Thoughts on Izzy's

The Izzy Sock Pattern was born out of my love of Fair Isle, my need for mindless patterns, and my curse of a tight hand. These factors do not mix when it comes to sock knitting!!!

I love to work with color. I’m always surprised to see how colors interact in my knitting. But even more, I love mindless knitting. Following a Fair Isle pattern is not what I call Mindless knitting. I find that sock patterns with easy to memorize repeats of lace or cable patterns, are my favorite. I can work on them anywhere, put them down and pick them up, without skipping a beat. That is my kind of knitting!!!

Then, there is my Curse. I am a tight knitter. So I really have to pay attention when doing work that requires me to carry strands of yarn along my work (ala Fair Isle). My Fair Isle work does not stretch, at all. This isn’t exactly great for sock knitting.

So I tried to come up with a pattern to do color work where I carry the yarn behind the front of the work but would also be stretchy enough so that I could get the sock on my foot.
The pattern is a simple K2 P2 rib all the way to the toe. So the stretch is great on these socks. And the 2 color work is completely mindless. You really don’t even need the pattern if you follow this simple recipe.

Stitch pattern:
Always K in Knit stitches and P in Purl Sts.
Carry the non-working yarn behind your work throughout the sock.

Color pattern
The color pattern is a 2 row repeat, so every 2 rows the color pattern will change.
The color work rows are :
1st 2 rows: 2 color work
2nd 2 rows: single color work
Repeat.

The Single color rows are alternating main color (MC) and Complementary Color (CC) color.. So it goes 2 rows of MC, 2 rows of color work, 2 rows of CC, 2 rows of color work, back to 2 rows of MC, etc.
The 2 color rows are worked thus, always work the Knit sts in the opposite color of the previous solid color row and the purl sts in same color as the previously completed solid color row. For example, you have just finished 2 MC rows, the next row you start by K2 st in CC, P2 in MC, repeating around for 2 rows.
After you finish these 2 rows you go back to the single color row instruction. Since your last single color rows were in MC, you do the next 2 rows in CC. And so on. Really, once you do about 8 rounds (1 full repeat) the pattern is stuck in your head.

If you are the kind of person who needs a line by line pattern. Just leave a comment, and I will email it to you.

Pair 3 Started in the SOS 2007

A simple basket weave pattern, german sock yarn: Strickspass.
I did these on 2 circulars. I have to say.....Didn't like it much. DPNs seems so much easier to me. I used a 16 inch and a 29 inch needle. It was such a pain with all that cording flipping around and getting in my way. I'm doing my second sock on 4 DPNs.


I think I will try doing 2 socks on 2 circs. I see the advantage to that. But otherwise.......I'm not converting.

Have a great Weekend.

Harry Potter Weekend in Full swing

Some Knitting News First.
These are the pictures of my current Sock Projects. I've been working on the Undulating Rib socks in My Sockotta. I think the first sock came out great. I've already casted on the second sock.....of course while reading Harry Potter. I am trying the Elizabeth Zimmerman's recommendation about reading and knitting. It is a little hard because I need to pay attention tot he pattern and count and read in my head, but really it just slows down both he knitting and reading at this point. I just get the enjoy both for longer.



Also.....TaaaDaaaa! Just a teaser. Below is a picture of my sock that I have designed for the SOS design contest.


I still need help...If anyone is interested in testing the pattern for me I would GREATLY GREATLY appreciate it.

I'm going to spend today at the Harry Potter Movie with my kids and friends and then come home and read the book. Maybe try some knitting along with it.
Happy Harry Potter Weekend Everyone!!

SOS 2007 Design submission. Help Needed!!

The pattern for my SOS2007 design contest is almost done. I just have the toe to finish up on the second pair. I've been diligently knitting a row....writing the pattern....knitting a row....writing the pattern. I was so happy to get to the repeat part so it would go faster. I have to say I am very satisfied how it came out. For my first design, no real issues arose.

I do need some help, If anyone out there is willing to help test the pattern, I'll purchase you the yarn. If you are interested I can send you a picture of the socks I have finished and you can decide if you want to help me. I've already purchased the yarn from Simply Socks Yarn Co. It is the Lanna Grossa Meilenweit-Wool solids in (Pink, Green, Turquoise, & Yellow). I have lots of 2 color combinations to choose from so you can pick the 2 colors you want your socks to be.
If interested please leave me a comment.

Now that I am done with my Pattern designing, I can start knitting socks from others' patterns. I've been scouting all the socks that everyone else is doing at SOS2007. They have given me some great ideas. I love being here with all these potential socks to knit and Yarns to use.

Have a great week! Off to Knit!