Brown Socks on the Needles, Blue in Staging

While waiting for my sock yarn shipment, I started Glynis, the first pair of socks in Cookie's Sock Innovation book, using some lovely dark brown Shi Bui, 100% superwash Merino wool that was a gift from Sydney over a year ago.

Because the yarn was a gift from granddaughter Sydney, I wanted to be sure the socks are going to fit my narrow feet so I'm knitting them on 2.25mm needles. The pattern is loaded with knit three togethers, next to impossible when knitting so tight. I ended up using an alternative right leaning double decrease: knit two together, return to left needle, pass next stitch over the knit two together and off the needle, slip knit two together stitch back to the right hand needle. Much better.

Still, they've been like the cuffs from hell for me. I've frogged and tinked too many times to count. The pattern requires lots of moving stitches between needles. Three different times I pulled on the wrong needle and slid it right out of my knitting. Three times!!! Previous to these socks I have never had that type of accident. Never.

I considered frogging the socks and using the yarn for a different pattern, but stubbornness kept me going. Plus, I was sure I would get in a pattern grove and things would get better. It never happened. I ended up turning off all distractions, talking out loud to myself while knitting each row, and counting stitches after each row.

Glynis is a perfectly fine pattern. I'm sure the problems were mine alone. The fabric is thick and cushy from lots of knit three togethers, knit two togethers, slip, slip, slip knits, and slip, slip knits. The socks are going to be very warm, but ouch, ouch, ouch with the smaller needles.


Once my yarn order arrived, I switched my sock knitting attention to daughter Heather's birthday socks. She requested chocolate brown. This is Opal UNI-Solid in Medium Mocha.

Because I want to know for sure the socks are going to fit, they need to be done by May 9th, and I badly need a nice easy sock experience right now, I'm knitting them in a simple but pretty double eyelet ribbing on 2.5mm needles.

It's like a sock knitting vacation after my Glynis experience.


I plan on knitting more Cookie socks with my new sock yarn.

From left to right:

Opal UNI-Solid Medium Mocha being used for Heather's birthday socks.

Sheldridge Highland Mist for a Cookie pattern. I though this yarn was more gray when I ordered it, but I like it.

Lorna's Laces Almost Solid Denim for a Cookie pattern.

Opal UNI-Solid Periwinkle for a Cookie pattern.

Opal Rainforest Rocky for ???? Just had to have it.

There will be no more tight knitting on 2.25mm needles. I'll attempt to knit the Cookie socks as small as the pattern allows on 2.5mm needles. If they're too loose for my taste, Mom will get them. It's great to have someone in the family with normal size feet.