my knitting group challenge which I have already talked about a month or so ago. I may not have worn them yet but they are my pride and joy and I love them.

The green sock yarn was actually a birthday gift from my sister and it came with instructions to make something with myself. I had a ball left over and decided to use them on my sister. As most people know my arty sister likes the strangest colour combinations which always seem to work. I had seen a pair of socks knitted up in green and pink (different pattern) and I decided to give that a go. I think they worked well together and my sister loves them. The colour combination suits her to a T.

My friend Helen is a sock knitter too. She actually picked up the sock needles before I did. Helen is always working on different things so knits a pair of plain socks when she wants something she doesn't need to think about. Seeing my mosaic socks though made her decided to try something with a pattern for the first time. So I decided I would knit a pair at the same time. It's one of those patterns I find is easier to talk through with someone if you are knitting them together. The end result was this pair done in shades of purple for my gran. I think they are probably my favourite.

Apologies for this photo. These socks are now planked away. I normally declutter the area before taking photo's. Anyway, my friend Isabel then wanted to learn so I knitted up this pair for my mum. She was on holiday at the time so I could knit them up without her seeing them.

My dad was next. I chose different shades of grey. Isabel had experimented with different needle sizes to get the right size of sock and so I did the same. The pattern can knit up quite tight and although I knitted the larger size I felt that it might be too tight. Using a bigger needle size worked out perfectly.

More importantly my friends finished their socks too. Isabel did the bigger size (which explains the size difference). Helen did the pink and white ones for a friend but she has another pair on the pins for herself. Isabel also has another pair started but I'm not sure who they are for.

Clearly both ladies like a challenge. Helen had never done anything beyond the basic sock and chose a difficult pattern for her first one. Isabel was very familiar with colour work. However, she knitted a pair of toe-up baby socks once about 5 years ago and that's it. So I was teaching her how to knit an actual sock rather than the mosaic pattern. At one point she also had a sock going from each end of the balls of yarn (too impatient to wait for the next lesson). I honestly don't know how she didn't end up in a fankle.

As I was teaching her the kitchener stitch she mentioned that it was invented by Kitchener himself. He designed it because the feet of his soldiers were being damaged by the seems of their socks. All these years of knitting socks and I didn't know that.

I still have Christmas socks to knit for my sister and my gran as they now have their mosaic socks. Will have to hunt out a pattern for them. However, I don't think this will be the last time I knit this pattern.

(all of these socks were knitted using regia solid sock yarn).