Step Stripe Socks

If you're a sock knitter and you haven't tried Austermann Step Sock Yarn yet, you're missing out! It is not only wonderful to knit with, it's GREAT to wear. One ball of yarn makes a pair. I knit these with 2 x 2 rib, size 0 dpns, with 72 stitches, resulting in a firm and tight fabric that will wear well.

To make an identical pair out of one ball, I wound the ball into a "cake" with my ball winder. Then I put the "cake" onto a scale, noted the weight and figured what half would be, pulled out the piece of yarn coming from the center of the "cake" and started winding again. When the "cake" remaining on the scale was half of the original weight, I stopped winding and cut the yarn. Then I pulled out the center yarn from each "cake" and laid them out until I had found the matching pattern repeat. I only had to waste a little of the yarn and I had plenty to make the socks (I wear a women's size 9 shoe). I even have a little left over. Some people don't care if their socks match, but I can't seem to get away from the "matching" and "symetrical" syndrome, so therefore, all my socks match.

Did I say that these wash well, also? They do! I wash all my socks by hand in the sink with a little bit of shampoo. Rinse in clear water, gently squeeze in a towel and lay out to dry. It only takes a minute and the socks come out great!

Springtime in Paris

I think this is going to be one of my very favorite pairs of socks! I've held on to this yarn in my stash for a long time, waiting for the right pattern. It's Claudia's Handpainted Sock Yarn, a yummy 100% wool. The pattern for this sock actually calls for it to be knit from the toe up and then turned inside out when completed, as the pattern makes little "Eifel Towers". However, I prefer to knit from the top down and wear the sock right side out. Since I am knitting from the top down, I reversed the order of the stitch pattern and I love the way it looks, like raindrops falling down the socks. Thanks Six Sox KAL for the great patterns you share.

Chain Link Socks

I waited so long to start these socks (December/January project from the Six Sock KAL), that I'm still trying to finish them, even though the new project has started. I fiddled with several different yarn combinations until I finally hit it - Lorna's Laces in "Jeans" and Jawoll Superwash Wool in "Cornflower Blue". Using size 0 dpns and a stitch count of 72, I'm getting a nice firm, tight fabric that should hold up well. Love them!