May 24 2007
Socks in the Summer
My Canyon Hiking Socks are practically knitting themselves – the joy of worsted weight socks! The pattern, from Greetings from Knit Café, actually calls for a light worsted yarn (Rowan Wool Cotton in the book) on size 4 needles. I opted for a slightly heavier yarn, and went up to a size 6 needle. I wanted to accomodate my “shapely” calves, while also working in enough negative ease for the socks to stay up at my knees.
The yarn is the ubiquitous Wool Ease, in Dark Heather Rose. It really is a lovely colorway. I am using a recycled thrift store yarn for the contrasting stripe/heel/toe, visible in some of the pictures above, but best seen here. I like the burgundy on pink look. The yarn has been in my stash for a very long time – nearly four years – since I first started knitting. It will be good to have it cleared out. The socks are so quick and so cute, that I am thinking they would be a good remedy for the other worsted weight remainders in my stash too!
By the time these are finished and off the needles, however, it will be too humid and hot to actually wear them hiking. They may have to wait until fall for a true debut.
Summer is a good time to knit socks – fairly quick and transportable knits for the beach, road trips, the like – but I rarely wear socks during the season. Maybe I am just stocking up for the coming fall and winter! I am participating in Jessica’s 2nd Summer of Socks this year (it is a lovely way to revv up for Socktoberfest too!) Will you be joining the fun?
I have some lovely socks planned for next month’s Project Spectrum color triad: black, red, and metallics. Here are the glorious stockings I am excited to cast on for…
The Over-the-Knee Stockings from Vogue Knitting, Fall 2006 issue. I’ve got the Cascade Fixation, I just need to decide on the embroidery colors… I love what Robin did with her version of the stockings!










The embroidered stockings are truly glorious!!
Hmm…gotta start planning for my next project spectrum knits too!
Love the colour of the new socks.
I really like what Robin did with her stockings. Those look fantastic.
Wow, the embroidery part is going to be a blast, and you have so many options! I just don’t know if I could make it through the looooong black sock.
I think socks are the perfect warm weather knitting. Of course, I think they’re the perfect ANY weather knitting. And yes, Summer of Socks here I come.
ooh my they’re awesome!
those will be some kind of socks!!!!!! I pretty much abandon wearing socks as soon as it hits about 60 degrees. I love knitting them during the summer though – who wants a big wool sweater on their lap?
Those embroidered socks are nifty!
so you are using regular worsted weight yarn on size 6 needles? if so, I must make some of these! what a great way to use up some stash.
What else is in that book? I am trying to decide whether to buy it. Love the Canyon Hiking socks. I, too, have a bunch of Wool Ease in my stash that would love to bust out.
The first socks I ever knit were in Wool-Ease worsted! They last a really long time, those socks.
And oh, I am in love with the VK socks. They are spectacular.
You just reminded me what I need to do for Project Spectrum AND Summer of Socks all in one go! I still have my Kitri Socks Kit! OOh! Beads!
Lolly, I adore the socks you have picked out for Project Spectrum june/July! So cute!!
i feel as though the canyon hiking socks are sending me a sign – i keep seeing them and love them, and now to see you using regular worsted weight? it’s the last straw.
Those hiking socks are beautiful! Any color you choose to embroider in will be fabulous!
Those embroidered socks are breathtaking! I can’t wait to see how your version knits up!
I’m Summer-of-Sock-ing too!
OMG!!! OMG!!! I loved those socks. I can’t wait to see your socks. They are on my “must make someday” list.
Beautiful stockings. I might need to get that Knit Cafe book from the library. I have admired your knees highs for so long. The idea of nice, think, knee high socks is so appealing. Well, not quite now, but by next fall!
P.S. have fun at Damien Rice tomorrow! G and I sold our tickets to get ready for company coming to town, packing and getting ready to move. You’ll have such a good time!
I knit a pair of DK socks earlier this year in a purple colorway, and it took me the whole weekend to finish them, but they seemed to go a lot quicker than the sock yarn weight. Yours look great so far, and I am sure that if you knit lots of socks through the warmer months, then you will be able to knit sweaters and larger items through the winter months, and wear your toasty socks at the same time.
Great idea for all that wool-ease, socks! I love the pattern from vogueknitting, the embroidered socks, even though I’m not a sock, knitter, I want to knit those!
Oh, my! I’d love to knit those Vogue socks. How stunning. Perhaps we can knit them together??
Those Vogue socks will be amazing! I can’t wait to see what color scheme you choose Lolly!
I am very excited about summer of socks knitting. I am curous to see what sort of magical stitching goodness you come up with for those socks. Oh, the possibilities!
Those stockings are so cool!
Those stocking are on my someday list! That was a great issue of Vogue.
damn those embroidered socks are incredible; what colors are you considering? i did the summer of socks last year but this summer is the summer of other stuff for me
(shawl, tube tobe, sweater)
Ahh wool-ease, that was one of the first yarns I bought when I learned to knit (and I didn’t realize I was supposed to match dyelots at the time, so none of the skeins match :-/)
I love the embroidered stockings. They’re going to be fantastic!
oooh, love the stockings. very sleek.
and i was just admiring the ethiopian you and your sis had. mmmm.
These are going to be some lovely socks! I really like the colour combination. But everyting seems to be right about these socks: using up stash, thrift store yarn.. They simply have to work well in the end. I am also looking forward to seeing your other ambitious stockings project. I would be so scared by the embroidery part. Wow..
I saw a couple of worsted weight sock patterns lately (I think one is in the IK favorite sock patterns book) and I’ve been thinking about trying some. It might be a good way to give people the gift of socks w/o the time commitment (and for me that’s a big plus).
Yes, I do love the detail stitching on the top cuff. It’s so chic!
I simply adore the Lush Hoodie from Greetings From Knit Cafe book. That is on my to do list, one of these days.
The Wool Ease yarn is looking pretty nice knitted up in this color!
What incredible socks! Can’t wait to see yours!
those are gonna be fab! i can’t wait to see the pics!
HOW did I ever miss those embroidered stockings???? They’re brilliant. Mind if I copy you again? Gotta find a copy of the pattern, although a pattern could be winged, don’t you think? Are there any suggestions in the pattern as to the best way to embroider on to the knitted fabric?