Two more for The Drawer ~ Sock Report

Hi, Knitters,

I'm back home and recovering from our week in Colorado. By recovering I mean doing laundry and cleaning mainly. You all know how that goes. We had a great trip. While on vacation I got quite a bit of knitting done, mostly on socks. 

Today I'll give you a quick rundown on the Sock Report progress. 

Not long ago I did a sock report (click here) where I shared 8 pairs of socks that were in progress. That may seem like a lot (well, it is I guess) but it doesn't bother me at all to have this many socks on the needles at the same time. I just grab a sock in progress to throw in my bag as I head out the door and it is fun to have a little variety at the ready. I never tire of knitting stockinette socks. 

I am happy to report that last week I finished up two pairs of those in progress socks. Ahhhh! New socks! Is there anything better in the knitting world than a brand new pair of handknit socks? I think not.

I use my own sock recipe which I have written out in detail (it's free!) in a blog post called, How I make my socks (click here to see the post and click here to see the pattern on Ravelry). Lately I've been doing a longer cuff, around 7-inches, mainly to use up more yarn. I have so much leftover sock yarn accumulating. More Patchwork Socks will be coming soon! In fact, I am planning a pair of Opal Vincent Van Gogh Patchwork Socks using up all of the leftovers from this line of yarn. Those will be a treat. I'll keep you posted.

Have you seen this new line coming from Opal called Le Petit Prince? I'm crazy for it. Check it out!

I will be collecting all of the new colorways in this line for sure. Maybe you'll join me?

Yarn: Vincent Van Gogh Opal Sock Yarn in the Bridge colorway (discontinued line and getting very hard to find)

Up next, Starry Night Vincent Van Gogh Opal sock yarn. I vowed to always have a pair of Opal socks on the needles for 2013 and probably beyond. That's an easy goal to keep. I think I still have maybe four more Van Gogh colorways to work through.

Yarn: Cakewalk Yarns Worsted Weight Yarn in the Brooklyn colorway (click here for the Etsy shop!)

Needles: US size 4 dpns

Coming soon I will write out the numbers for the worsted weight sock using the basic How I make my socks recipe. I've got all of the numbers written out in a sketchbook I just need to write them out for you. Maybe I'll get to that later this week. The pair used about 240 yards (120 yards per sock) if you want to knit a pair for yourself.

I will wear these thicker socks with my clogs in the winter, also for outdoor winter ice skating and inside my hiking boots for hikes and snowshoeing. They will be so good. I will be making more worsted weight socks for sure! They are incredibly squishy.

Left sock: Desert Vista Dyeworks in the Tiki Bar colorway (try this yarn!!!) Click here for the shop.

Right sock: HDYarns in the Dynamics colorway (try this one, too!!!) Click here for the shop.

Needles for both: US size 1 dpns

These are both first socks for the pair. One more of each to go.

Right sock: Knitterly Things Wee Skeins (4 mini-skeins) in Halloween colorways. This sock I am piecing together like a Patchwork Sock. Click here for the Knitterly Things shop - go quick she has some Halloween colors in her shop right now!

Needles: US size 1 dpns
This is the first sock of the pair. I have a start on the cuff of the second sock for the Wee Skeins.

So I have two more finished pairs to add to the sock drawer(s)! That's pretty exciting. What is it about socks, even simple stockinette socks, that holds my attention like nothing else? Sock knitting is like breathing to me. I can't live without it.

How about you?

I will leave you today with a view of my garden harvest from yesterday. Zucchini bread, several loaves, are going in the oven later today. I made a chopped cucumber-tomato-onion salad with a touch of Italian dressing to go with dinner last night. The cherry tomatoes? I snack on those all day long. Not shown is a good sized bowl of green beans picked yesterday and we have loads of peppers ready to be picked, too.

Backyard gardens are the best.

Have a good start to your week! I'll be back soon with more.

best, susie