Did you know I knit? True story.
I finished my first pair of conventional socks last night. Years ago, I knit a couple of pairs of the Boston Bulky socks from Socks Socks Socks, which are double knit using chunky yarn. Since then, I have swatched toes and heels many times (for tech editing purposes), I’ve made mini-socks and read extensively to familiarize myself with sock theory… but every time I started a pair of socks, I would think “This is boring. I could be knitting a sweater.”
Earlier this year, I bought two 60 cm, 2.5 mm Addi Turbo needles, with the idea that having the right needles would make all the difference. As usual, Addis were the answer. These were made from the beautiful Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock which Knitty Amy sent me last summer; the colour is Purple Club. I used this toe-up sock pattern, and made up a simple edging when I thought they were long enough. Here’s the edging pattern:
When you get bored of knitting your sock, arbitrarliy decide you’re at the end of a row. Cable cast on 4 sts; you should have these stitches on your left needle, ready to work, with your sock stitches trailing away down the needle after them. (Pardon me if this isn’t my usual pattern writing style; I’ve been tech editing all day and am tired of pattern-writing succinctly and soberly.)
Row 1: Kfb, k3. Turn work; 5 edging sts on left needle, a whole bunch of sock sts on right needle.
Even-Numbered Rows 2-8: Slip first st from left needle to right needle, slip second st on right needle over first st on right needle, slip this st back to left needle, k to end. Turn work.
Row 3: Kfb, k4; 6 edging sts. Turn work.
Row 5: Kfb, k5; 7 edging sts. Turn work.
Row 7: BO 3 sts, k3; 4 edging sts. Turn work.
Repeat ’til you’re done. Ta-da! Prissy little sawtooth edge.
These were fun. I think I will start another pair of socks tonight, Sivia gave me a pattern for a beautiful new (not-yet-published) sock design of hers…
10 Comments
Hrm. I suspect that your gentle readers would be shocked to learn that someone who can knit such pretty things has recently developed a taste for epic heavy metal. The contradictions boggle the modern mind.
awesome socks!!! i finished my socks, too, and i’ll put some pictures on flickr any minute now…
Wow! They turned out great! And now you can say you’ve knit a pair of socks!
Holy Crap, indeed!
Awesome! Next cheque I’m out to get a set of Addi’s just like yours! Then we can knit socks together! and dye yarn, and spin yarn, and raise sheep, and knit more socks! In the future, we’ll be so happy together! You can even bring Zak!
Not only did you do a great job knitting the socks, but you also did well photographing the socks. As much as I love handknit socks, they often look like shapeless fabric sacks when I see photographs of them on blogs. Your socks look like . . . well, socks
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Hey, that’s awesome — I’ve been looking for that kind of pattern for a long time, and then here it is!
Miss you. Hi to Z.
hey mandy, cool socks!! cute feet!! belated congrats for your seventh anniversary. hip hip horray – that’s really great!!
Love the socks — the edging really make them. Kudos on Big Girl Knits, I checked it out the other day and it’s a wonderful book. BTW, made sure to take a look for your name in the credits — silly, but there you are.
Clever you! Now on my list of things to do: pretty socks with prissy cuffs.
Those cuffs are so very cute. It almost makes me want to learn how to knit socks. But no, sweaters first!