Let's Talk About Socks!

Let's Talk About Socks!

Hello! If you're new to my podcast, welcome! And if you're returning, I'm very thankful that you came back! It means a lot to share my knitting, sewing and quilting life with you!

You can find me on Ravelry and Instagram as elissapack.

This week, I have been on a roll with finishing objects! I finished my Artifice Shawl on March 31st, the Lace Body/Dress on April 2nd, and one Tacit handwarmer on April 4th! And, for about 3 days, I had just one knitting work in progress...but that didn't last for long!

This year, I had visions of knitting socks from yarn in my stash with some really lovely patterns. But, as I have been watching Dani from Little Bobbins Knits, I have slowly realized that I'd chosen the wrong type of yarn for three specific patterns: If A Mermaid Had Feet by Abbey Morris, Flying North by Maria Montzka of Stitched in Sweden and Earl Grey Socks by Kerri Blumer. I had originally thought of using Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light for both of these pairs of socks. Upon reflection, though, this is not the best use of these yarns since Tosh Merino Light is a single ply. Great for hats, garments and shawls...but not really sturdy enough for socks, perhaps.

After searching my stash, I have discovered a few things. One, I have plenty of sock yarn to keep me busy! And secondly, I have some lovely substitutions that I am really excited about for my sock projects!

Peacock Shadow | Rockefeller Center | Teal | Aqua | Aspen | Spanish Moss | Grey

On the one hand, I'm a little disappointed that I'll have to use different yarn for each of these projects. I have to re-imagine what they'll look like in a different colorway. But, on the other hand, I'm really happy that I've thought this through...before I knit those three pairs! You see, I'm new to sock knitting. I've only finished 5 pairs in my knitting lifetime, and one of them took 6 years to finish! I should have fallen in love with sock knitting after my first completed sock (which only took a day), and it was a very good looking sock. But it lived a singleton's life for about two years until I completed the second sock. It's a classic case of Second Sock Syndrome. Little known fact about second sock syndrome: there is a cure*!

But what to do with the beautiful single-ply yarn that I won't be using for socks? Enter Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade. I keep spying yarn palette photos for the Impressionists MKAL on Instagram...and I kept seeing the color palette of the 3 skeins that I had earmarked for socks in my head. So I finally put them all together...and they look really stunning! So, I'm adding another shawl to my works in progress!

Hi Lo 

Oxblood | Kilim

*Knit the second sock first.

Finished Objects

• Lace Body/Dress : pattern by Knitting for Olive | knit in Madelinetosh Feather in Sandstorm

Works in Progress

Knitting

• Tacit Handwarmers : pattern by Hunter Hammersen | knit in Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Snake
• Kingston Tunic : pattern by Andrea Mowry | knit in Wool Days Scout in Blueberry
• Icy Sweater: pattern by Kim Hargreaves | knit in Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Aqua
• Impressionists MKAL : pattern by Helen Stuart of Curious Handmade | knit in Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in HiLo, Kilim and Oxblood. 

Quilting

• Awesome Ocean Quilt : pattern by Elizabeth Hartman.

I'm pushing through the procrastination on this project and getting ready to sew the last two creatures: Mr. Manatee and Salty the Seahorse. I spent two days cutting out the fabric (there are 24 fiddly little bits of fabric for that seahorse!), so it's going to take a while! But, I think it's really helped to lay out all the completed creatures to take a final look at my color palette and see if anything is missing. Isn't it adorable?

Finished Object Archive

• Basic Socks: pattern and yarn by Bernat 
• Bas-Relief Socks : pattern by Debbie O'Neill
• Perfect Fit Socks No. 1: pattern by Purl Soho | knit in Anzula Cloud in Herb
• Perfect Fit Socks No. 2: pattern by Purl Soho | knit in Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere in Tidewater
• Lady Grey Socks : pattern by Kerri Blumer | knit in Liv to Dye Luxurious Sock in Corundum Stone

Thanks for watching! Happy knitting!

Cheers,

Elizabeth