Teeny Tiny Toe up Socks

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/baxcreative/toe-up-baby-socks

Should have photographed with a tape measure... Also double up as nice thumb warmers...

Pattern thanks to Sheila Toy right here

finished

Last night I finished the second of the purple socks I began knitting earlier in the month.
This one got done a lot quicker than the first.
Day off well spent.

I haven't knitted socks for over a year now, so I didn't really bother with a tension square, or a complex pattern.

They'll definitely get a lot of wear though, if a touch on the slouchy side.

I got the pattern for free from this blog or you can find it on Ravelry.

toasty

Finally gave in and bought myself a pair of Lowie Turkish socks.  I've been craving them for the last few winters.  It was a good decision.  They're made from recycled yarn (100% acrylic = vegan + washable) and so they all come out a little differently.  As luck would have it, I love the colour combination on mine.

 I love the blue / yellow striped heel on them too.   

Going to keep my super cosy in Latvia next week.  

Today also witnesses the completion of sock #1 of the pair I started knitting a few weeks ago.  There was way more yarn than I expected, so they've come up a lot longer than I had imagined.  Toe-up all the way.

finally

I have started knitting again.  I haven't really done any this year...
So some basic toe up socks to ease myself back into it.
I really have too much yarn stashed away, I forgot how much there was until I made myself open my cupboard last week.
This was started on Tuesday, so hopefully they'll be ready to keep my toes warm in Latvia...

Pink PomPoms

Another pair of pompom socks...

{This time for my friend Nicola}

All wrapped up and waiting for her feet

Pink tissue paper
+
Plastic wrapping
+
Blue cord trim
=
All recycled

 I used a chunky DK fluffy pink yarn for the rib...

 Then a white DK for the rest of the sock, which had flecks of yellow, pink, green & blue dotted about in it

Ta-Da:

[on Ravelry here]

Sunday Night Knitting

I seem to be enjoying starting new projects [as opposed to finishing them] at present.

Penny's Pom Poms

Knitted especially for my fantastic friend Penny ~

~ Taken from the pattern Peppermint Pompoms in Knitted Sock Sensations

On Ravelry here

Bobbles + Bright

One of the several pairs of 'Easy Knit Socks' I've made up from my Textured Knits book (Julia Cooper)

I've also made myself some sparkly purple ones & a green pair, with alternate coloured bobbles; as a present. They went down a treat.

A classic case of 'runnning-out-of-yarn-at-the-end-of-the-second-sock' scenario that sometimes occurs when knitting socks from the top down.

Oh well.

Saturday Morning Slippers

It's the weekend, I'm not at work, I'm getting me knitted slippers on...

 ...and alpaca socks... Cozy!

Another from my fave, fave, sock book Knitted Sock Sensations.

{See my Ravelry page here}

Lacy Summer Socks

I knitted these over a year ago... You may be able to see they have been well-worn if you look closely at the photos, so thought I'd better post them already:

 These were the first socks I knitted from the toe-up and was so happy with the sleeker result.

 The top edge is cast-off loosely and due to the nature of the pattern they create this charming, flowing cuff:

I think they're one of my favourite pairs of socks and definitely ones that get the most compliments!

The pattern comes from Knitting Lingerie Style (Joan MGowan-Michael), I'm also in the midst of finishing a knitted bra from the same publication.

Van Dyke Socks

My second pair of socks knitted from my new favourite book Socks From the Toe Up (Wendy D. Johnson)

 These were a really quick knit; partly because they use a sportweight yarn (bulkier than most sock patterns require) and partly because the chevron pattern is so easy to remember. 

After a couple of pattern repeats you don't need to keep referencing back to the pattern chart. 

 I am loving knitting socks from the toe up, as you can try them on as you go to see if they fit. 

This particular pair require dpns (double pointed needles) which also means they are knitted in one continuous round and therefore eliminates annoying (and possibly untidy) side seams once you're done. 

 I topped mine off with a contrasting rib; using leftover yarn from my miser mittens project. 

Nice and neat toes and heels are created when you knit socks from the toe up....

Much nicer to look at and probably one of the best fitting pairs of socks I've ever made myself!

Serpentine Socks

I have finally gotten round to knitting up a pattern from Wendy D. Johnson's book, Socks From The Toe Up, which I purchase months ago and have been eager to knit every pair in it since!

The first pattern I opted for were the Serpentine Socks.  Partly because I wanted a new pair of chunky, cable-effect winter warmers for my toes and partly because they were in the 'Sportweight' section of the book, which means due to the denser (sportweight) yarn used in these patterns, they are quicker to knit than most.

I am truely converted to knitting socks from the toe-up. I just love the smooth, professional finish this technique creates.  As a knitter and sock-wearer, it's just so satisfying...

I finished the socks off with a contrasting pink rib as I 'forgot' (read: was too lazy) to measure my yarn out into two even balls before I started knitting.  (Then you have a ball for each foot and can knit them an even length etc). 

Another joy of knitting from the toe-up! Gone are my days of completing the second sock with an odd coloured toe to the rest of the pair...  On approaching the end of my first sock, I was a little concerned I wouldn't have enough to finish both off with a green rib. 

As it turned out, I have plenty of yarn left over.  Still; I prefer them this way.

Buy the book here

All in a Jest ~ Knitted Socks

I have just finished making these cuties: All in a Jest Knitted Socks, another from my new fave book Knitted Sock Sensations.

To begin, you knit each little triangle individually and just collect them on your right hand needle as you go.  Then once they are all made, just knit across the row to form the fun, clownish cuff.

They look like some form of sea animal whilst still being knitted (perhaps it was the sparkly green yarns I used to make them?) but the result is fantastic!  As you can see from the photo; when the cuff is turned up there is a ribbed section, to keep them tucked up to your ankles.

 

...And ta da!

A nice new fun pair of hand knitted socks for me to show off:

From Knitted Sock Sensations (Louise Butt & Kirstie McLeod)

Going Loopy Socks

I have just completed my first pair of sock from my new book 'Knitted Sock Sensations' (Louise Butt & Kirstie McLeod). There's lots of great patterns in there and I couldn't wait to make a pair of the 'Going Loopy Socks'
Unfortunately I ran out of yarn towards the end of the second sock... I did see it coming but couldn't help but keep on knitting anyways! People won't see the toes when I'm wearing shoes anyway... Right?

The cuff is created using loop stitch, which I found quite time consuming (possibly as it is the first time I have ever used it) but definitely worth the patience as the result is fantastic

Here you can see the basic sock method and how the heel and toe decreases knit up.

Buy the book here:

I'll keep posting up more sock sensations as I knit them; there's so many great patterns in there, I'm not too sure which ones I'm going to start next...