What a wonderful day - the sun is shining here in West Sussex, there is just ONE more sleep until we get our puppy and I have something to share with FO Friday!
I absolutely LOVE these socks although they are, as the title suggests, completely impossible to photograph. The camera can not correctly capture the orange, red, pink and brown - so you have to take my word that they are gorgeous!
This is my usual 'vanilla' sock - a personalised pattern based on Wendy B Johnson's Gusset Heel Basic Socks, with additional shaping over the widest part of my foot, a longer ribbed section for the leg and knit two-at-a-time on a single circular needle (find my tutorial here). I particularly like this heel as I tend to wear a lot of clogs with my handknit socks and this is very neat.
The self-patterning yarn is Regia Snowflake Color (shade 7712). I have made several pairs of socks with Regia and am never disappointed. It knits up really nicely and wears and washes well, plus there are some beautiful colours to choose from. Black Sheep Wools have kindly offered another ball of the same colourway I used here for a lucky reader. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post telling me which is your favourite way to knit a sock - toe-up/cuff-down, and type of heel (or which you plan to start with, if you haven't tried socks yet). I'll randomly select a winner next Friday (27th Sept) - please remember to leave your Ravelry name or email address so I can contact you if you win. Good luck! Congratulations to Ruth who is the lucky winner!!!
Those are SO gorgeous. I absolutely love them. And isn't Regia amazing?? I made a hat out of it this week, so lovely.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your puppy, so jealous! Can you persuade my OH to get me one?! Pleeeeease.....OK no I will live vicariously through you, there'd better be lots of photos!
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ReplyDeletetwo needles, top down, short row heels. Never tried two at a time, may just do that next time. I always like a short rib on mine though. Lovely colours even if they do not convey too well in pic.xoxk
Deleteblackymoorit on ravelry!
As you know I am a 2 at a time toe up on one circular girl! I do Judy's cast on, bog standard toe increses, fleegle heel then head for home! Love my socks and never really wear anything other than hand knit. Have you seen the new spiral type pattern on Rav? http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/exotic-whirlpool think I could be tempted to go cuff down for these bad boys.
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toe up one long circular with a slip stitch heel, love this colourway and think they will look great in clogs
ReplyDeleteLove the socks and I'm a fan of Regia yarn also. I thought I loved cuff down only but then tried toe up and I think I may love it a tad more just because of the better fit your able to get. I've mastered Judy's magic cast on which makes it easier now and I love Wendy's gusset heel, so far it's the only one I've done and am loate to change it. I did see your tutorial on two at a time and am tempted to give it a go so my favourite kind may change again ! I'm Fairywool on Ravelry xx
ReplyDeleteHaven't tried socks yet but your two-at-a-time on a circular needle tutorial is making me want to try :-)
ReplyDeleteWelshabbe on Rav x
I have only knit two pairs of socks and I think I liked the cuff down version best. I haven't found a favorite heal yet. Thanks for the chance :-) chels580 on Rav
ReplyDeleteI'm not able to knit 2 socks on the same circular so I need to watch your tutorial soon. I like to knit from the toe up. Heel? I want to try japanese short rows next time.
ReplyDeleteasteride on Ravelry
I know what it's like to photograph colors like that! It can be a real nightmare! They still look beautiful to me :)
ReplyDeletep.s. while I'm here I guess I should enter in the giveaway... I like knitting socks the same way you do! But I want to start trying other things- top down, different heels, etc. My Ravelry username is atlowery xxx
Love the colour of your socks and excited to see your new puppy when he arrives tomorrow. I have not knit many socks but do like toe up with a short row heal or for stripy socks an afterthought heel. Thank you
ReplyDeleteThese are great socks. How do you like that type of heel! Is it roomy or snug?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful socks!! I also love to wear my handknit socks with clogs! :)
ReplyDeleteI tend to knit toe up, two at a time the most, but I think I prefer cuff down! But it just seems to make more sense to knit toe up to use the most yarn.
They are gorgeous socks, I love the idea of wearing hand knit socks with clogs. I shall have to go googling.
ReplyDeleteMy current socks on the needle are cuff down but I much prefer toe up, it just makes more sense to my brain. I've tried a few heels and the gusset one was my favourite to knit and I liked the fit best. I fancy trying a few more though so I'll have to pop back here in a bit to see what other people have suggested lol
I knit toe up with a forethought heel, using a variation on Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato Heel.
ReplyDeleteI am currently making my first pair of socks, top down on DPNs using a free tutorial from Bernat. I don't have a favorite method of doing anything as yet but I hope to try some other methods, toe up, short-row heel, sweet tomato heel, etc.
ReplyDeletecookier293 on Ravelry.
Aloha,
ReplyDeleteOkay, first I have to admit that as a beginning knitter, I am afraid of socks!!! I haven't even completed my Cozy Boot Cuffs that I started last winter at the Churchmouse Yarns & Teas workshop!
I have noticed that the heels I like the best are those with very few Kitchener stitches (I also tend to like wearing clogs).
Thank you so much for all the tips!
Mahalo.
I usually use two circular needles, always cuff down and either a gusset or slip stitch heel. These fit me just fine!
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ReplyDeleteForgot my ravelry name!!! Raelne...
ReplyDeleteLove a top down sock with a gusset heel. Always feel very smug at my own cleverness after knitting a sock!!
I prefer to knit cuff-down.
ReplyDeleteI love the color of your socks.
ReplyDeleteI'm a top down, heel flap knitter. And I do them one at a time on dpns. I'm ekcj0709 on ravelry
Wow, those are great socks! I love to knit toe down, with a heel flap, preferably eye of partridge!
ReplyDeleteAwesome socks! I knit cuff down, but love the way of trying on a toe up, I enjoy knitting a short row heel more but wearing a gusset.....so a little complicated.
ReplyDeleteRegia is probably my go-to sock yarn. These are absolutely gorgeous. I Thought I had tried all of Wendy Johnson's heels, but I guess I haven't - I'll have to try a pair of these ones, it looks very effective.
ReplyDeleteTop down, slip stitch heel and lots of lace in it! :)
ReplyDeleteToe-up 2 at a time on Magic loop, whatever heel is included on the pattern, since this is my first!
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top down socks for me :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I first made socks, it was top down. Then tried toe up and loved it! it seemed so sensible.
ReplyDeleteSince you have such a nice tute with great pictures for two-at-a-time, I'm going to try that real soon.
I have heard so much good stuff about Regia, and this colorway is my favorite, so maybe I'll be able to try it if I win the yarn!
Ravelry: QuimicaChica
I prefer top down and slip stitch heel. Ann Budd's socks are my favorite to knit and always on dpns. I have tried the two-at-a-time but it just got me too confused.
ReplyDeleteHaven't tried a self-striping yarn yet but will do when I finish all the other wip projects am sitting on:-) I prefer the cuff-down method of sock-making although haven't tried to knit socks any other way. I self-thought myself how to make heels and to knit in the round, from youtube. Glad people share their knowledge! Good luck everyone.
ReplyDeleteI could easily act like I know ANYTHING about knitting... but I'm a crocheter!
ReplyDeleteI HATE when you can't capture the detail and the color of something you work so hard on and do so well on! One day I'll get this as well! :)
P.s. please knit your new puppy some! Lol
I could easily act like I know ANYTHING about knitting... but I'm a crocheter!
ReplyDeleteI HATE when you can't capture the detail and the color of something you work so hard on and do so well on! One day I'll get this as well! :)
P.s. please knit your new puppy some! Lol
Well - I'm a cuff down, old-fashioned heel sort of gal.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm open to new things ... I must try toe up, afterthought heels and two at a time ...see, I know all the lingo :)
Have just purchased a Craftsy class to learn how to knit cuff down socks. Can't wait to start and would love some yarn to go with it!
ReplyDeleteI prefer cuff down with the afterthought heel, but I will attempt anything. I have not tried Regia yarns though, and I would love to try it. jaydawnrn on ravelry
ReplyDeleteI've not learned to knit socks yet, but I plan to learn soon. Planning to start toe up, 2 at a time on one circular needle. Is that a sensible idea for a first-timer, or slightly mad?
ReplyDeletemadfruitbat on Ravelry
So far I've only tried chunky socks - heel down because that's how my mum makes hers! :)
ReplyDeleteVery tempted by the two-at-a-time tutorial!!
Thank you for such a lovely giveaway :)
Oh my, they are beautiful socks. So far I haven't made socks but his autumn/winter I intend to give it a go using your two at a time method. I managed to make 2 hexi puffs at the same time on my ck's which I honestly thought I'd NEVER be able to do and the sense of joy and achievement I felt gave me the confidence to think YES! It's time for socks. x
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