December Sock KAL - CHAT

[lovestostitch]

Our theme this month is Holiday.
Our color is any color of sparkly yarn.

As always, you can knit any pattern or color you like but you get an extra entry in the prize drawing for using a pattern that goes with the theme and/or using the monthly color.

Chat about the KAL in this thread and post your finished projects in the Finished Thread.

The prize for this month is a 4 ply Mercerized cotton bag made up as a Cherry flavored candy cane in the shape of a Christmas Tree with a square base, perfect for a small to mid-size on-the-go project. Thank you to our anonymous prize donor.



Post pictures of your finished socks in the Finished thread. Don't forget you get an entry for your first finished sock or two socks finished through the heels.

[Pegg Thomas]

What a very pretty bag!

[lovestostitch]

Anybody working on socks? I have this pretty pink, sparkly yarn to make socks but I have to finish off the pair I'm making for my son. Not too much more to do.



Then I get to work with this:

[Pegg Thomas]

lovestostitch, my guys buy them for hunting too.

[KnitsWithHorses]

I'm starting some socks tomorrow for my daughter, Gini, for Christmas. That pink yarn is going to be yummy to knit up!!

[Kokoriffic]

I’m rotating working on 3 pair currently. None are sparkly though.

[lovestostitch]

My prize for the November KAL arrived and it is beautiful! Our anonymous donor is a very talented crafter. Thank you Anonymous!

[lovestostitch]

Hey sock knitters! We had a fun chat on Zoom today and one of our topics was helical knitting and specifically using that technique to make socks with yarn scraps. This idea has been added to our Sock KAL schedule for April. That gives you some time to knit some other socks and save some scraps.

PurlgirlButtonscrosstitchlinda - I looked up helical knitting and saw a variety of interpretations of what that means. I added helical knitting to the sock schedule for April and I posted a video link for the video that I thought looked like a good technique. Will you two watch the video and tell me if that is what you were referring to.

[knitter131]

I’ve used this method, just this year, I think. It’s so easy, and fun 😊

[PurlgirlButtons]

That is not how I do it, but I think it is fine, same result. I had an old pattern called Stashbuster Spirals, but just for inspiration.

[lovestostitch]

I saw some tutorials calling themselves helical knitting that were the same as jogless joins. Why don't I include links to the techniques that people in this group have tried and recommend and others can choose which one they want to try. It will be fun to see what the finished projects look like.

My biggest problem is going to be having enough scraps. I like dk weight socks and one skein isn't enough so I typically measure off extra yarn from a second skein and dye the right amount of yarn. I have very small bits left over.

[crosstitchlinda]

lovestostitch

Here is a picture of the socks I did using the technique I linked above.

[Pegg Thomas]

Very pretty! I'm not a big fan of stripes, but I may give this a try anyway.

[lovestostitch]

Pegg Thomas - I'm not a big fan of striped socks either but I did a technique similar to this with scraps and it doesn't turn out the same as just using 2-3 colors. I think mine were called Blender socks.

[knitter131]

Very pretty!

[Pegg Thomas]

I'm late to the party this month. Just started on my December socks. They don't match the theme, but I love the heather blue/gray yarn. I'd spun the yarn for a friend's mitts (I took photos along the way and they are here: https://fiberkind.com/forum/fiber/fi...8-carding-wool) but spun enough to do myself a pair of socks too.

[KnitsWithHorses]

It looks like a kind of gold color? And are you actually doing cuff down? 😲 Just kidding. I do cuff down sometimes. Lol

[Pegg Thomas]

KnitsWithHorses, I hadn't done cuff down in YEARS until this fall. Now I'm hooked on it again. Go figure! The yarn isn't gold. Click the link to the other forum to see the true colors.

[KnitsWithHorses]

Oh well heck, now you've reignited my mitt knitting fire. Lol I think I'll have to make some Nalus. That color is really very pretty! Nice job on your handspun as usual!

[PurlgirlButtons]

Just finished the heels on bother my Christmas socks today. 😁

[KnitsWithHorses]

They look great PurlgirlButtons !

[knitter131]

Fun, bright colors - and the socks look great!

[Hellokitten]

Happy socks!

[Monchichi]

Hello all! I’m a “newer” sock knitter, and have sort of gotten the hang of two at a time toe up socks. I’m wanting to start a pair with a contrasting color for the toes, heels, and possibly the cuffs. I’m good on the toes and cuffs, but when do I start the contrast color for the heels? When I start the gusset, before I turn the heel? Or when I start to turn the heel? Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

[KnitsWithHorses]

What kind of heel are you doing? I do Fishe Lips Kiss heel or afterthought heel or short row heel. I rarely do a gusset. That makes it pretty easy to know when/ where to change colors and doesn't interrupt any stitch pattern you might be doing. Doing the gussets in the CC (in the only way I've done gussets in toe up socks at least) would be awkward. I would think the contrast color would just be the heel turn and flap. It's going to be easiest to do the CC when you are only working the heel stitches and not going across the instep stitches because you'd be having to carry the unused color around. But I'm sure someone who likes gussets in their toe up socks will chime in.

[crosstitchlinda]

I do cuff down, but do use a heel flap and gusset. I agree with KnitsWithHorses that using the contrast on flap and heel turn works well. Contrast on the gusset will leave you with a band of contrast around the ankle.

[qfknit]

I also like contrast on the heel flap and heel turn (not the gusset)... also contrast at the toes... also at the cuff.

[lovestostitch]

Merry Christmas sock knitters!

Did Santa bring anyone else sock yarn? I got a skein of Regia Cotton Tutti Frutti. I've been wanting to try it and my daughter got it for me. I'm going to have to wait until February to use it.

[KnitsWithHorses]

That is perfect for February socks! Curious to see how you like it. I'm one of the few I know who like cotton sock yarn.

[lovestostitch]

I used to buy Crystal Palace Panda Cotton for socks and loved it but they discontinued it. I'm looking forward to trying this.

[Pegg Thomas]

Wow! She's now the favorite child. No yarn, but I got two knitting-related t-shirts. One says "Jesus is my savior, knitting is my therapy," and the other says "a good day begins with coffee and ends with knitting." My hubby is a keeper.

[KnitsWithHorses]

Oh yeah! I would wear both of those! Love it. Lol

[lovestostitch]

Great shirts!

[Pegg Thomas]

ARGH! I had some leftover yarn and decided to try a challenging pattern I downloaded a while ago. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kraut Oh. My. Word. Let's not *even* talk about how many times I've ripped it back so far. But I think I've finally wrapped my head around that heel and how it goes together. I have one completed to the start of the gusset. I will finish this pair, but whether or not I'll ever knit it again is up in the air at this point.

[KnitsWithHorses]

I downloaded that pattern years ago but haven't ever attempted it. I've got a bunch of General H patterns. He is definitely creative!

[qfknit]

I cannot resist a knit leaf lace.

[Pegg Thomas]

I love the leaf lace too, and that's why I downloaded the pattern, but that HEEL! Honestly, it shouldn't have taken me THREE tries to get it right, but ... it did.

[Pegg Thomas]

Interrupting for a public service announcement:

I *hate* purl two together through the back loops with size 1 needles.

That is all.
You may now resume your normal FiberKind browsing.

[knitter131]

Yup, P2tog TBL is no fun with any size needles 😑

[KnitsWithHorses]

😂😂😂 Oh boy do I feel your pain.

[lovestostitch]

I guess I've been lucky. I don't think I've ever purled 2 together through the back loop. I'm interested to see the pattern you are creating.

[Pegg Thomas]

Here are the heels I've been struggling with. The back of the heel is the double-leaf lace. I'm not sure how these will wear - not as well as the partridge eye heel, I'm sure - but they *are* pretty! Both socks done through the heel.

[Char]

I like the texture!

[Char]

Did you start these in December? Don’t forget to post them in the finished thread if you did.

[knitter131]

Thanks so much to our anonymous doner! 😊. This person is truly gifted in her crochet abilities, this project bag is adorable. It’s so fun to receive a gift, and the hand made gifts are appreciated all the more. ❣️❣️

[lovestostitch]

It's awesome! She does make beautiful bags.

[KnitsWithHorses]

So pretty!