Monkeys Done, Anne's Steps Started

These 64 stitch socks would never have fit my narrow feet using my old 2.5mm Addi Turbos.

The Options 2.25mm needles are opening all kinds of new pattern possibilities for me. And I love the points on them.


Pattern: Monkey Socks by Cookie A. in Winter 2006 Knitty

Yarn: Opal sock yarn, 75% wool, 25% nylon

Color: UNI-Solid Green (#40)

Needles: Options 2.25mm 24" circulars

Gauge: 8.5 stitches/inch, 11 rows/inch in stockinette

I had forgotten how soft this yarn feels. It's a very pleasurable knit so I'm trying to enjoy the process and not hurry.

At the same time, I'm trying to hurry because I need to get these socks in the mail soon if they're going to make Idaho by the 10th, Anne's birthday.


Pattern: Basic sock with k3,p1 ribbing on cuff and instep

Yarn: Austermann Step with Aloe Vera and Jojoba Oil

Color: Gray, purple, and tan

Needles: Options 2.5mm 24" circulars

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch

Socks: Done, On The Needles, and Future

While I impatiently wait for my special order purple Cascade 220 for the She Said Aran to arrive, I'm sock knitting.

Done. Daughter-in-law Anne's Birthday Socks.

Pattern: Basic sock with wide ribbing on cuff and instep

Yarn: Stahl Fortissima Colori, Socka Color. 75% superwash wool, 25% polymid.

Color: 07

Needles: Options 2.5mm

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch


On the needles.

I needed some green socks. Being one of the few online sock knitters who has never knit a pair of Monkey Socks, I decided to give the pattern a try and see why it's so popular.

Monkey socks are pretty, stretchy, and much easier to knit than they appear. It didn't take long to memorize the pattern.

The yarn is Opal UNI-Solid fingering weight.


Future.

I was instructed to open my birthday present from Idaho immediately. The whole family went to the yarn store and each member picked out some yarn for Grandma B (me).

Son John selected the Sassy Stripes on the left and hopes it will become his birthday socks. It will! And I'm so happy to know he'll like the colors in his socks when they're done.

Daughter-in-Law Anne selected the Austermann Step in the hopes I would use it for her birthday socks. When I explained her socks were done, she said I could use it for myself.

Am I going to do that? No. I'm going to quickly knit her a second pair of socks before I mail her birthday package next week. Don't tell the rest of the family that Anne is getting two pair of birthday socks.

Granddaughter Sydney selected the brown Shi Bui superwash Merino. For me. I've never knit with the Shi Bui and am looking forward to giving it a try. It feels oh so soft.

Gail's Socks and Greaser Dog

There isn't much to be said about these socks except that they're done.

They will be given to dog trainer Gail at the doggy school Christmas party. She's looking forward to getting another pair of hand knit socks to add to her collection.


Pattern: Basic socks on 64 stitches with k1p1 cuff and k7p1 leg.

Yarn: ON-line Supersocke, 75% wool 25% polyamide, fingering weight.

Color: Afrika, 992

Needles: 2.50mm circulars

Gauge: 8 stitches/10 rows per inch

Last Sunday Pappy started holding his head funny and acting like his ear hurt - because his ear hurt. Poor boy.

First thing Monday he was in the vets office getting diagnosed with a yeast infection in his inner and outer ear. The cure? Ten days of oily ear drops.

His beautiful fur is getting greasier and greasier. The yeast has a tendency to reoccur, so he needs the drops twice a week for a month after his ear heals.

Then, to make sure he never looks fluffy and beautiful again, the vet said I should give him a couple doses after every visit to the groomer.

If he just gets better, I'll happily grease him up. Tomorrow it will be a week since he started treatment. His ear still hurts enough so that sometimes he cries out in pain even when I give him pain medication.

I think we're going to end up at the vet's office again.

Autumn Song Socks Done

I love my new red socks.

Now I need to get the Autumn Song sweater done to go with them.


Pattern: Stitch pattern B from Herbstlied (Autumn Song) in New Style of Heirloom Knitting.

Yarn: Araucania Ranco fingering weight yarn, 75% wool 25% polyamide, hand dyed in Chile.

Color: Deep, warm rusty red. In the sunlight it looks like a carnelian stone.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars

Gauge: 8 stitches/10 rows per inch

You may remember that while I was in Idaho Linda forced me to accompany her to a Coeur d'Alene yarn store. It's not polite to visit a yarn store without buying something, so I picked out several skeins of sock yarn for holiday knitting.

DIL Anne requested dark blue/navy birthday (January 10) socks, so that's her yarn on the left.

Doggy school teacher Gail requested "multicolored socks that will go with a lot of things". She's been wearing browns lately, so that's her yarn on the right.

Both ladies are simple stitch pattern types. Gail even asked for "socks like these", and showed me the ribbed socks I made her two years ago. So I'm settling in for some rather boring sock knitting for two very special women.

Electric Slides Finished, Acorn Progress

I enjoyed everything about knitting these socks.

The 2.25 mm Harmony needles were a pleasure. The resulting socks fit and the fabric is nice and firm, but not too stiff.

Opal yarn is my all time favorite. The Neon colors are attractive and the color bursts are short enough so I didn't get unattractive pooling.

The pattern was interesting but not mind boggling. It's my very favorite type of sock stitch pattern - something pretty with a ribbing base. (Sorry to mention that since the pattern is not available right now.)

Pattern: Electric Slide by Megan Humphrey.

This pattern is not available for distribution yet. I'll be sure and blog about it when the pattern is ready for everyone.

Yarn: Opal

Color: Neon 1931

Needles: Knitpicks Harmony 2.25 mm


If this is the sweater back, then this picture is the sweater front.

The front and back are identical and six oak leaves in length. I'm at the beginning of oak leaf five on both pieces.

Now the pattern gets very confusing (at least to me). The neck decreases are graphed in chart pieces that are supposed to replace pieces of the main chart. It's desk, highlighter, scissors, and tape time before I continue knitting.


Pattern: Herbstlied (Autumn Song) from New Style of Heirloom Knitting.

Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, 100% wool.

Color: Firecracker heather

Needles: Options #5.

Gauge: 5.5 stitches/inch, 8.4 rows/inch in pattern

Click on the label Herbstlied at the end of this post to see all posts on this blog mentioning Herbstlied.

Tentative plans are to knit the front and back to the point where they start to funnel up the neckline with the saddles, knit the sleeves to the same point, join the sleeves and finish off the neckline in the round.

As written, the pattern has 8 oak leaves up one sleeve. I think eight will make the sleeves too long for me. I'll block the front and back, carefully measure row gauge, and recalculate the sleeves before casting on.

If anyone reads Japanese and knows how the pattern intends the neck to be knit, I'm curious to know. But I'd probably do it my way even if I could read the pattern notes.

Happy Birthday Bob

Today is the 25th time DH Bob has turned 39!

His birthday is 10-2, mine is 1-20. Same digits, same heart, just arranged a little differently.

Happy birthday with lots of love and a pair of socks!


The color was his request - autumn colors with lots of yellow and/or orange. I'm not sure he really wanted this much yellow, but he did ask for it.

Bob likes heavy socks, so I used Bretton, a DK weight 70% superwash wool/25% nylon/5% alpaca yarn knit along with a strand of Opal in autumn colors.

I love the Bretton yarn and was surprised not to find it in the Ravelry database. Did I miss it somehow?


Pattern: Basic sock, p1, k3 ribbing on 48 stitches.

Yarn: Patternworks Bretton in gold along with Opal Herbstmelodie, a handpainted Opal.

Needles: #5 Addi Turbos.

Gauge: 5 stitches/inch.

I Love Gansey Socks Done

The sock on the right is turned on the sock blocker to show the hearts running down the back and onto the heel.

An identical but longer row of hearts runs down the instep all the way to the start of the toe shaping.


Pattern: I Love Gansey Sock designed by Janine LeCras for the Six Sock Knitalong

Yarn: Opal sock yarn, 75% wool, 25% nylon

Color: UNI-Solid red

Needles: Addi Turbo #1, but with all the two stitch cable crossings in this sock I wish I had some sharp pointed Options needles.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette

Raupe Socks Done - SAM4 for August

August sock for the Sock A Month KAL 4 is done. Click socks to embiggen picture.

Pattern: Plain wide ribbing, k7, p1, on 56 stitches to fit my narrow ankles and feet.

I tried several stitch patterns and frogged them. None of them were pretty with this colorway. It begs to be by itself and show its caterpillar colors.

Yarn: Opal sock yarn, 75% wool, 25% nylon



Color: Rainforest II, Raupe.

Raupe is German for caterpillar. I found this picture showing the caterpillar that almost perfectly matches the socks.

Needles: Addi Turbo #1

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch.

Thanks to helpful and knowledgeable readers Mireille and Kristin , I know that this raupe turns into an Old World Swallowtail
(Papilio machaon), found in Europe and Asia.

It is closely related to the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) common in the Eastern United States including SW Michigan where I live.

I shot this Eastern Tiger Swallowtail in May when it visited my azaleas.

Emerald City Socks Done

I'm having fun reviewing my sock yarn stash to decide what to knit for the August Sock A Month KAL 4.

Meanwhile, I needed to get the Emerald City socks done and off the needles.


Pattern: 60 stitch cuff using stitch pattern 107 from Japanese Knitting Pattern Book 250.

Yarn: Lisa Souza Sock! 75% superwash wool, 25% nylon

Color: Emerald City

Needles: Addi Turbo #1

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette

Here's a close up of the stitch pattern.

It's interesting and I like it, but it isn't going become one of my favorites.



Once my socks were done, I used up most of the left over Emerald City yarn with some dark green Bretton to make a pair of small kid socks for CIC.


Pattern: Winging Worsted Weight Socks on 32 stitches.

Yarn: Green Patternworks Bretton with left over Emerald City yarn.

Needles: #5 Addi Turbo circulars

Gauge: 5 stitches/inch 7 rows/inch

Royal Rainbow Socks Done

Pattern: Royal Rainbow by Megan Humprey. A seven stitch gansey type zigzag. To my knowledge this sock pattern is not available for distribution.

Yarn: Opal sock yarn, 75% wool, 25% nylon

Color: Feeling 1705.

Needles: Addi Turbo #1

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch

Click on picture for closer look.

In the original pattern the eighth stitch purl dip was a knit stitch. As is my habit, I turned it into a purl stitch so the socks have a wide ribbing and snugger fit.

Also, I used 56 stitches instead of 64 to better fit my narrow feet.

I felt like something easy this weekend, so finished these socks. I think they're the brightest socks I've ever knit. I like them.

If only I wore yellow. There isn't a single yellow garment in my closet except these socks. Are socks considered garments?

Skittle Socks Done

Pattern: Stitch Pattern on cuff from Lacy Scallops Socks by Sockbug.

Variations from pattern: A garter stitch top instead of picot cast on and a purl dip in place of the knit in the twelfth stitch.

Closeup picture of stitch pattern is here.

Yarn: Opal sock yarn, 75% wool, 25% nylon

Color: Rainbow, available at Fun Knits.

Opal calls this color Rainbow, but we all know these are not rainbow colors. They're Skittle colors. I'm calling these the Skittle socks.

These are the first socks I've ever knit to not match. On purpose. Don't they look happy to be different but still an obvious pair?

Socks, Sky, and Robin Nest

Pattern: Basic top down sock on 60 stitches with stitch pattern in cuff.

Close up picture of stitch pattern and knitting instructions for stitch pattern are here.

Yarn: Opal sock yarn, 75% wool, 25% nylon

Color: Elemente 1075

Needles: Addi Turbo #1

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch

Inspiration: I wanted a horizontal lace pattern because of the stripes in the yarn. After looking through my folder of potential sock cuff stitch patterns, I picked this one. It makes for a tight sock - hard to pull on, but the fit is great after the struggle is over.


The sky is blue and sunny today. SW Michigan is expecting a high temp in the 70s F/20s C and loving the thought of it.

I'd love it more if I didn't have so much outdoor work to do, but that's the price of having a five acre yard. Even though most of it is "natural", there are still areas around the house where we try to keep nature under control and nature fights back.

By next week all the trees, including these oaks, should have leaves.


One advantage to not having leaves on the trees yet, is being able to see the early nests being built.

This robin worked on this nest all day. No eggs yet. She's just trying it out to see how it fits.


For those who don't have robins (anybody?), they're a medium size bird. The male and female look alike.

In Michigan, they're common and a much anticipated and talked about sign of spring, arriving around the middle of March.

Gail's Socks Done and A Touch of Spring

Pattern: Rainbow Ripple by Linda Dziubala

Yarn: Opal sock yarn, 75% wool, 25% nylon

Color: Petticoat 1291

Needles: Addi Turbo #1

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch

Inspiration: These are birthday present socks for dog trainer Gail and they were knit to please. She gets them tomorrow evening.

The pattern was modified to have plain wide ribbing in the ankle and down the instep. Gail likes to wear an ankle bracelet which I hope will fall in the smooth ribbing part of the sock instead of the bumpier lace upper cuff.


Michigan daffodils are stubborn and tough, but I was amazed to see that they have been growing under the thick covering of ice and snow.

Yesterday it hit 70 F/21 C, resulting in much thawing. I heard the radio weatherman call our warm March day "bizarre" weather for SW Michigan. Well, we've had nothing but bizarre weather lately. We were overdue for some good bizarre.

It's cooler today - 59 F/15 C, but still very pleasant.

There is snow in the five day forecast starting tonight, but we won't talk about that. It's only a temporary setback. Spring is here!


The male bluebird has been seen sitting on the nest box, but only when I have three dogs with me to make picture taking a challenge.

Therefore, this is not the best picture. It was taken from across the field and is a bit fuzzy. Still, there is no mistaking this bird for anything but a male bluebird getting in the mood to start a family.