FO: Loop De Loop Socks

pattern: Charlene Schurch's Yarn Over Cable Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks
yarn: Fearless Fibers' Superwash Sock in the Discipline colorway
needles: Addi Turbo US 1 circs I knit socks with using the 2 circ method
gauge: 9 sts/inch
size: US 9 medium
modifications: The heels are stockinette stitch. I always had 40 stitches on the instep instead of 41 like pattern called for after knitting the leg.
start: May 3, 2008
finish: May 20, 2008

This is the 3rd pair of socks I've made for my Pay It Forward commitment. I committed myself to make 4 pairs of socks. I made this pair for Opcola. Fearless Fibers' Discipline is rapidly becoming my favorite yarn. I love the color and I want to keep every pair of socks I make with it. My last pair of PIF socks is for Frogalot. I'm making Lace Rib Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks.


I bought 3 skeins of Dream in Color Smooshy Midnight Derby to knit 2 of my nephews socks, US size 14 wide and 9 medium shoes, for Christmas. I thought the colorway was navy blue. Well, there's purple mixed in it so I cannot use it for 2 teenage boys. Its a burden I'm willing to take on and I'll use the yarn to knit myself a few pairs of socks. I amazed myself by knitting a gauge swatch. With US 2 Addis and magic looping, my gauge for the yarn is 8sts/inch.


Pattern Surfing: Easy Flame Scarf by Wendy B. of Knit and Tonic
I saw a partial section of the scarf that Knottyknitter40 knitted on the Multitask 9-5 Ravelry group I belong to. She's making it with Malabrigo Geranio. Its lovely and I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks when she completes it.

One last thing...... I found this tutorial in an online British knitting magazine today. If I had known about it yesterday I could have sent a link to the novice sock knitter instead of writing all that stuff out yesterday. lol There's a cute sock pattern, Clover, and a scarf/stole pattern, Wild Strawberry,in the magazine too.

Magic Looping

Here's my response to a call for help by a novice sock knitter on the Yahoo Socknitter Group. She wanted a generic sock pattern to her first pair of socks using magic loop. It helped me get my mind organized on how to do a toe down sock using magic loop. I want to use magic loop to make Nancy Bush's Conwy Socks (in Knitting on the Road) and Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern(in Knittin Vitage Socks). Of course I won't be able to knit socks until after I finish Frogalot's PIF socks and my Dad's Father's Day socks. Let me know what you think.

Magic Loop Generic Sock Pattern

Note: I used the following as references for the pattern and techniques:

1. www.knittinghelp.com/videos/advanced-techniques Amy’s videos on magic loop and heel/gusset of a sock.
2. www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-tips Amy’s video on Kitchener stitch
3. http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/FEATsocks101.html Kathy Atherly’s Sock 101
4. Charlene Schurch’s Sensational Knitted Socks book

Cast on

The number of stitches you cast on depends on your gauge and foot circumference. Gauge = 8 sts per inch. Foot circ = 8 inches. So you cast on stitches are 8 x 8 = 64 stitches. Cast on 64 stitches(using a loose long tail cast on) and join the ends. Begin knitting using the magic loop technique. You should have 32 stitches along the 1^st half of the cable and 32 stitches along the 2^nd half of the cable. After knitting a couple of rounds of the cuff, place stitch marker to note the beginning of the round

Magic Loop

Using a circular needle that has a long, flexible cable(>= 40 inches), cast on the number of stitches you want to use to knit your sock. Example: 64 stitches. Move those stitches to the middle of the cable. Divide the stitches in half (32 + 32 = 64). Place a stitch marker between the 32 and 33 stitches. Pinch and pull the cable between those two stitches. Now you're ready to join the ends. Move the separated stitches back on the needles close the endpoints. Be careful to not to drop any stitches and twist the stitches. I join my ends by moving the first stitch to the opposite needle and moving the last stitch to the opposite needle. Now you're ready to knit the cuff.

Cuff

K2p2 for 12 rounds. Approximately 1 inch.

Leg

To make things easy we’ll do a stockinette stitch leg(all knit stitches)

Knit around until your sock measures (cuff plus leg) measures 6 or 7 inches total.

Heel Flap

Refer to Amy’s video(note the way I’m telling you to do the heel flap, heel turn and gusset are slightly different than Amy’s; no worries)

To make thing easier for you for your 1^st sock, rest the instep stitches in a stitch holder. You can keep the stitches on the cable but it may be confusing since this is your 1^st sock. It will be easier for you to pick up the instep stitches when decreasing the gusset if you use a plastic or metal stitch holder.

For simplicity sake, let’s consider the back of the sock that has the heel stitches the 32 stitches that you knit last; the part of the cable that has the last stitch you knit. The instep stitches(32) are the other side of the cable. You’ re making a stockinette heel with a German selvedge. The German selvedge is the slipped stitches at the edges of the row. With the instep stitches resting in a stitch holder, (1)turn your work, slip the 1^st stitch(the last one you knit) then purl to the end of the row. (2)Turn your work, slip the 1^st stitch then knit to the end of the row. Repeat 1 and 2 until you have 32 rows then turn your work. Remember you slipped the 1^st stitch(32 of them) of every row of the heel flap so when have to pick up and knit stitches along the selvedge you’ll only have 16 to do.

Heel Turn

You need to do this at one sitting. Its can be confusing if you put it down then pick it back up.

(1) Slip the 1^st stitch, purl 16 stitches then p2tog, purl 1 then turn your work(you’re creating a gap) look closely

(2) Slip the 1^st stitch, knit 3 stitches then ssk, knit 1 then turn your work(your creating a gap) look closely

(3) Slip the 1^st stitch, purl to the 1^st stitch before the gap, p2tog(the stitches before and after the gap), purl 1 then turn your work

(4) Slip the 1^st stitch knit to the 1^st stitch before the gap, ssk(the stitches before and after the gap), knit 1 then turn your work

Repeat 3 and 4 until all the stitches on needle have been worked. You should have 18 stitches left after knitting the heel flap

Gusset

The key to picking up and knitting the stitches along the selvedge(heel flap edges) is to count and identify them before you do it. Remember you made 32 rows for heel flap and slipped the 1^st stitch at the beginning of each row. That means you have 16 stitches to pick up. You’ll start magic looping again now. Ok, pick up and knit 16 stitches along the heel flap edge. There can be a hole at the top of the gusset so pick up and knit 2 stitches between the last heel flap edge stitch and the instep. Place a stitch marker. Knit the 1^st 16 stitches of the instep in pattern. You’re magic looping now so consider the 16 selvedge stitches, 2 extra stitches and 16 instep stitches along the first half of the cable. ( You’ll divide the heel turn stitches after you pick up the other side of the selvedge.) You’re magic looping now so we have to knit stitches on the 2^nd half of the cable. Look at and identify the stitches you’ll pickup before knitting them. Knit the other 16 stitches of the instep. Place a stitch marker. Pick up and knit 2 stitches between the instep and the first stitch of the heel flap edge. Pick up and knit 16 stitches along the heel flap edge the knit the first 9 stitches of the heel turn. You should how have 2 rows of stitches along the halves of the cable. Each row should have 43 stitches. Along the 1^st half of the cable, you should have 9 heel turn, 16 heel flap edge, 2 extra, and 16 instep stitches(9 + 16 + 2 + 16 = 43). Along the 2^nd half of the cable, you should have 16 instep, 2 extra, 16 heel flap edge, and 9 heel turn stitches(16 + 2 + 16 + 9 = 43). You’ll decrease each half to 32 stitches(64 total stitches).

Gusset Decrease

You need to pay close attention because the first couple rounds can be confusing. Along the 1^st half of the cable, knit to 2 stitches before the stitch marker, ssk, slip the stitch marker then knit 16 instep stitches in pattern. Along the 2^nd half of the cable, knit the 16 instep stitches, slip the stitch marker, k2tog then knit to the end of the row. You’ve closed the hole at the top of the gusset. Now its time to do the decreasing.

(1 a) Along the 1^st half of the cable, knit to 3 stitches before the stitch marker, k2tog, knit 1, slip the stitch marker then knit 16 instep stitches in pattern.

(1 b) Along the 2^nd half of the of the cable, knit the 16 instep stitches, slip the

stitch marker, k2tog then knit to the end of the row.

(2 a) knit to stitch marker, slip stitch marker, knit instep stitches in pattern

(2 b) knit instep stitches, slip stitch marker, and then knit to end of row

Repeat 1 and 2 until you have 32 stitches on each cable half. That’s 10 decreasing (1) rounds. It will help if you write down 1-10 and mark off each round. Looking at your ssk and k2tog stitches and their position will help if you don’t want to keep track on paper.

Foot

It’s easier to knit the foot if you keep the instep and sole stitches separate. Now after you’ve knit the last round of the gusset decrease, knit to the stitch marker. Remove the stitch marker. This marks the beginning of the instep stitches and the round. You’re doing magic loop here. Knit the instep stitches. Join both part of the instep here. Remove the stitch marker. This mark the beginning of the sole stitches. You should have the instep stitches on the 1^st half of the cable and the sole stitches on the 2^nd half the cable. Knit the foot to the desired length; heel to the base of the toe.

Toe Decreasing

Now we’re almost done. Standard toe decrease has you decreasing 2 stitches per cable half then knitting around then next round until ½ the total stitches remain. Then decreasing every round until ½ those stitches remain.

(1) Instep: knit 1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before the end of 1^st half of cable, k2tog, knit 1. Sole: knit 1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before the end o the 2^nd half of the cable, k2tog, knit1.

(2) Knit around the instep and sole.

Repeat 1 and 2 until 32 total stitches remain then repeat 1 until 16 total stitches remain. Now you’re ready for the Kitchener stitch.

Kitchener stitch

Use Amy’s video to see how to do it. I’ve officially run out of steam

FO: Great Barrier Reef Socks

pattern: Charlene Schurch's Double Lace Ribbing from More Sensational Knitted Socks
yarn: Fearless Fiber's superwash sock yarn in the Coral Pink colorway
needles: Addi turbo US1
gauge: 9 sts = 1 inch
modifications: stockinette stitch heel



I started these socks in March then stopped knitting them to make the Broad Spiral/Vortex Socks. After I frogged them, I restarted them in April so it took me about 3 weeks to knit. I'm pleased with how they turned out and I hope Lushorama likes them. Now I only have 2 more PIF pairs of socks to make.

Pattern Surfing: Marigold Socks by Pamela W. aka Flint Knits

When I saw this pattern, Marigold Socks, it made me want to do another pair of toe up socks. It's lovely! I'll even do a short row heel(which I'm not a fan of). I discovered the pattern while looking at pictures of the Child's First Sock on Ravelry. Flint Knit's has a gorgeous pair that she made using a purple semi-solid Koigu.