Serpentine Toe-up Socks

[janestarz]

This is the second pair of socks I knitted from the free online class by Lucy Neatby on Craftsy, and I can't recommend it enough. It's a fun series of videos to watch and even if you've knitted socks before, there might still be some tips and tricks that will surprise you.

This sock has a lot of details, it was knitted toe-up and has a pretty round toe. The pattern on the top of the foot starts pretty early on and continues up the leg. There's ribbing on the sole to keep the sock snugly around your foot and part of the pattern is repeated on the back of the leg.



The heel is a short row garter stitch heel, which was new for me. I used scrap sock wool in a matching colour, but I ran out halfway through the second heel, so I used the tail I cut off "in between" the socks -- I wanted my stripes to match so I had to play with the point to cast on for my second sock.

The second sock is knitted slightly more loosely than the first, so at the garter stitch cuff and I-cord bind-off you can see a difference between the two, but I really don't mind. This was more an exercise to show [person from my family who nags about details such as these] that I can match stripes when I want to.



I'm really happy with the learning process, and I hope I'll be wearing these often when the weather turns colder. And I'm looking forward to the third pattern from this series!

Cross-posted to knitting

Comments

[anemoona.livejournal.com]

Matching stripes for the win!
(you should tell this person that nowadays it is hip to wear not-matching socks. Even two socks with two differrent colours!)

[janestarz.livejournal.com]

I told her I didn't want to waste yarn, since it's pretty expensive. I told her I don't mind the stripes don't match. I told her it's never a guarantuee, because the slightest variation in tension can throw everything off.
Perhaps I should have asked her how many socks she has knitted in her lifetime.

But sometimes it's nice to match the stripes. This is the second time I did it.
Personally, I love the fact that there are sister-socks (http://janestarz.livejournal.com/1346857.html) (same yarn, different accent colour), and fraternal twins (one sock has colour A as main, the other has colour B as main) much more than something easy and predictable like matching stripes.

[anemoona.livejournal.com]

I have seen yarn especially designed for socks. They have the same pattern from the inside and the outside. So you have always matching socks.

[wannabe-bitch.livejournal.com]

Ik vind je sokken echt ontzettend mooi geworden. En dat de streepjes gelijk lopen, ook knap.
En ik ga lekker niets zeggen over verschillende soorten sokken, want ik draag elke dag toch twee verschillende ;)

[janestarz.livejournal.com]

Jaaa, superleuk!

[(Anonymous)]

Since yours turned out so beautifully, I hope you don't mind me asking a question? I am just starting these socks, and am wondering...did you do the every-third-row increases at the same time as you were working the serpentine design, or did you wait to start the chart until after you've completed all of the toe increases? Congratulations on a job well done and a comfy new pair of socks!

[janestarz.livejournal.com]

Hi there! Thank you for commenting.
You start the chart while you're still increasing. That is why the serpentine design part is so close to the end of your toes.

It took me a while to "get" the first part of the toes. From row 2 to row 5 you create yarn-overs to increase the number of stitches while at the same time knitting the yarn-overs from the previous round through the back loop. That means you increase with 4 sts each round.
From row 6 to row 12 you increase every other round.
You start preparing for the motif in round 12 by increasing 1 stitch as well as marking starting position of the motif. At this point, the pattern states you have 48 stitches.

I always need around 64 stitches on a sock (at a gauge of 8 stitches per inch) to have a well-fitting sock, so I continued increasing at the sides while at the same time doing the motif as per the chart. And this is how it should be, as the pattern states:

Continue toe increases (made as before),
every third round until the toe is large
enough to fit the future wearer snugly. Try
on the toe periodically. As everyone’s sock
will be different, increases are no longer
written into the directions from this point.

I increased the same way as stated in row 6 and 7 of the pattern.

I found the socks to be pretty loose on my foot, so do try it on periodically to check the fit. For my next pair from this pattern, I'll probably try 60 stitches in stead of 64.

Good luck and have a lot of fun making these!

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for generously sharing your experience with this pattern! It will be much more enjoyable for me now. :-)

Lovely Socks

[(Anonymous)]

Nice job on your new socks! I'm working on a pair right now myself. Did you finish the toe increases before beginning the serpentine pattern, or did you work increases and pattern simultaneously? Thank you!