Catching up x3

It's been a while. I've finished three socks since my last post. I wanted to finish writing the patterns too, but that's taking longer than I thought it would.

I finished Purl and Zag while I was getting ready for our camping trip. Ideally, I wanted to have the pattern written before we left, but I've decided to write it for at least three sizes. That means making three different charts and adding those sizes to the directions.

I think it's a lot easier to design a sock pattern for solid yarns. Throwing variegated yarn into the mix makes it a bit harder to find a stitch pattern that will look good and cooperate with the various colors. I think this stitch pattern is bold enough on it's own, but also lets the colors show off too.

Pair #6 for the 52 Pair Plunge II
Pattern: Purl and Zag by me
Yarn: Great Adirondack Silky Sock in Onyx (70 gms used)
Needles: size 0 Knit Picks Classic Circular
Method: magic loop, 2 at once, toe-up, Turkish cast-on, short row heel
Start: June 21, 2008
Finished: June 24, 2008

This is another pair that I started and finished before the trip. I'm not sure how to write this pattern. This was a challenge for myself to use a gusset heel on a toe-up sock and to incorporate the stitch pattern in that heel. That meant counting and working backwards.

I was successful at knitting these socks with the fancy heel, but writing it? I'm not sure how to explain how to count backwards on the chart to figure out how to do the pattern on the heel. I can see why cuff down patterns are more common that toe-up. It would be a whole lot easier to explain if I just knit the other way, but I'm stubborn. ;-) Look at that heel...

#7 in the 52 Pair Plunge II
Pattern: Cables and Corsets--pattern to be written out later
Yarn: Wollmeise 100% sockenwolle in Brombeere (87 gms used)
Needle: size 0 Knit Picks Classic Circular
Method: magic loop, 2 at once, toe up, Turkish cast on, gusset heel
Start: June 25, 2008
Finish: June 28, 2008

This sock was started and finished on the trip. The stitch pattern plays nicely with the variegated yarn and it's easy to memorize too. That's always a big plus for an on-the-go knitting project.

I did the gusset heel on this sock too. This one fits me just a little bit better than the previous sock. I still don't see the big advantage of this type of heel over the short row heel. The gusset heel can be prettier, but the short row heel is easier to memorize. With the gusset heel, I have to refer to the written directions to turn the heel. Maybe it's because I've done so many short row heels and that's why it comes so easily. I'm not sure if I'll continue to do the gusset heels. They make pattern writing difficult. ;-) But they look so pretty...

#8 in the 52 Pair Plunge II
Pattern: Twisted Arrows-pattern written later
Yarn: Wollmeise 100% sockenwolle in Raku-Regenbogen (90 gms used)
Needle: size 0 Knit Picks classic circular
Method: magic loop, 2 at once, toe-up, Turkish cast-on, gusset heel
Start: June 28, 2008
Finish: July 3, 2008

I'm working on another sock right now. It's a mindless knit since I'm using a pattern out of More Sensational Knitted Socks. I'm still working on the patterns for the socks in this post. I really want to focus on writing them in more than one size. I know that I'm usually a little disappointed when a pattern only comes in one size, even if it says it's "very stretchy." Some of these stitch patterns aren't that easy to resize. I usually end up having to draw a new chart for each size.

My next post will be vacation pictures...