Miss Socks-A-Lot

That’s right folks, it’s time for my weekly knit-a-long update! You can just call me Miss Socks-A-Lot since that seems to be all that’s on my brain lately. Sure I’ve got a whole slew of projects laying around the apartment on needles, but the cold weather has made me want enough hand-made socks to have cozy toes every day of the week. As you saw in last week’s post, I decided to make socks for Justin as I take part in the knit-a-long being hosted by Sarah at Crafts from the Cwtch. As of Saturday night I’d turned the heel on the first sock.

… and we have a heel!

So of course I continued to knit like a crazy woman and finished the first sock before going to bed on Saturday.

When I woke up on Sunday I decided to start a pair of socks for me, in order to help avoid the dreaded second-sock syndrome (or at least that’s what I’m telling myself to keep from feeling guilty :)) Last week when I was at one of my favorite yarn shops, The Yarn Seller, where I was lucky enough to find a crazy zauberball to finish Friday’s featured shawl, I decided to pick up a pair of Addi Turbo knitting needles. As I mentioned last week, trying to knit toe-up on the double pointed needles was more than a pain, so I thought this was my perfect opportunity to try out some needles I’ve always wanted and give the magic loop technique a try.

For those who have only dreamed of the addi turbos like myself, let me tell you, these were magical! Other than my hand getting a little sore (I’ve pretty much knit only on bamboo needles for at least the last 5 years) these were incredible! I’m not sure if it was the needles or magic loop or some combination of the two, but these are the fastest socks I’ve ever made! I cast on in the morning and before bed had turned the heel! I still kind of can’t believe it. But here it is folks, my first magic loop sock.

The funky toe (increases only on one side)

The yarn goes so well with my purple leggings!

Thanks for stopping by to check out my work, and be sure to click on the picture at the top to see how Sarah and the rest of the KAL crew are coming on their socks.

Happy Knitting!

Knit-A-Long frenzy

My how the time certainly does fly.  It’s hard to imagine that we’re almost finished with January, 2013 already!  I feel like I blinked last summer and woke up 6 months later.

Since my announcement back in October that I wanted to have this blog take a turn for the crafty, I’ve been doing lots of knitting. And then I knit some more. 🙂

Through the smart-phone social networking wonder that is Instagram I have come across the most wonderful group of folks who love to knit, crochet, and spin even more than I do! Hard to imagine, I know. I’ve been so inspired by all the wonderful projects and colors, it was just what I needed to get my behind in gear! {now I just need to make my blog schedule and stick to it!} As part of this community I’ve been able to join a few Knit-A-Long projects, or KAL’s as they’re called in the knitting world.

The most recent is hosted by Sarah, the clever mind behind Crafts from the Cwtch. This project is called the “Next Step Sock” knit a long (or #NSSkal for all of you instagram junkies like myself), the idea being that everyone has either knitted, or wants to knit socks. Rather than everyone knitting the same pattern, as is the usual format for a KAL, everyone is knitting socks that challenge their current level. Some people are making their first ever socks in basic pattern to learn new techniques like gussets and turning heels, some people are making the most beautifully intricate color-work socks, and everything in between.

Because I’m taking 7 credits this semester and working full time (I’m crazy, I know), I decided to do a basic sock with a twist. I’ve made several pair of socks before, all in the standard top-down construction with little to no flair, besides the awesome color changes that happen in variegated sock yarn, so Socks on a Plane was the perfect pattern for me. It uses a toe-up construction and has a simple cable up the side. Just enough to learn something new and yet not be overwhelming. Justin has been working in one of the schools as a paraprofessional, so these are going to be his ‘congrats on the new gig’ socks. Here’s my progress so far: (sorry the cable is hard to see, I’m still trying to figure out how best to photograph dark yarn)

For those of you out there interested in joining in on the fun, do it! You’ll be glad you did (and if you live somewhere cold your toes will thank you)! You can join our Ravelry group for lots of tips and pointers, and if you’re on Instagram be sure to tag your photos #NSSkal.

Happy Knitting! 🙂