Sock doubleheader
Blog, I’ve been neglecting you again. I blame freaking Lost – Rob and I are working our way through seasons 1-3, which always trumps internet time. I’m about four projects behind on updates (if you count handspun), so here’s a little two-for-one sock action.
Pattern: Leyburn Socks
Yarn: Lisa Souza Sock!, the wool/nylon blend one
I’m in a bit of a knitting funk these days, and the only thing I can manage to finish is socks. So socks it is! I’ve had this yarn in my stash forever, because I’ve been stumped as to what to make with it. I really believe that slip-stitch patterns are the perfect thing for variegated yarn. I’ve wanted to knit the Leyburn pattern for a while, too (I swatched it in some Koigu last year), and this is the perfect marriage of yarn and pattern!
I followed the pattern very loosely, as I paired the stitch pattern with a Widdershins-esque toe-up heel flap. My heel turn is a bit different from the Widdershins one, though – for some reason Widdershins heel turn is half the depth of a normal top-down heel flap. I also worked a Magic Cast On for the first time, and it was like magic! Much better than dealing with a short-row toe.
I changed around the Leyburn stitch counts, too – the foot is 34 instep stitches and 31 sole stitches, and leg was 64 stitches. I should have increased some stitches around the heel flap (or worked a longer flap), since the floats are a bit stretched out there.
This was the first time that I’ve used Lisa Souza yarns. I love the non-pooling dye job, but the yarn felt very nylony when I was knitting with it. She also sells a 100% merino sock yarn, which my pampered fingers demand, apparently. I also love the generous 4 ounce put up – I have a sizeable ball of yarn leftover.
I wrote this entire post without mentioning the obvious fraternal nature of the socks, which is really a testament to my diminishing anal retentiveness. It’s part of the beauty of handpainted yarns, right?
I’m in the minority here, but I really prefer knitting socks top-down! I hate, hate, hate working the sewn bindoff for toe-up socks, and I hate even more undoing the sewn bindoff because it’s too tight. Knitting socks toe-up also requires a bit more math before you start, since you need to know your heel depth and the number of stitches before the heel turn to figure out how many gusset increases that must be worked. I probably won’t be working any more toe-up socks, unless I’m really, really afraid of running out of yarn.
In keeping with the sock-a-month theme, the socks above were March’s pair, and these are April’s.
Pattern: None – just a 64 stitch top-down stockinette sock with an afterthought heel
Yarn: My handspun! 3 ply (navajo plied) from some Funky Carolina superwash merino in the Missed colorway
Handspun socks! There’s not much to say about these, except that I spun the yarn! I can’t believe that these turned out so well. The handspun was mostly fingering weight (I used a US 1.5 needle and got 8 stitches/inch), but was a bit thicker for the second sock’s cuff. I think that the thick portion was where I started out spinning, and the uber thin portion was toward the end. I can say that spinning worsted weight yarn goes much, much faster than a 3 ply sock yarn!
My first afterthought heel! I chose the afterthought heel so that the stripes wouldn’t be interrupted, and I heart it. Normal short-row heels don’t fit my massive instep very well, so I worked a few even rounds before decreases to give me some extra ease in that area. The instep stitches are still stretched out, so I’ll try more even rounds next time.
The right sock has very short stripes, so I ended up cutting the yarn in a couple of places on the left sock to keep the stripes from getting too out of control. I also knit the first sock on the short side, since I was afraid of running out of yarn, and I extended it an inch after the second sock was complete. I must have missed this lesson in Knitting 101, but if you pick out the cast on edge to frog the top ribbing, you’ll have to pick out every. single. stitch. No frogging from the cast on edge. I ended up snipping a stitch and cutting off the ribbing, knitting an extra inch, and then grafting the sock back together. I can’t even tell where the graft is, so yay!
RSS
Yoo hoo, another top down sock knitter over here!
Gorgeous socks, especially the handspun ones. Wow.
They’re like hot and cold socks – such different colour schemes as you scroll down. Beautiful. I like the slip-stitch pattern very much.
The first socks are great, but those handspun ones? Be still my heart…
What great socks! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the afterthought heel on your handspun socks! I also really like Minty’s Leyburn pattern – it’s definitely on my list!
The handspun socks turned out AWESOME! I can’t believe that yarn is handspun yet striped up so well! Great job! And I immediately went to Ravelry and found the pattern for the Leyburn socks. They turned out great with that yarn.
I LOVE your handspun socks!!! They are gorgeous!!!
Love the socks.
I keep meaning to start watching Lost…
Beautiful. You’re right, slip-stitch patterns really do good things to variegated yarns. And your handspun socks? They are sooo gorgeous. Love the colours, love the striping.
Both socks are great! I really love the handspun ones. Your afterthought heel sounds like a great solution. I’ll have to keep that in mind, and thanks for the tip about making the heel a little roomier.
both pairs of socks are beautiful! and handspun? wow!
I love the handspun socks. Love them!
Awesome socks!! I may have to try the Leyburn pattern now since yours looks so great. :)
I love the socks, and especially the colours on the handspun. I’m with you on top-down. I’ve never met a bind-off I find loose enough that’s not too frilly or fussy.
Gorgeous socks. I love how the colours pop in the Leyburns (must try that pattern) and the handspun socks are a work of art — love those colours and the heel is perfect!
That handspun is effing gorgeous. Gorgeous!! Beautiful socks!
ooh, i’m in love with those handspun socks! i’ve never tried an afterthought heel, it looks fantastic!
Nice mods to the Leyburns! And I think you’re the first person I know who prefers top-down. You’re crazy!
I love your handspun socks, I tried Navajo plying and love doing it! Did the little bumps bother you much when knitting the yarn? The other socks are a great colour too.
Two pairs! Wowza! I love the leyburns – that truly is the perfect yarn for that pattern! The handspun socks are too cute! The colors are beautiful and I love the little stripes. Afterthought heels are much better fitting than short row ones – I totally agree with you there.
Two months of socks! I need to catch up. :)
Those handspun socks are my favorite, ever, anywhere. So lovely!!!
your handspun socks are lovely lovely lovely – I adore them! they are the perfect color and stripes!
and I also GREATLY prefer top-down sock knitting… I think I’ve only done two pairs of toe-up ever and both times it was because I knew I’d run out of yarn.
Gorgeous handspun socks! I’m working on my first pair right now and loving Every.Single.Stitch. It’s such a kick to knit with yarn you made yourself, isn’t it?
The first pair are gorgeous too – must go queue that pattern. Nice job!
Pretty socks. I’ve only knit one pair of socks, so far, and they were top down! LOL!
love! both pairs are just beautiful! the leyburn pattern really is perfect with that yarn; and handspun socks are gorgeous per definition. :D
Wonderful socks! The Leyburns are beautiful, and I ADORE those handspun socks!! The afterthought heel works perfectly, nice job!
Both pairs are amazing. I am particularly impressed with the socks from your handspun. Again, I love it when people knit up fabulousness with their handspun.
I am in the minority too, I am all about the top down knitted sock.
Wow, love, love, love.
Your handspun socks have the most gorgeous colours I’ve ever seen, it is the perfect match! If it was a commercial yarn I would have bought a lifetime worth!
Beautiful! You know, when I saw that handspun originally, in the hank it reads as being dominated by brown with only little spots of the bright blue. The socks knit up with much more blue in them than I expected, and I really like the knitted version more than in the skein. Awesome!
Beautiful Socks! Both pairs! The handspun ones are really a work of art. I’ve been trying to spin my first sock yarn for like 2 months now. I totally takes longer than just worsted weight!
Those are both beautiful!
I love the leyburn socks; fantastic yarn choice!