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Kick Up Your Heels--SOCK CAL

Krakovianka

By Krakovianka
in Crochet-Alongs (CALs)

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Krakovianka Community Regular

Krakovianka

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Yes, it's August and it's still scorching hot. But autumn is not far off--the temperatures will dip (I promise), and :flake jack frost :flake will be nipping at your toes.

 

:wbrr :wbrr :wbrr

 

Time to head him off by crocheting a warm pair of socks! Or maybe two, or three...think Christmas gifts!!!

 

:socks :socks :socks

 

I have sock yarn :yarn . I will :crocheting make socks. Will you join me?

 

I'll be sharing pattern links here. If you've successfully used a sock pattern, please share! They are not all equally easy to execute. Let's talk sock yarn, sock yarn substitutes, the merits of toe-up vs. cuff down, the dreaded second-sock syndrome, and all things sock related!

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bearlycrocheting Enthusiast

bearlycrocheting

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Yes, I have socks that I have put aside and need to finish. This cal will help me get motivated again, I'm in. I am doing the Berries socks by Kim Kotary. And using the Walk Away sock yarn by Yarn Bee in the color Toe Hold.

 

Linda

********

WIPS: Hexagon Afghan, Berries socks

WIMS: Irish Lace Shawl, Cathedral Rose Window Afghan

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Krakovianka Community Regular

Krakovianka

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Please do! If you think you need more direct instruction, I think there is going to be another round of the sock class in September, and class members are very welcome to join the discussion here as well--especially if the sock-making process continues beyond the duration of the class.

 

I was just reckoning up all the pairs of socks I've crocheted, and it comes out to an even dozen. All of them were for me or my daughters, and although I'm confident enough now to make a pair of socks I'd give as a gift to someone else, I'm NOT confident that crocheted socks would be welcomed. They do feel and behave a little differently than knitted socks.

 

I've worn out at least 2 of the 4 pairs I made for myself, so I need new ones. Which brings me to part of the reason I wanted to start this CAL. I have two completed socks which have fallen prey to "second" sock syndrome. I made sock number one all the way to completion...and failed to make sock number two (I may have at least started one of them...but I'm not sure). I need a LOT of motivation to finish those pairs because (this is painful to admit)--I don't have a pattern. I made both of them without a pattern, and because I didn't make the second one right away, I'm going to have to practically dissect the first one to figure out what I did.

 

And here's the real kicker--they aren't even the same pattern!!!! The easier of the two is my basic sock pattern that I've developed as I learned, with a heel of my own design. I was feeling ambitious when I started the other sock, and I *made up a new pattern for which no notes of any kind exist*. I feel like an idiot for letting them sit so long without making the second socks, but what can I say? It was May, and getting warm, and socks lost their appeal.

 

I can't even look at them until next week. This week is for psyching myself up for the task and gathering sock-makers into the folds of a CAL, because this is going to be so much fun.....

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Krakovianka Community Regular

Krakovianka

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Yarn:

 

What do you think? I think if you really feel uncertain about the process of making socks, using sport weight or even worsted (with an appropriate pattern) could be part of the learning process (my first pair was made with dk weight--close to sport). However, I think most folks will find socks made with sock yarn more pleasing to wear.

 

I've used some German sock yarn that was gifted to me, some American Red Heart Heart and Sole I received in a swap, and this yarn--the only sock yarn I can buy here in Poland, but it does make nice stripes.

 

I once made a pair in plain cotton yarn--dd wore holes in them almost immediately. :grumpy I've made two pairs with plain acrylic (maybe three?)--and those got holes very quickly too. Maybe it's just my family, but wool/nylon sock yarn is the only thing that has worn well enough to be worth the trouble.

 

One of my half-finished pairs is made using the first "fancy" sock yarn I ever bought, during the sponsored "Loopy Ewe" CAL this spring. It's called "Smooshy"--isn't that a great name for sock yarn. If I ever finish the pair, I'll be able to say how well it holds up!

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Debbi-a1 Rising Star

Debbi-a1

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I'll join.

 

Karen, you may want to mention in the first post, the Community Collection section with Socks it has lots of information on yarns and patterns. Although a CAL can help keep us motivated, which that section doesn't have.

 

I've made socks with various types of yarn, except WW, which would be too thick for me in shoes. I'll save that for slippers for me.

 

Karen, like you, I improvised a pattern and now have one sock with no notes on what I did, figuring i would make the second one later. I saw on Ravelry that some knitters wear mismatched socks, different patterns, different colors, etc. Although I don't think I could do that... but it may get that way.

 

I have another pair of socks almost done. I was going to try something (a graph in the leg part) but it didn't work out, so I just finished them as regular socks.

 

I started another pair, but it's not working out. It's me not the pattern. So I'm off to find a new pattern.

Debbi

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Jempast Proficient

Jempast

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Yes, I have socks that I have put aside and need to finish. This cal will help me get motivated again, I'm in. I am doing the Berries socks by Kim Kotary. And using the Walk Away sock yarn by Yarn Bee in the color Toe Hold.

 

Linda

********

WIPS: Hexagon Afghan, Berries socks

WIMS: Irish Lace Shawl, Cathedral Rose Window Afghan

 

That's funny we will be doing the same pattern. I am using Paton's Kroy Sock Yarn.

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Jempast Proficient

Jempast

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Here a tip on how to avoid 1 sock syndrome:

 

When working on the first sock after you are done with a section for example if you are doing toe up socks work the toe until it is completely done stop working on that sock and do the toe part for the second sock when you finish a section on one sock do the same on the second sock. You can conquer 1 sock syndrome.

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autumn_nights84 Apprentice

autumn_nights84

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That is a good idea Crystal except I couldn't do that. I have this weird thing where I can only use one hook for one thing at a time, so I would have to have two skeins of yarn and two hooks. It would drive me absolutely crazy. I had to go and buy another hook the other week because I was using my 5mm to make squares and I wanted to make a dishcloth using the same hook size but couldn't touch the other hook even though I wasn't using it. I really don't know why I am like that.

 

I don't know when I will be getting to Michael's (hopefully within the next week or two) and I am so excited to start looking at sock yarn, I love what everyone else calls ugly socks, with bright colors, stripes etc... I actually don't think that I own a normal, plain colored pair of socks.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions for patterns that are comfortable to walk in?? The few patterns that I have looked at today just don't look comfortable for walking.

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Debbi-a1 Rising Star

Debbi-a1

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These are the socks that I'm working on and are giving me some trouble. But I think I'm getting it.

Pattern: Cape Breton Cable

 

I do one sock at a time because I don't want to fasten off and have all those ends to weave in. But if I have a different color for the toe, then I can do that a little.

 

I also keep hooks with my projects. I don't always do it on purpose, but just do. So yes I have several hooks in different sizes.

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Krakovianka Community Regular

Krakovianka

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Using sock yarn is one thing that will make the socks more comfortable--the smaller hook and stitches mean that you won't have big bumps to walk on. I like extended sc for the body of the sock better than plain sc, although I use sc for the toe and heel.

 

I made twelve pairs of socks, crocheting the socks consecutively, not simultaneously, and then I ended up coming down with "second sock syndrome"--twice!!

 

I could crochet the socks at the same time if I had two balls of yarn (as with the Heart and Sole yarn), but with the Sportivo (Czech) yarn, one ball makes two socks. If I wound half of it into a separate ball, the stripes would work up in opposite directions--I couldn't tolerate that. I guess I could roll the whole thing into two balls...

 

Before I can even try that method (and I think it might be a good one for me), I have to complete the two unfinished pairs I already have...

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Jempast Proficient

Jempast

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I do have a pair of socks I am halfway done with I started in April for the Sponsored Sock Cal :blush Since I am hoping to have a pair of crocheted socks to wear for my surgery I am going to work on the pair I am halfway done with. Then I can work on the Berries pattern once I am done with my festival, then after that pair I can make the 2 pair for my husband for Christmas. I can't wait to do his since it will be my first time using worsted weight for socks! He wears his house shoes 90% of the time. So he wants worsted weight socks. Which will keep his feet warmer than sock yarn!

 

As for the socks I am halfway done with I am using Karen's pattern from the Sock Class from March. She is also doing the class again in September! I love her pattern. All though it's the only one I have tried. I can't wait to try the berries pattern from the book You Can Crochet Socks.

 

I am hoping my library has their crochet sock book in. I hope it is not checked out so I can get it tomorrow.

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Jempast Proficient

Jempast

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i'm in. i have 2 unfinished pairs. this sounds like fun

 

Same here. I have 2 unfinished pair. I would have at least 1 sock done but it was too tight and I had to frog it. So I never finished a pair from my sock class. But I only had a few rounds to go and tried it on and uuuggh it was to tight. So I had to :frog :frog :frog so I am halfway done with 1 sock from Karen's March class. :blush :blush

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Krakovianka Community Regular

Krakovianka

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I really like that pattern, Autumn nights! I love using self-striping yarn, and that pattern really shows it off nicely. I have some Heart and Sole right now, too--a gift from Holidays in July....

 

But no, wait. I can't start new socks until I finish the two pairs that need second socks. I'm saving this one, though--hope to try it sometime in the not too distant future!

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