Runs With Needles

My third pair of socks is finished!



What: My third pair of socks!
Yarn: Crazy Monkey yarn: less than ½ skein of each color.
Needles: 2
Pattern: Basic cuff down in stockinette stitch. 58 stitches, with heel on 29.
Lesson Learned: See below
Destination: Already in my sock drawer, waiting for fall

I’m going to knit socks with this pattern until I zero in on the perfect sock pattern for me. I’m making little tweaks with each pair that I knit. After just three pair of socks I’m close, but not there quite yet.

To review my lessons learned from my last pair of socks : “I lengthened the heel by adding more knit rows between decreases. Also, don’t decrease so much, or the heel gets pointy!”

These modifications worked well again and I made a couple more changes.

On the second sock I switched to the toe color much earlier than on the first sock:



I like the second sock’s toe better, so will continue to change colors earlier rather than later. The uneven toes would make Leisel’s head pop off, but I don’t mind. (Leisel is a bit of a perfectionist. I tease her endlessly about it, but I really find it quite charming.)

On the second sock I also made the sock a touch longer in the toe and also ended the toe on nine stitches instead of six. This change was subtle, but made the sock just a little more comfortable.

For the next pair of socks I’m going to move the location of the heel. It’s sitting a bit low:



I’m going to move it up a few rows and that should make the heel fit even better.

I cast on for the next pair of socks tonight and cast on 60 stitches instead of 58. That should make the socks just a hair looser on my big clown feet.

All in all, I’m really happy with these socks. I have to put them away until fall, but look forward to wearing them when the cool weather rolls around.



The Damn Heat Wave (yes, I’ve named it) continues so most of my free time is spent in front of the swamp cooler doing this:



Knitting socks and watching the puppy cam.

The dogs continue to enjoy the swamp cooler:



And the cool evening breezes:



Max, as always, keeps watch in the yard:



Kishka needs to learn that it’s too hot to sit in my lap!

posted by Kathy at 6/14/2006 10:58:00 PM