March Sock Club

Well, March has come to an end, and I took my sock of the month right to the bitter end. I finished them up on Saturday night, March 30th.

This project was a two-at-a-time toe-up version. I wanted to get to use every last bit of that lovely gradient dye job. I am horribly slow at knitting two-at-a-time socks. Adding insult to injury, because I wanted to use all the color, these are darn-near knee-high socks. I typically knit about 6 inches of height onto my socks and then have oodles leftover from a skein. Knitting every last bit of this yarn meant a sock project that felt to me like it was taking forever.

The pattern that I used for these was Laxo Socks, by designer Laura Nelkin. It uses a clever stitch that doesn't require use of a cable needle. One less thing to lose track of, I say! Although it felt as though I would never complete these, one benefit of knitting two-at-a-time socks is when one is done, both are done - no second sock syndrome! I do have to admit that it was very gratifying to finish these up at the same time. 

I do love the color gradient on these, and it wouldn't have seemed as balanced without the darker shades at each end of the socks. I also found the cable pattern to be very lovely. 

Despite my impatience and my slow knitting skills, I would classify this as an enjoyable combination of pattern and yarn. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that this brand of yarn is still available. This was a deep dive in the stash from about a decade ago, and it was produced by an indie dyer who it appears is no longer in business. My apologies for not having a link to share to find the yarn, but I am sure there are similar offerings out there, and perhaps you could find your next favorite indie dyer. Please comment if you have a favorite or a recommendation for a gradient sock yarn.

It took me all of 3 minutes after completing these to open up the next bag in my Solo Sock Club series, skein it up and cast on. I even forgot (AGAIN) to take pictures of the yarn in the hank before I wound it up. One day I will exhibit some temperance and self control and remember to snap some pics before impulsively casting on a new pair of socks. 

I have a post coming soon showing off the April Solo Sock Club yarn and pattern, so stay tuned!!

Quick March Sock Update

We are coming up on the middle of March, and I have an update on my Solo Sock Club. I am working on the Laxo Socks, which are a toe-up pattern, and I am working them two at a time. While this does give me the opportunity to use up every last bit of color in this gradient-dyed sock yarn, I must confess that two-at-a-time socks seem to take FOREVER for me. On the bright side, when you are done with one, you are done with both, but....it feels like a slog to me.

Here is where I stand with March's project:

Generally, I consider when the heel is turned on a sock that I am about halfway through. These ones may not be quite so far along, as I usually do have a significant amount of yarn leftover when my socks are finished, but in this case, I will continue knitting in pattern until I run out of yarn. I also tried them on at one point and didn't think there was enough length for my toes to be comfortable, so I ripped it back to the gusset increases and added about another 3/4 inch in length. Overall, I feel just about on target with these. I am ~about~ halfway done with the socks and also ~about~ halfway through the month of March. I'll continue to try to get about 30 mintues a day in on sock knitting before moving on to other projects. I am loving the way the gradient is working up on these. Next up is starting the mock cable portion of the pattern, and that's when the pattern really starts to shine. Stay tuned!

March Solo Sock Club Yarn and Pattern

I am really excited about March's draw for the Solo Sock Club. I was SO excited that I cast on and knit for quite a while before it occurred to me to take a picture of the yarn to post on the blog. Facepalm.

This is how the yarn looked before I lost control and cast on. The bottom set is closest to these colors.

The yarn is Bashful Gradient Dyed Cupcakes, which was previously sold under Bashful Bags and Fibers. I followed a link to their etsy page, but it doesn't appear that they still have any active listings. If you really want to get your hands on some, you might get lucky and find a stashed set on ravelry with which someone would be willing to part.

For this yarn, I really want to use up every little bit of that scrumptious color. I've opted for a toe-up pattern, Laxo Socks.

Using a toe-up pattern means that I can keep knitting until all the yarn is used up, ensuring I get all of that lovely color worked into my project. I can't wait to see how these ones turn out. Since I already have a head-start on March, I will likely have these finished well before the month ends.