I got into knitting socks last Christmas. Started with the idea of making a pair for my sister-in-law and ended up loving the process and making 7 or 8 pair for different members of my family. This year this self same wonderful sister-in-law gave me Cat Bordhi's wonderful book "personal Footprints for Insouciant sock Knitters" and a "sock cocktail" from Knitpicks. The sock cocktail contained enough sock yarn for 5 pair of socks in beautiful Stoll; greens, blues and purples and patterns for different heels, toes, and 12 great pattern stitches suited to sock knitting.
I have spent the whole month is sock bliss; trying out the new techniques in Bordhi's book, and new heel and toe techniques from both pattern sources. The real question among sock knitters is "top down' or "toe up". There is much contraversy over this issue and much heated debate. I see the merits of both but I still like the top down method and and a gusset heel. Maybe it just fits my foot best.
I did however create my own cardboard pattern as described by Cat in her wonderful book and it's become a part of my pattern catalogue.
The photos show 3 pairs of socks completed this month. The dark blue is Stroll Sapphire Heather made toe up with a mitered heel and an eyelet rib pattern stitch. The light blue pair is also made toe up with cat Bordhi's technique of knitting to the leg line, adding 2 life lines, shaping the heel and then cutting and unraveling a row between the life lines to begin the leg. Daunting until you try it and then quite sensible and satisfactory. The pattern stitch is a 4 row bell lace.
The green (Stroll Pine) sock is made top down in a basket rib pattern with gusset heel adding Duchess Heather for a little 2 color accent in heels and toes.
