April 2020 - Sock KAL Chatter

[Char]

Greetings All!!

For our new sock knitters, I try to give advance notice on what patterns we’ll feature so you have time to stash dive. Some months are more than others LOL. So – here is our featured patterns for April’s sock knit along!!

This month’s beginner pattern is Patons Jacquard & Stripe Socks

This month’s featured pattern was found by Cablegrrl in the free patterns group - Fairy Dancers

Our theme is Easter J

Our color this month is Blue – I am sure wishing for blue skies already and “April Showers” haven’t started yet!

You may also choose any pattern you would like, and amend featured patterns for size and preferences.

Show me what yarn and patterns you choose!

LizB is donating yarn this month from her Yarns By the Bay Etsy store. She ships from Australia, and dyes some very beautiful yarn. She’s also been known to allow for additional skeins in the same free shipping with the prize – see LizB for details. Please remember to show our sponsor some love!J

[FreedomLover]

I love the Fairy Dancers pattern! I'd like to knit those and have plans to use up the leftovers from the last three pair of socks I've made.

[Char]

What color will you make the Fairy Dancer's?

[FreedomLover]

I don't know, I haven't looked at my stash.

[knitter131]

I have picked out yarn to use with the "Jacquard & Stripe Socks", a blue self striping (I hope!) yarn. This Regia is from a new line of baby sock yarn in 25 gram balls. The yarn is super soft and my first time trying it. It's a bright blue with light green and light teal colors.

[LizB]

Ooh I love the colours .

[knitter131]

For the "Fairy Dancers Socks", I am using a blue Cascade Heritage Sock. It looks more lavender in the picture, but it's a true blue.

[FreedomLover]

I have a pretty light teal that I could use but seeing them done in pink and called Fairy Dancers makes my brain think they have to be ballet slipper pink. I think I'm too literal some times. That or I'm just rationalizing a "need" to buy yarn.

[knitter131]

Being as I am a "toe up" gal, this pattern isn't going to work for me. I looked for an Easter themed pattern, but couldn't find anything I liked. I did find a "Spring" pattern I can modify, called "Split Butterflies".

[lovestostitch]

Char - Can we do Fairy Dancer as a short cut sock? I never do lacy patterns for my winter socks but I would enjoy a lacy pattern on some summer, short cuts.

Clarification - does it count as doing the pattern if I make them short cut?

[Char]

Yes and yes

[lovestostitch]

Thanks. I'll have to look through my Hikoo CoBaSi stash.

[Char]

I look forward to seeing what you pick out. :-)

[lovestostitch]

I'm ready to get started on my Fairy Dancers!

[FreedomLover]

This is lovely yarn.

[FreedomLover]

I went yarn shopping. . I followed all the protocols and went to the LYS to give her some business. She has a large table that people gather around and there were a few ladies there stitching. The Prima Cotton isn't for socks, it's for a wrap I want to make.

[FreedomLover]

We're not on lockdown, they're requiring social distancing, and closed all businesses like salons, nail places, tattoo parlors, etc. They've also closed anything that could attract tourists, no one can get a room in a hotel or rent a condo, state parks are closed, public access to beaches and boat ramps are closed, etc,

[Kathy7661]

Beautiful yarn!

[FreedomLover]

Thank you!

[FreedomLover]

I had leftover blue and yellow yarn from a pair of shorties so I'm adding it to white and making another short pair then I'm onto the Fairy Dancer pattern.

[Rose the Rebel]

I think I need to go yarn shopping. I was thinking of trying the Regia yarn, can anyone tell me the best place to order or buy that from? I'm not even sure if our craft stores are open, so many businesses forced to shut down by our governor

[Rose the Rebel]

lovestostitch I bought 4 skeins of Wild Foot which were really expensive, made one pair of socks and my fingers felt like I had rug burns between them. I still have 2 new skeins and 2 1/2 used that will probably never get used.

[Char]

Rose the Rebel - I agree with you on the wild foot

[Rose the Rebel]

Char I would offer to donate it for a prize but I don't think anyone would want it. It would be a boobie prize

[knitter131]

Here is what my "Jacquard and Stripes" socks are looking like. Two colors of Regia Baby Smiles yarn. I forgot to post yesterday morning's picture, so it's here too.

[FreedomLover]

So pretty!

[knitter131]

Thank you, FreedomLover!

[KnitsWithHorses]

I would never have thought to put those two colors together but it looks SO good!! I wish I was better at that.

[knitter131]

I started a pair of socks this morning. Toe up, 2 x 2 lacy rib. Yarn is Regia Design Line. These will be summer shorties, because I am desperately low on them for summer.

[Char]

Pretty color!!

[lovestostitch]

Making progress on my Fairy Dancers.

[Char]

Those are very pretty!

[FreedomLover]

These are going to be beautiful.

[KnitsWithHorses]

Ooh I really do want to make some of those! I have some yarn in a similar color that I could make some Fairy Dancers out of maybe? Mines a bit more red and it's a cotton sock yarn that I got to make my second youngest daughter some summer socks.

[KnitsWithHorses]

I finally finished the pattern test I was doing so I can get back on some socks. I'm usually a toe up gal but I may try a pair of the Fairy Dancers; depends on what yarn I come up with. But first up I'll be doing a blue pai r with my March sock yarn from knitcrate.

[Char]

Beautiful!!! :-)

Glad you finished the test knit. :-) I look forward to when you can show a picture

[lovestostitch]

Pretty color!

[KnitsWithHorses]

Thanks y'all. You can't tell in the photo but it's sparkly! ☺️
I'll be designing my own pattern for this yarn as they will be for Harmoni. She is the one with huge feet so patterns just don't work.

[knitter131]

I just started this pair of socks tonight. Toe up with Fish Lips Kiss heels and a simple 3x2 lacy rib. Summer shorties 😎

[FreedomLover]

These look great, I've never tried that heel before, it needs to go on my list.

[knitter131]

Thanks, FreedomLover - it's my favorite short row heel.

[FreedomLover]

I'm using the Sweet Tomato Heel on socks now and prefer it to a heel flap and gusset.

[lovestostitch]

I got my first Fairy Dancer all the way to the toes and decided it was too big. I frogged it back thinking shorter would help but it's just too wide. It was the small size (66 stitches) so I needed to adjust the pattern. I have started over with 60 stitches. I thought the pattern was weird with 38 stitches on the top and 28 on the bottom. I couldn't figure out in the pattern how they wanted you to balance the stitches for the toe. With 60 stitches, I'm deleting 4 stitches off each side of the pattern and keeping the stitches balanced top and bottom.

[Rose the Rebel]

I thought the stitch count was pretty high for small when I looked at the pattern. It looks really pretty though!

[FreedomLover]

Thanks for sharing this, I'll probably need to do the same.

[Char]

Good tip! Yes, 66 stitches seems like a lot to me as well