Socktoberfest, wait for me!!
I didn’t plan on participating in Lolly’s Socktoberfest this year, mostly because October started out as a terribly busy month. I also felt guilty about starting new socks when I had three pairs unfinished. Well, four to be completely honest, but I had almost resigned myself to never finishing these:
Yarn: Fortissima Sock
Pattern: a toe-up stockinette sock with 3×1 rib leg
I present the most painful socks I have ever made. In fact, I’m fairly certain these took a chunk of my soul with them. What was I thinking? Size 11 man socks in a terribly boring pattern on size 0 needles at a gauge of 10 sts/in? How could I possibly finish them after Aaron admitted he’d prefer a different kind of sock? The first sock required no less than six different bind off attempts before I found one stretchy enough. For the record, that was the k2tog method with a size 10 needle (yes, you read that correctly).
What was I thinking when I started these a mere 15 months ago? I’m not entirely sure. I imagine my judgment was clouded by the fact that I was 9 months pregnant, nesting and bored to tears. In this hormonally induced state, I wanted to make my dear sweet husband happy with some fine gauge socks. So what changed in the intervening time to make me loathe this project? Well, if you guessed pushing out a 7 lb 12 oz baby, you’re a winner!!!!!!!! The second sock has been 1″ shy of completion for over a year. I knew I would never knit that last inch. What would you have done? I ripped back the first sock to match the second and cast off. Done. Now Aaron has at least one pair of nice socks. Was that so difficult?
Yarn: Claudia’s Handpainted in Blue Sky from Mintyfresh!
Pattern: Minty’s Anastasia Socks
I started these in July but for whatever reason, I let the second sock languish on the needles for a few months. The pattern is wonderful, the socks fit perfectly and they’re for ME! A great combination!
To celebrate finishing two longstanding WIPs, I cast on a sock using the Fleece Artist Sea Wool that Ann sent me over the summer. I have never felt a nicer yarn. Never. It took every ounce of restraint I had to refrain from ordering 75893759843758934 more skeins of this stuff.
Wow, that is a painful sock story! I’m so glad they’re finished off now.
The Anastasia Socks are beautiful! The pattern looks really great in that yarn.
I haven’t tried the Sea Wool yet. I’m a little nervous about it now
The Anastasia socks are soooo cool looking! I’ve actually never seen that pattern before. Good for you for being so dedicated to the “boring socks”. They look comfy and nice.
I thought knitting a mans size 9 on us0′s was bad. They look great though.
Yeah, for finishing socks! I’m longing to knit socks. I hope the Sockamania Club KAL socks for November are nice ones, that I would want to knit them. Love the Anastasia sock pattern. Have to try that soon.
The Anastasia’s look wonderful! Good for you for persevering on your hubby’s socks. But wow – size 10s for the bind off?! My trick is to go up 2-3 needles sizes from what I knit the sock in, knit one round transitioning from the small to large needles, then bind off sort of loosely in pattern. It looks horrific after bind off, but perfectly fine and well fitting after the first wash.
Oh, that was a really good solution to the blue sock problem! Good thinking! And the others are really lovely. That Sea Wool is calling my name too, I think…
Awesome! That must really feel good to that those longstanding WIPs off the needles! I absolutely love those anastasia socks.
Congrats on getting the wips out of the way, now you can make room for more
Love those socks! Especially the Anastias and even the painful one for your guy. Although, yes, what were you thinking?! Plain socks, size 11 on US #0?!! No wonder you kept putting them down. Great finished product though.
I was using a “they are on zeros” excuse too, except my socks were for me so that doesn’t count anymore does it? Those Anastasias look great!
I like both pairs of socks! But seriously, O’s? That would have been my first clue not to knit them. Zeros!! I can not even imagine! And Fleece Artist Sea Wool, how do I love thee? That stuff is great.
The solution to man socks on 0′s… knit them in Sea Wool. I heart Sea Wool.
I am speechless. 10 sts to an inch for manly man socks? I feel faint. I like the new digs, though – I have no idea how I missed your move.
I commend you for finishing the MAN socks even if it took forever! and I love the Anastasia’s – the way the swirls go opposite the striping is so cool!
man-sized socks are tough. i don’t have the patience for them. i’m about to make a pair with DK weight and size 5 needles
Great socks and I bet it feels so so good to have finished a few older projects!!
The Sea Wool color I sent looks even more beautiful knit up than in the skein! I haven’t made a pair of socks with it yet, but have done swatches and washed them, and it wears REALLY well.
The Anastasia socks are gorgeous. And I hope Aaron wears the crap out of those socks, after all those hours you spent on them, hours you can never get back. They do look nice on him, by the way. You probably hate them too much to notice that, but I thought I’d point it out to make you feel a little better!
congratulations on a winning strategy with those husband socks. me? my boyfriend is getting socks made out of DK merino. I’ll save the fine gauge for my own feet.
hello from a (semi)local knitter! I live in KC
I love your clever solution to Aaron’s socks, brilliant! And although they bored you to tears, I think they’re terribly good looking; I’m a sucker for a contrasting toe. And those Anastasia socks are amazing. I’m gonna go find me some Fleece Artist right now….
I’m with you on the Sea Wool. I made a pair this fall, and while they were a little too big (I gave them to my Mom), I just fell head over heels with the yarn. Serious yarn crush.
great perseverance on those plain socks – mens socks are just a test for all us sock knitters…
love the new ones for you! the swirls are great!
I feel your manly sock pain. I’ve had a sock on the needles for my husband for over six months now, stuck on the third rendition of the toe. I just can’t seem to pick it back up–I think ripping out two toes just demoralized me.
I love the Anastasias! Such a neat pattern.
your hubby is going to love those socks to death and it will make it all worth it. (I’ve only ever knit one men’s pair of socks, for my dad, and I agree that that’s not happening again anytime soon.)
Love your “sped-up” Anastasias!!