Oct 10 2006
Clear from Here
The Hiking Sock actually fits to the knee! Of course, this brings me a great sense of accomplishment because I had to do some knitty math for my "shapely" calves. And it worked!
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I am using Wool Ease worsted weight yarn, and a contrasting stripe of "Burgundy Heather" superwash wool yarn (circa 1970) that I picked up at a thrift shop in Alabama last winter. The texture and gauge seem to be working very well on the US size 5 needles too. I folded the cuff down, as it was modeled in the book, Greetings from Knit Café, but it looks pretty cool stretched up over the knee as well. These are going to be so warm and comfy!
I have made about 4 more inches of progress from this point, and am closing in on the ankle!
At first, I was unsure of making socks in WoolEase. This yarn was purchased about 2.5 years ago in my early knitting days – when I was craft store shopper rather than yarn store shopper. I have learned more about the quality of yarns, however, I feel that WoolEase is a good yarn overall, it just depends on what you use it for. I am planning to reinforce the heel and the toe with a nylon thread reinforcement, sold at my local yarn shop. I will most likely knit the heel and the toe in the contrasting burgundy colorway, which is 100% wool, and hopefully more durable for those "heavy wear" areas. Plus, it will be another chance to work with the yarn, and do some stashbusting at the same time! 
…Speaking of stashbusting…
Wanna know the dirty details?
Click on picture (to my Flickr page), then mouse over the yarn to see more details about each skein.
As you can see, I have some lovely yarns in the stash just waiting for the cast-on day. I often feel more adventurous with my socks than I do any other knitting, and it is easier to talk me into a bright neon sock yarn than a similarly-colored sweater yarn. That is the real beauty of socks though – they are about adventure! You can wear a modest, conservative outfit, yet still be a rebel with your socks!
To you, it may not look like my sock yarn stash is lacking… (and I know, it really is not) but I would like to add some more solid or lightly variegated skeins to the mix. They are so pretty in lace and cable patterns, that it seems that these kind of designs are catching my eye more and more since I started the lace panel on my Lace (Not So) Knee High. For a long time, I thought I was lace-inept, but with a little patience and diligence, I was able to get through the chart of sock one without any problem. I think I can take on another one now! (Of couse, after I finish the ones currently on my needles!)
Some Socktoberists have flashed their sock yarn stash on the Socktoberfest Flickr group, and I am curious what other stashes are out there. Even more so, I am interested in hearing more about the stories of your sock yarn stash:
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Do you have certain patterns planned for some of the yarns? Do you buy yarn and then choose a pattern?
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Does a certain sock yarn you have in your stash take you back to a certain event? (where you were when you bought/received it? what was going on in your life at the time!)
Every stash tells a story!
I made knee socks in Wool-Ease a few years ago and they are holding up very well. I used size 3 needles to make them a snug fabric. Yours look GREAT!! Is that pattern in the book you mentioned?
Those kneehighs will be wonderful! I’ve heard Woolese blows out rather quickly but your “solutions” seem like they will combat the woolese weaknesses! Maybe you could even make the heels n toes a bit larger and felt them so the resultant sock would be washable and have REALLY durable “stress points”?
It’s time to use some of that Marathon Lolly!
My sock yarn stash is truly ENORMOUS! It’s my guilty pleasure! It would be a henious display of conspicuous consumerism to show it off but every single skein gives me so much pleasure, I can’t help it! (altho if you came to visit I’d give you a tour Lolly!) It’s the only yarn in my stash I buy because “it’s pretty” and most are not earmarked for specific projects.
When I’m contimplating my next sock project I usually get a picture in my head of what yarn calls out for what pattern…I can totally visualize what the sock will look like and I’m usually very pleased when I turn therory into actuality.
I’ve never been lucky enough to be close enough to an LYS to make a detour while traveling but I love your “sock yarn mementos”…it’s a lovely way to remember a good time!
your knee socks are looking great — and they’re knitting up fast too!
i made a couple pairs of house socks out of wool ease and have been VERY happy with how well they have worn. house socks tend to get pilled and wear quicker because of the old hardwood floors, but these look good even after 2 years of wear.
as for the heel and toe, have you considered an afterthought heel? you knit the heel after the you’ve knit the foot. i wrote about it a while back here http://www.savannahchik.com/2005/07/afterthought_heel.htm. the nice thing about it is you can go back and reknit the heel pretty easily (especially if you use contrasting yarn).
also, i’m curious to see if anyone mentions the durability of 100% wool versus wool ease. i don’t know enough to say for sure, but i’m curious if the manmade fiber content of wool ease would make it more durable. i know nylon can do it, but i’m not sure about acrylic.
My yarn stash is very very healthy! I’m hovering around the 100 pair mark. I haven’t taken any photos of it since the Flash Your Stash in April so maybe I’ll do that this weekend.
I’m a bit compulsive/nerdy so I do have patterns picked out for every single skein of sock yarn I own. I’ll post a peek of it on my blog soon:)
I highly recommend Sunshine Yarns (sunshineyarns.etsy.com) and Lorna’s Laces Nearly Solids for mostly solid sock yarns.
I have a rather generous sock yarn stash. I rarely buy sock yarn with a pattern in mind. I buy it for the colors and a lot of the time I just do a plain old stockinette just to show off the yarns (I love handpaints!). Sometimes, I do have an idea of what I want to do with the yarn, like there is a particular sock yarn I want to try entrelac with, but most of the time I just buy for the fun of it.
I love sock yarn. Love it. I had to start using a second Rubbermaid container to hold it so that should tell you how big it is. I can resist buying yarns I don’t need most of them time, except for sock yarn. I have no will power when I see it, it seems. I almost never have a pattern in mind when I buy it.
Your knee socks are coming right along. They look great! I haven’t tried socks with Woolease yet so I don’t know how well it wears. I imagine it depends on how tightly you knit it though.
Cool knee-highs! I’m planning to knit myself a pair, soon (the li’l legs were cold out this morning!)
Against my better judgement, I’ll be posting shots of my sock yarn stash on Flickr (if I can figure it out) and on my blog – I’m a mite bit abashed, seeing it all in one spot…
ohhhh I loooooooove your knee socks. The contrasting toe and heel are going to be fabulous!!
Fabulous stash as well
If my stash had a story to tell, it would be one of drunken excess! (just kidding….)
I like the kicky colors of your knee highs, they can totally work with many types of outfits. I totally agree with the being a rebel with your socks concept. I remember being at work and hearing some coworkers talk about the type of socks to wear with a particular pant color, and I was like
“huh? You mean my birhgt red socks with monkeys cart-wheeling around the cuff are supposed to MATCH my pants?”
I made a pair of wool-ease socks for my aunt two years ago now,she says they are the best socks ever! I have a few balls hanging around I should get a pair going for myself.You knee highs look great
Lolly,
I love your knee highs!! They look wonderful!!
I have some woolease that I have been wanting to knit into “wear around the house socks” for hubby cuz he has large (long, skinny) feet, and was unsure of what size needles to use for a nice fabric. Your fabric looks very nice and you have inspired me to try it out! Thanks for the Socktoberfest fun, I’m having a blast!
I don’t really have much of a sock yarn stash as I have been knitting it up pretty quick, but I do have the Palettes collection from Knit Picks that I save for very cable-y, or lacey socks to show off the pattern instead of the yarn. Only thing is it HAS to be hand washed…ugh!
Okay I’ve babbled on long enough… keep up the wonderful work, I’m loving every minute of this!
great knee highs. i’m loving the whole 70′s stripe with 70′s yarn thing going on!
Wow! Those knee highs are gonna be awesome! I really love your color choices with that pattern!!
Love love the knee highs! They are adorable!
As compared to some others, my sock stash isn’t as big as it used to be. I’ve given away some as presents. But, I mostly just buy sock yarn because I love how it feels or the colors. I am def way more adventurous with color with the sock yarn. I also choose the pattern after I get the yarn, unless there is a pattern that is screaming to knit me. What I love about socks is that you can totally experiment with any pattern. The possibilities are limitless. And, you never can get bored.
your knee-highs are an inspiration to all of us with “shapely calves”! they are turning out great! can’t wait to see ‘em all done!
The knee highs are sure coming along nicely. They will nice and warm!
I have a pretty healthy sock yarn stash as I used to be in theknitter.com’s sock club but never knit the socks! Now I have stash and use it as I see fit. I’m also a spinner so there’s more sock yarn every few days…
I’ve blogged today about my Socktoberfest handspun socks if anyone would like to stop by!
I have exactly 3 pairs of socks worth of stash yarn.
Sad, no? Clearly I need to hold up a bank and spend the profits on sock yarn.
Those knee highs are coming together nicely. I think one of the first pairs of socks I ever knit was with WoolEase and they actually did turn out very nice.
Loving the knee-highs so far! I love that color!
I have some wool-ease in my stash too. I’m using it for an afghan project that has taken me forever. Probably because I’m knitting it with wool-ease and not some fabulous yarn that feels great and looks great. oh well. I do think it’s one of the better craft store yarns out there, though.
hmmm. a challenge to “flash my stash.” always up for that!
Your socks look spiffy!
I’m working on a pair of knee highs that I designed myself right now. I have shapely calves too–I fence, it’s a very calf-intensive sport–and came up with what I think is the most “anatomically appropriate” way to deal with calf shaping–increasing (or decreasing, depending on your direction) gradually but all over the sock rather than in the back. I could do a mini-tutorial if you like.
I really don’t have much of a dedicated-two-skeins-matching sock stash at the moment – I’ve used it up/am using it all. But I do have a lot of Baby Ull in bright colors that I’m thinking of turning into socks for me! and I may have to rifle through and see what else could become socks.
I have patterns in my mind and I go to my LYS and come home with more *lol*
Yarn is something I chooze both with planning and a lot on impulse when meeting the yarn in the shop… some are just screaming ‘take me, take ME!’… so they follow me home:)
Love the groovin’ pink knee socks! Finally got around to answering your Socktoberfest questions on my own blog, too.
Best,
Dez
I do remember certain excursions when I knit with the yarn bought at the time, just as certain garments take me back to the time or place where they were knit, especially if it was a particularly happy time, like a vacation or an outing with friends. It’s like you get to experience the joy over and over again!
I love those knee-highs! they look so comfy!!! I think I might have to sneak in your house in the dead of night and have them for myself! better yet, do you have a replicating machine on hand? lol
awesome job, and I can’t wait to see the finished product!
Happy socktoberfest!!!
I’m impressed with your pretty stashbusting contents, Lolly. And I agree that every yarn has its place. The hiking socks will lovely and warm. =)
Ooo yeah… got the sock yarn stash thing going. However, in my own defense I will state that nearly every skein has a pattern attached to it. Nearly. Just about. Almost. All but one or two. But that’s it!
Good job on the hiking socks, Lolly. As soon as I get a decent amount of my (one) sock done, I’ll post something about it.
I like how your knee highs are turning out! You have inspired me to flash my sock stash….I must admit, I am a little scared to do so!
I love the knee-highs! I agree that Wool-ease, though not the quality of other yarns, has it’s uses. They look great.
Here are my answers to Lolly’s Socktoberfest questions. Check out my blog for pictures.
Do you have certain patterns planned for some of the yarns? Do you buy yarn and then choose a pattern?
I totally buy yarn and then plan patterns. Now that I think about it, except for the times I see a pattern and then search for the perfect yarn for it. When a new sock comes along in the Six Sock Knitalong I first check my stash but then I usually buy a new yarn. If I am in a yarn store I always check out the sock yarn, usually see something to buy and then go looking for patterns. So I guess the answer is yes to both questions.
Does a certain sock yarn you have in your stash take you back to a certain event? (where you were when you bought/received it? what was going on in your life at the time!)
Most sock yarn I buy to use right away. Sometimes something is on sale and I buy it because it is a good buy. Not too often, I am on vacation or in another town, visit a LYS and see something that appeals to me. Usually, this yarn stays in my stash, forever waiting for a perfect pattern and it always makes me remember the place where I got it. Some yarn I receive in exchanges. I always think of the generosity and thoughtfulness of my swap pal when I use this yarn.
I love those colors together! Very cool!
my answers to this question and a quick flash of the sock stash
I really love the questions you’re posting – making me think about my knitting and my stash! Things I dont’ do often enough!!!!!
I have a pair of socks made with Woolease in that same color, and I love them. Ive been able to start wearing them more now that cold weather is here. They are very comfy and warm. And well for my stash, dismal pictures on my blog, but I hard at work at enhancing!!!
WOW!!! That is a sock stash!!! Although, Stephanie – the Yarn Harlot – says in her book that sock yarn doesn’t count as stash…
So let’s buy sock yarn guilt free!!! LOL
PS: I love your blog more and more everytime I read it!
Isabelle aka Tricotine
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OOPS! I forgot to say that I love your Hiking sock! I have never tried to knit knee high socks yet… I am so admirative of your shaping!
Isabelle aka Tricotine
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I’ve been trying to tell you that I put up my stash photos on my blog this morning and answered your questions – but my stoopid DirecWay internet took a big stinky poop….anyway, pictures and answers are up ;o)
Hi there Lolly…I am having fun with Socktoberfest even though I am not meeting my goals even a little bit. I will be putting a post up tonight with my stash and stories! Thanks!