It seems to me that last year was the year of the baby knits! I spent more time making baby items than anything else since my family seems to enjoy breeding (2 great-nephews born a day a part!). Then when it came to holiday knitting I was completely overwhelmed and rushed! I did not get time to learn new techniques which, if you are a hobbyist you may know, is sort of the point of having a hobby!
So this year I have issued myself a challenge: master sock knitting! Do not get me wrong. I can knit socks. I have made several pairs of perfectly beautiful socks, however, they are all based on the same pattern. In the past, sock knitting completely intimidated me to the point that I felt I would never enjoy this staple knitted item. Even the vocabulary was scary: gusset (um...what?), heel flap (why would one's heels need to flap?), turning a heel (what in the world does this even mean?), pick up stitches (Huh? I already have stitches on my needles!), and the scariest of all: Kitchener stitch! (What in the world is this? I KNOW the Knit stitch, the Purl stitch, and I can even do Yarn Overs...but KITCHENER??? WHAT!?!?!?) All of this kept me away from knitting socks. Until one day I came across the pattern that changed it all: Incredibly Easy Socks on Ravelry.com! (Ravelry.com is the BEST free knitting/crochet site in the WORLD!) Something clicked! I could do it! I made socks!
Knit on size US 3 needles using a mystery sock yarn from Joann's Mill Ends bag |
They look really wide but this is PRE-blocked! |
This is knit on size US 1 with mystery yarn from a Joann's Mill End bag |
I want to get over this. I want to be able to make any pattern for socks. I want to be able to look at a pair of socks and feel confident that I can follow the pattern to the letter. Eventually, though, my goal is to be able to create socks without a pattern! In order to do this I need to be able to master sock knitting.
My challenge this year: knit one pair of socks a month for the entire year! I have already set this in motion. I bought pretty yarn. I bought smaller needles. I searched for hours on Ravelry.com to find different sock patterns. I joined a group on Ravelry.com to help me with the challenge. And...I have already knit my first pair! On top of that I have cast on 2 more different pairs already as well!
Please note that I have been knitting socks for about a year but I have NEVER got beyond the Incredibly Easy Sock pattern. I LOVE this pattern! I do not want anyone to think that there is something wrong with only knowing one pattern for socks because there isn't. I could knit this pattern forever but in order to grow as a knitter, to enjoy my hobby more, and to learn, I feel compelled to expand my knowledge!
*See links below for patterns!
Another Incredibly Easy pair |
Another pair of Incredibly Easy socks! |
A LONGER pair of Incredibly Easy socks! |
Links:
Catherine
Incredibly Easy Socks
KnittingHelp.com
Ravelry