A whole month of socks

Since October is ending today so is the Soctoberfest. This year has been the first for me and I have enjoyed to have my focus on socks and not just treat them as easy-to-bring-knits or procrastinations between other projects.
I have finished four pairs of socks during the month and still managed to do a bit of knitting on other items.



Before the month began, I had three pairs of socks on the needles. I had planned to finish them and not cast on anything else before they were done. But then Kirsten Kapur from Through the Loops revealed that she would host a Mystery Sock KAL and I really wanted to be a part of that. And a few weeks into the month I needed something mindless to bring to the cinema, so another pair was begun. This ended up taking my time from a pair I really should finish now, namely my Snickets - they are still waiting, but someday I'll finish them.



Rocky Socks

• Pattern : Plain stockinette stitch sock
  
• Yarn : Basic Sock Yarn (#7799, brown, black, grey) - just under 2 skeins from stash
  
• Needles : 3 mm dpns
  
• Size : Large mens - about size 46
  
• Weight : 86 g
  
• Started : Late July 2009
  
• Finished : October 3th 2009
  
• For : Mr bigfoot

These were cast on just before the lights went out at the cinema seeing the newest Harry Potter movie. They have been to at least two other movies since then and are knitted on my supershort dpns - like 7-8 cm, which for me is perfect for soundless knitting without looking. I don't know why they were 2½ months on the go before I could hand them over - perhaps because they are a really boring knit outside the cinema?


Red triangular ribs

• Pattern : None - the ribs go into a peak on front and on the back.
  
• Yarn : Marathon Sock Yarn (#224, bordeaux) - from stash
  
• Needles : 2 mm dpns
  
• Size : Size 35
  
• Weight : 60 g
  
• Started : September 13th 2009
  
• Finished : October 28th 2009
  
• For : Me
  

I startet these socks getting bored with baby knits and wanting to do ribbed socks on thin needles. The fabric that came out of it is surprisingly soft and dense. There is a heart knitted in purl stitches on the back of each heel, but it is impossible for me to get a photo of them.



Afterthought Socks

• Pattern : One long long tube - cut cut cut - knit 4 heels/toes and two ribbings and; "voilà, you have a pair of socks!"
  
• Yarn : Schachenmayr nomotta Regia Design Line Kaffe Fassett, 1 ball (#4261, blue, green and brown stripes) and a bit of Arwetta Classic from my mystery socks (#200, yellow)
  
• Needles : 3 mm dpns
  
• Size : Size 35
  
• Weight : 58 g
  
• Started : October 18th 2009
  
• Finished : October 26th 2009
  
• For : Me
  

There were a few reasons for knitting these socks. I have had a single ball of the Kaffe Fassett yarn lying around for a while, not really wanting to buy another ball, but wanting a pair of socks for myself from it. I love the colors (which are a deeper green irl, but the weather is grey and it will not show on photos), but I liked the idea of some contrast for heels and toes. And since I have tiny feet a single ball of yarn is almost enough for normal socks, so this was a perfect way for me to try out the afterthought heel and toe for the first time.
I don't think the heel will ever be my favorite method, but these socks were so perfect as cinema knit, since you just knit the tube after casting on on waste yarn and keep knitting till there is no more yarn. After that it is easy to complete a pair of socks while at home with contrasting yarn and a scissor.



Mystery Socks '09

• Pattern : Mystery Socks '09 by Kirsten Kapur
  
• Yarn : Arwetta Classic - 2 skeins selected by my younger brother (#200, bright yellow)
  
• Needles : 2.5 mm dpns - 2 sets so I could knit both socks as the clues came along
  
• Size : Small, 56 st - size 35
  
• Weight : 48 g
  
• Started : October 1st 2009
  
• Finished : October 31 2009
  
• Mods : None, I've followed the patter and had so much fun with it
  
• For : Me - again again
  

This was my first ever KAL and I can't even describe how much fun I had. The best part was actually that the pattern was secret - it was fun waiting to get the next instructions and start knitting without a picture or knowing what would come out of it. I have already signed up for a sock KAL i November to, hope it will be fun too, though I already know what the finished product should look like this time.


So I ended up knitting most for myself - but that is usually what I do, so it's business as usual. I had though I would also find some time to do at least a pair of baby socks too, but I'm really bored by all the baby things now, so I never really felt like casting on. I have worked on a baby jacket, though, and two pairs of fingerless mitts - one pair done, used a lot and loved, another with only one mitt done. I'll be working on these tonight with a peanut butter sandwich, a cup of coffee and mandarins on a tray next to me.
Have a wonderful Halloween y'all and goodbye dear Socktoberfest.