Posted by First pair of socks complete!
I am pleased to have finished my first pair. The second sock took only 1 week;an hour or two a day.
However, whilst I’m very pleased with my accomplishment they will not, sadly, be the socks I will wear day in, day out.
I bought the yarn through a crafter on etsy and I have to say it is not the softest yarn in the world. The evenness of the colour throughout the sock is a little random. Whilst I appreciate this is the charm of hand dyed yarn there is a whole block of white to the rear of one of the socks. Well, I made it fall at the rear of the sock when I saw it forming.
Frighteningly, when I washed the socks in the sink the water turned a vivid green so I would be extremely loath to wash them with my other woollens and life is too short to be washing individual pairs of socks by hand!
However I have learnt a great deal.
1. I love to use the mini circular needle and will continue in this method.
2. The first sock was made on 2.5mm dpns, the second on a 2.75mm circular needle. This has indeed made a difference to the size of the second sock and, not surprisingly to most, except myself, I have one sock slightly larger than the other.
3. Forming the toe and the heel was easy.
4. Ladders made by using the dpns disappeared completely on washing and shaping.
5. How to cast on using a method I had not previously used to keep the cuff top loose.
6. I love making socks.
In other news my daughter and I travelled to visit my parents on the North Wales this weekend.
My mother, my daughter and I crafted together in the afternoon, trying out a new craft I am loving and will share with you another day (ha!).
My daughter delved into a jewellery making kit she had received at Christmas from a cousin who knows us so well. She came up with this. A fine piece for a first attempt!
We also took a trip down to the local beach as the light was fading to view what was left of the promenade after the recent storms. So many memories of beach trips with parents and grandparents washed out to sea.
I just hope the council has the money to put it all back quickly.
Hope you had a lovely weekend and some sock making was squeezed in by those of you following KnittingSarah’s KAL
Love, Lucie xx
Love, Lucie 
“You don’t get anything for a pair – not in this game”. Sorry, couldn’t resist a bit of U.k. T.V. nostaligia there.
Good work with the socks – shame about the yarn and I totally agree that, even if life isn’t too short to turn a heel, it’s certainly too short to hand wash individual pairs of socks. Still, we live and learn.
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LOL! Yes, and I have learnt loads about sock knitting and yarn. I felt good, buying from an enthusiastic fellow crafter but we can all get things wrong.
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It’s a shame you won’t be able to wear the socks after putting so much effort in and what a disappointment about the yarn dye. Never mind I guess it was a valuable exercise in the art of sock knitting and I bet the next pair of socks you make will be perfect in every way 🙂
What a lovely ring your daughter made – well done to her 🙂
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To be honest I’m not that gutted and see it as a worthwhile excercise. It gave me the confidence to go out and buy some beautiful sock wool as I now know what I’m looking for and how I want them to look.
I was impressed by the ring too. It was very achievable for a great finished item made by a youngster.
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The colour of your socks looks awesome in the picture. When I made a pair of socks last year, I was thrilled to have made them but mine are huge! They’re fine for welly socks though. Your daughters ring looks wonderful. I’m sure she’s wearing it with pride. Have a great week x
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I learnt a great deal and will start my next pair tonight. I was thrilled to have made them, like yourself. A major tick off the list!
My daughter went to school wearing her ring. Totally forbidden of course!
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Well done on completing a pair! I am completely in awe of people who can knit socks! Such a shame about the damage on the sea fronts – the sea is so beautiful but so destructive too at times. Even so, I envy you living close to the sea.
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I grew up on the coast but unfortunately live well inland now so it is always a must-do when we visit my parents. As a teenager my family rented a flat right on the beach front for a summer when they were in between selling and buying a house. It was just wonderful almost stepping out onto the sand every morning before breakfast.
I was in awe of sock knitters too – don’t be! If you can follow a pattern, you can knit a sock.
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That ring is fabulous! Socks look good too but sorry you won’t be able to wear them!
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Lots of lessons learnt here with those socks! At least I now I can do it. I’m really looking forward to casting on my next pair!
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Love the sock colours
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I’m wishing spring to arrive, can you tell?
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I’d like to try crocheting some socks. I think wool choice will be critical though… I couldn’t stand having itchy feet.
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I’ve learnt a lot about buying wool over the last few months. I’ve learnt that wool softness varies enormously and if you are buying wool to wear against your skin you need to really see it feel it in a shop, or it be recommended, as opposed to buying something new off the internet.
I’m still unconvinced when it comes to crochet socks. I think a chunky sock would work but I don’t think crochet leads itself to a fine soft sock. But I’m happy to be shown otherwise!
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Oooh those socks do look fab – love the colour!
Your daughter did a great job with the ring too – definitely one to be worn with pride! 🙂
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She’s very proud of her ring as she sees it as something she would buy if she saw it in a shop. She is wearing it to school today – hidden under her gloves!
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lots to be proud of here – and so many lessons learned, huh? Try washing the green socks in vinegar – it might set the dye. Of couse, they will smell like pickles for a while. 🙂 Wonderful photos of the seaside, but what a shame to have such destruction. Sorry that all our storms came your way…
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I will try the vinegar idea. I was going to wash them again anyway to see if it was just a one off. But yes, lots of lessons learnt and shared. I think we have to share things that don’t turn out just right as well as the good things.
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You are right about that!
I suggest the vinegar (and it won’t take much) only because when you dye things, you can use it in the dye to help it set – so maybe it will work afterwards, too?
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Very pretty socks, love the back story! Your daughter’s ring is stunnng, wire is very very in right now!
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She’s very proud of her ring as she sees it as something she would buy if she saw it in a shop. She is wearing it to school today – hidden under her gloves!
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If I’d seen it in a shop, I would have bought it immediately. No hesitation whatsoever.
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Quite a few yarns have excess dye that washes out during the first wash… Rather than not wear them at all I’d sling them in the wash with some darker things. At least that way they won’t turn your other stuff green! You could put them in a little net and then if they pick up any dark colouring it will be overall and not odd stains from direct contact.
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Thanks for the advice. I will have another go at washing them and see what happens.
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well done on your first pair of socks- love the colour! they are on my to knit list lol x
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I love the colouring of the socks, well done for making them. I love dabbling in different crafts too. Love the ring your daughter made.
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So many crafts! Not enough hours in the day! I could just do with winning the lottery and I would spend all my time on courses on crafts I’ve not yet tried.
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Congrats on finishing your first pair of socks! 🙂 Sounds as if you will have to use them as samplers. Lovely ring your daughter made.
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I’m actually not that gutted as I have learnt a great deal. I’m still chuffed. I still love looking at them.
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Congratulations with your socks, they look great on the photo! Sorry about the yarn:(
I love the ring of your daughter!
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Your socks turned out awesome. I love the colors.
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Thank you for your lovely comment!
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Well done on your achievement, they look great. Time is never wasted if you learn something along the way.
Lovely ring too 🙂
Jan x
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That is exactly what I am taking away from these socks – lots of lessons learnt.
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What a conincidence to see your first socks right next to mine. I do like the wool you have used! I can’t cope with circular needles, so will stick to my doublepoints.
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I know!! They are a lovely thing to knit and your would wear so many more colours on your feet than you would put in a sweater!
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