Birthday socks! Nothing like a frenzied birthday deadline to kick yourself out of a knitting funk! One sock was actually knit in a day, after work and early into the next morning. These are actually my first completed pair of socks!
Funky knee-high birthday socks!
Pattern: I loosely followed Wendy's basic pattern for toe-up sicks, which includes a short row heel and toe. As I started working the short rows, I could not begin to visualize how they were going to morph into a toe...until they magically did. SO COOL.Toe up with short row toes and heels is now my favorite way to knit socks. I used Eunny's great tutorial to help me with the provisional cast on (scroll down to the Invisible Crochet Cast On II).
Yarn: Knit Pick's Felici in Aurora. What a FANTASTIC yarn! It's super soft with great yardage. This pair of knee high socks only took about 1 1/3 balls, though this could partially be attributed to short legs and little feet ;) When wet, the socks stretched like crazy, but quickly shrank back to perfect size after a trip through the dryer. The resulting socks were even more deliciously soft. I'll definitely be using this yarn again.
Needles: Clover Takumi bamboo dpns, size 2.
They were shipped off to my little sister in Santa Barbara later that day, along with a copy of Letters to a Young Poet, one of my favorite books.
After a few crazy days of furious knitting, it felt strange not to have needles and yarn in my hands. I started hunting for something to knit, and found my in-progress thermal stuffed in a dingy plastic bag in the corner of my living room. Could knitting be sneaking back into the picture? We'll just have to see!
Until next time, happy knitting!
these are great - i really love the colors!
Posted by: Katyaflutes | October 18, 2007 at 12:13 PM
Wow, a sock in a day! And kneehighs at that! Good for you. These are rad, I love the colors, and the fact they're knee-high. So cute! I love Wendy's pattern. I think it's neat that there's no gussett, the part with all the increases (or maybe they're decreases, not sure) after the heel. She just goes straight from short row heel to leg...it's a really fast knit. =)
Thanks for turning me on to Letters to a Young Poet, I loved it!
Posted by: Julia | October 18, 2007 at 12:53 PM
Awesome socks, I love the yarn and the colors - very happy socks!
Posted by: April | October 18, 2007 at 01:45 PM
Amazing how knitting (even just being around people who are knitting) can cause a burst of energy, no?
When I went to the Madrona FA Festival last winter, I was totally amped just minutes after walking in the door. :) (Good memories...)
Yay for BDay FOs! Yay for sisters to knit for! Yay for finding good, affordable sock yarn! :)
(Also, they're very nice socks.) ;)
Posted by: Karen | October 18, 2007 at 02:21 PM
Wow, I love those colors SO much more here than I did on the KP site! Must... resist... temptation...
Posted by: Liz | October 18, 2007 at 02:52 PM
Wow those knee highs came out wonderully!! I love the color. I had to go over and add the yarn to my basket because it looks so good!! You are such a nice sister!
Posted by: Nubiancraftster | October 18, 2007 at 08:04 PM
You have to be the greatest gift giver EVER!!! Handknit knee socks AND letters to a young poet! It's a dream gift for me! :)
Posted by: Leah | October 18, 2007 at 09:02 PM
Wow, those are so funky and fun! LOVE the colors!
Posted by: lobstah | October 19, 2007 at 01:10 PM
maaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!
yay 4 posting
those socks look effing awesome, i need to buy some yarn from knitpicks (i almost forgot how cool their yarn is + ees cheep XD)
i'm gonna post soon showing some specs on the sweater i'm designing (way excited, haven't done that before).
is the thermal from magknits? iwannasee.
Posted by: nicole | October 19, 2007 at 10:59 PM
Yeah! Congratulations! Those are some excellent sox. Glad to hear about that yarn...I was just wondering about it the other day.
Posted by: Mel | October 22, 2007 at 08:42 AM
My 14-yo daughter would love these! Good job. Isn't socknitting fun?
BTW,are you on Ravelry?
Posted by: Dani in NC | October 22, 2007 at 08:42 PM
They look fantastic! Congratulations on getting those needles back in your hands!
Posted by: Erin | October 23, 2007 at 03:11 PM
Those are very fun socks--I hope the recipient enjoys them. I'm also using Felici for the first time and I've enjoyed it too. Maybe you'll make some more matched pairs...:-)
Posted by: betzig | October 25, 2007 at 09:02 PM
Love the socks!
Posted by: LisaB | November 04, 2007 at 08:59 AM
what a great pair of first socks. i started a pair of toe up socks and got intimidated and stopped. i think this was the encouragement i needed to pick up the pair of socks again.
thanks!!
Posted by: lynette | December 01, 2007 at 08:50 AM
duuuuuuude, i don't knooooooooow!
Posted by: nicole | January 01, 2008 at 10:31 PM