Monday, March 10, 2008

9 to 5 socks are done!

Just as I finished my job, I finished the socks knit in honor of hard working people everywhere. Perfect!

Pattern: Nine to Five by Nicole Hindes.

Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy. Color: In Vino Veritas.

Needles: Knitpicks Harmony Double pointeds, US size 1.5 (2.5mm) AND 32" circular, same.

Pattern Review: A fantastic (and free) pattern with a new and interesting heel: The half-linen stitch. The cables are not actual cables, but mock cables. That was fun too.

The socks are worked from the cuff down over 72 stitches. This was too big for me and my loose knitting and my narrow feet. Which brings me to the...

Modifications: The tough part was the realization that these had to be knit over 72 stitches or else 60 stitches. To have a balanced sock, there was no in between. Unless I wanted to really modify this sock, which I didn't want to do.

Lucky for me, 60 stitches worked out great. The heel was done over 31 stitches. If you are going to make the same modification, the magic number on the heel turn is 16.

The resulting socks are very stretchy and stay up well.

Yarn Review: Besides the fact that "Dream in Color Smooshy" is a very pleasing collection of words in a row, the yarn totally rocks.

It's not quite solid enough to be flat and boring, but not variegated enough to distract from a pattern. The texture is smooshy as promised.

Also, the yarn is machine washable, spun from 22 micron 100% Australian merino wool, (traditional wool is significantly coarser - around 28 microns or higher) and each skein is a generous 4 oz/450 yards.

At the risk of being called an enabler, you can buy it here, here or here.

Overall: Love love love... even though they seemed to take forever. I blame the mock cables for that.

I guess here is where I'll mention that I finally learned the magic loop technique on the second sock. I am very comfortable with double pointed needles but wanted to see what another method would be like. I understand why people like magic loop; I like it too and I plan on doing more!

In case you missed it: In Vino Veritas = In Wine we Trust? Could that be?

EDIT: It's "In Wine, Truth"... thanks for pointing this out (see comments!)

5 comments:

Wendy Stackhouse said...

More like in wine is truth. Lovely socks!

Anonymous said...

That color suits those socks so well! Nice socks

Jill said...

Those socks are fabulous! I printed out the pattern the other day, per your suggestion, and hope to knit them real soon. I have two socks ahead of them in the queue at this point... Thanks for the details about your modifications I've been finding that I've been knitting on really small needles lately to get gauge, so hopefully the 72 stitch version will work for me since I have average size feet/legs. BTW, I'm in LA too and just started reading your blog a month or two ago. I thought it might be fun to run into you at some knitting event in town, but now you're moving :-( But, I think it's terrific that your taking the plunge and going on a big adventure!

Natalie Rush said...

You socks is lovely!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Dream in Color. It's one of my favorite yarns!!

I love that wine color!!

dragon knitter said...

i'll have to keep your mods in mind, as i'm a horribly loose knitter myself.

in vino veritas is "in wine, truth."

as in people tell you what they think when they're drunk, lol.