I recently ordered the book Socks from the Toe Up by Wendy D. Johnson (blogmistress of Wendy Knits). The book features more than 20 sock patterns, all toe-up, along with several different toe, heel, and bind-off techniques. Choosing which pattern to knit first was a little tough, but I settled on Lacy Ribs. Within a few days after casting on, I discovered there’s a knitalong (KAL) group on Ravelry for the book… and it just so happens the first KAL sock for June is Lacy Ribs.
Lacy Ribs Socks
- Pattern: Lacy Ribs by Wendy D. Johnson (from Socks from the Toe Up)
- Size: Medium (64 stitch circumference)
- Needles: US 0 (2.0mm), Magic Loop 2-at-a-time
- Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock/Wool in the Woods, one of the “lottery” colorways (a mash-up of all the dyes from that day, so there are many varieties of “lottery” colors — this one is a teal/purple blend)
- Techniques: Judy’s Magic Cast-on toe, slip-stitch heel, Russian bind-off (went up to US 2.5 needle for bind-off)
- Started 6/5/09, finished 6/16/09
- Link to my Ravelry project page
This was an easy stitch pattern to memorize — only 2 pattern rows alternated with ribbing. Easy, so it’s somewhat mindless knitting while watching TV, but just interesting enough not to be boring. I had originally started these on US size 1.5 needles, but I was afraid they were coming out too big (especially for such a stretchy pattern), so I ripped them out after finishing the toe and about 1.5 repeats of the pattern, and started over on US size 0 needles. They’re a bit on the loose side, but not too baggy. I probably would have been fine making the small size instead of the medium. This was also the first time I did Russian bind-off. I really liked it and will definitely use it again. I wouldn’t have needed to go up to a US size 2.5 needle for the bind-off, though — I would have been fine going up to a US size 1.5 instead. Still, just a little loose, not so baggy that they’ll fall down. (Plus, it leaves a little room for them to tighten up with washing.)
I’m definitely looking forward to making lots more of the patterns in this book — I love Wendy’s toe-up patterns, especially with the slip-stitch heel. Up next for the June segment of the KAL is Wendy’s Sprucey Lucy pattern (each month, there’s a pattern from the book and one of Wendy’s free patterns to choose from — or to knit both). For Sprucey Lucy, I’ll use one of the yarns I bought at Lamb’s Ear Yarns last weekend, Schaefer Nichole, in the Greenjeans colorway.
Schaefer Nichole, Greenjeans colorway
Another brief crochet interlude…
The doily is finished as well. It’s a little wonky (yes, that’s a technical term) at some spots, but overall not bad for the first one.
Petite Pineapple Doily (please excuse the blocking pins)
- Pattern: Petite Pineapple Doily by Priscilla Hewitt
- Size 7 steel crochet hook
- Aunt Lydia’s Crochet Cotton, #10, ecru
- Started 6/12/09, finished 6/15/09 (even though Squeek got his hind leg caught in the loose thread and ripped out almost an entire round as he ran through the house…yikes)
- Link to my Ravelry project page
I also took a stab at crocheting a coaster…
Quick & Easy Crocheted Coaster (why, yes, it was)
You can see something is not right below the center hole, all the way out to the edge. I think I forgot the ch2 at the end of the second round. But other than that, “Quick and Easy” is a good name for this one… it’s true.
- Pattern: Quick & Easy Crocheted Coaster by SusanB in Metro KC
- Size H crochet hook
- Takhi Cotton Classic yarn, colorway 3254 Taupe
- Started & finished 6/15/09 (only took a couple hours while watching TV)
- Link to my Ravelry project page
I’ll definitely be making some more of these coasters — gotta keep trying until I get it right!
So that’s it for the FOs at the moment. You’re sure to see more socks here in the near future, what with the Socks from the Toe Up KAL going on, and Summer of Socks 2009 starting up this weekend!
