Outlander Socks, Mittens and More Mittens!

So....it would work out that Camden has the first pair of Outlander socks, right???  That's a darn shame - something I will need to rectify at some point (maybe in a couple years, aha!).

I don't know WHY I had to make them for her, but it worked out that way - something about not liking the pooling on size 00 needles with 60 or 64 stitches...or maybe I'd tried 000 needles and hadn't like the pooling.  I can't recall at ALL, as I knit them between August and September, but I LOVE them, even though Camden is the one to enjoy them on her feet!

I just knit a vanilla sock, 56 stitches and size 00 needles, using lovely Voolenvine yarn (dyed by Kristin of the Yarngasm podcast!) on the Lush base, which she no longer carries, as she has a new version of MCN, not as high-twist.  The color is her signature Outlander colorway, and it really is so pretty, though the photos don't do it justice, of course.

I am still trying to decide how to fine-tune my sock knitting.  I have gone up from using 000 needles at this point, which is fine, but my row gauge is still pretty tight, though I love the fabric I am getting.  You can see above, also, that I did knit ribbing at the lower cuff/behind the ankle, as I like how it cinches in a bit.  I knit my heel flaps pretty long, but it is a SQUEEZE to get them up over Camden's instep.  Her last three pairs have been this way, and I don't think knitting a mile-long heel flap is the permanent answer, LOL.  They fit great, when on, so, who knows.  She wears a size 1.5 shoe at this point, and she can still squeeze into her awesome green Hue Loco socks and her pink Cyborg's Craft Room socks, though I think we're retiring the pink socks...for the first time, I accidentally machine-washed a sock (because SOME children I know leave their socks all over their beds), and it did shrink up a tiny bit, so, I need to machine-wash the other so they are the same - then squirrel them away.

As for my next two projects, they are just wee pairs of mittens for Camden and Tiberius!  I made sure to use stash scraps or whatnot.  Pictured below is what the purple yarn was used for the first time (and which is now stored away in a bag somewhere, aha).  And below that is Tiberius's Bad Bunny (I didn't use actual Gnome Acres Bad Bunny yarn, but this was close enough, and I again realize I never took any great photos of the poor bunny, as with a certain book report dress).  Anyway, I use the Stars or Stripes mitten pattern, and it has worked well for me so far!  I tend to like cuffs super long, as they are then tucked nicely away under coats and shirts, keeping their wrists warm!  I will say that because of how densely I knit them, Tiberius's pair came out with non-ideal pooling, so, I really should have sized up a needle.  I used 1.5s and 2.5s on his pair - and maybe Camden's, too.  I have a feeling I'll have to re-knit mittens for Tiberius before this winter is out.  At least they're quick!

And...days in the life!

Someone doesn't want to bring a hat or shawl, so, he steals my things...

Ahahaha!!!!

Jotting down the 12 uses of dragon's blood.  Of course.

Yes, Socks Receive Their Own Blog Post

Though socks for a child are but wee, I felt that since I knit two pairs for Camden this year (well, over the past 8 months), they get their own blog post.

I used quite lovely yarn on both pairs, which makes it totally worth it ;)

I finished the pink pair way back in June (project page)...and they were slightly long, which I planned for...and they still are - oops!  The yarn is Cyborg's Craftroom in the Assockilate base, and the color is Unicorn Rainbow Fight.  They knit up beautifully, and I kept wanting to stare at them - and the other pair - while taking photos, aha!

Here is my thing with socks:  they are tricky in that, to get gauge, I originally had to go down to a size 000 needle, and I either use metal DPNs or my Karbonz DPNs (I buy the Karbonz from Handome Fibers - you NEED to order from them!!!  They are always so fast!).  BUT...I started tensioning my yarn a bit, because of my loose gauge, and I now wonder if it's just too much.  For example, you can see that ON, the socks fit super well, but they ARE snug to get up over the gusset (and I always knit a gusset and heel flap)...even though I knit my heel flap several rows longer, to accommodate for my crazy tight row gauge.  I don't necessarily want to move back up to a size 00 needle, but I am wondering if I should give that a try on the next pair of socks for one of the kids.  I love the final product in a 000, so, I'm not sure what to do.  I wonder if maybe picking up even more gusset stitches would help.  Hmmm....

For both pairs, I used the same pattern I always use for stockinette socks (paper copy, by the way!) - the Easy Lightweight Sock Pattern by Knitting Pure and Simple.  It is pattern #245.  I use the adult version for my socks, clearly, which is a different number.  One detail to note is that I used to kitchener toes closed, but I honestly have been finding I like the fit of the gathered toe better.  I also DO like to try out different toes on socks for myself, but for the kids, I keep it simple.

The other pair is knit in Hue Loco on the Spun Sock base in the Lucky Charm color way (my project page).  The colorway is gorgeous, and the socks are really quite bright and fun!  Nicole is getting back to dyeing more yarn, after having given birth to a gorgeous baby girl, so, go snag some yarn!  She has some lovely colorways in stock, like this one!

Of course, Tiberius feels HE needs a new pair, and I'd love to cast on some on, BUT.  I really need to finish a few projects I have going - including a pair of socks for myself.

Other shenanigans we've been getting up to....or NOT.  Honestly, we truly need to escape this house.  We hit up the bouncy house a week or so ago, and Camden and her dad went ice skating a few days ago, but we've just been so cooped up.  I need to get out and simple walk.  My knitting body is dying a bit.

Squeezing in a game of Outfoxed

I try to relax in baths...but when I've read a bit, I just want to escape, aha!

When Tiberius takes charge...

Matt is working on a quilt!

He may finish his first quilt before I do!

Camden says real artists wear berets

Contemplating life over Snickers Pie

Socks for Everyone (except Dad) - Yay!!!

This will be known as the sock post!  I knit up three lovely pairs of socks recently, and for some reason, hand-knit socks make me so happy - especially when the socks are for Camden and Tiberius.  Something about wee hand-knit socks on little kids....

My fancy socks are the Kai Mei pattern by Cookie A.  (She is well-known for her awesome patterns, but maybe most famous (aha!) for the Monkey Sock, which is a free pattern - and which I have yet to knit.)  Kai Mei can be found in her book, Sock Innovation.  (THIS link on Amazon shows that you may have to buy it used, though I'm sure it can be found new SOMEwhere, LOL.....It is also available on Kindle).  I have knit one of her patterns before, but I can't, for the life of me, find a picture...and the socks were a gift for a friend.  There is errata for this pattern.  You can find a link on the pattern page on Ravelry and go from there.  In this case, where the pattern comes from a book, I just pen the correct information directly onto the page in the book.

The pattern is very easy, and with this particular pair of socks, I wanted to do them concurrently, sort of - LOL....I did the leg portion of each one first, before going back to the first sock to finish it.  I never cut the yarn, nor did I have to balls with which to work, so, I just knit from either end of the cake.

The yarn is Black Trillium Fibers, though I am only sort of sure the base is Pebble Sock, and I can't recall the colorway name at all, though surely the tag is somewhere in this house....It is a gorgeous blue with purple sort of peeking through.  I purchased it years ago, and I'm glad I finally used it!  The socks did take forever, though, in terms of the fact that I knit the legs months ago and only just got back to finishing them...like I seem to do with adult socks.  I stuck with the original cast-on amount, as that is a good number for me, and I did add a repeat at the end - and added a few stitches for my bunion on the right sock.  Of course.

Awesome!

As for Tiberius's sock, I can't remember the name of this yarn, either, as it seems it was an "extra" with something...I think it came with one of my Knit Purl sock club installments back in the day.  I do know I purchased the orange at a local yarn store...why I purchased one 50 gram skein, I have no idea, but it works for heels and toes, eh?  For his socks - and Camden's - I used Knitting Pure and Simple Easy Children's Lightweight Sock pattern, which is a paper pattern I'd picked up at a LYS back in the day.  I love that I can use this pattern for them through part of elementary school!  Camden's sock was knit using the orange and the Madelinetosh sock yarn used in socks I knit for Tiberius before he was born.  I will totally be able to get one more pair out of this yarn, I am hoping....we will see!  Even if it's just heels and toes for a sock for ME, LOL.

Tiberius's socks took six whole days, but Camden's seemed to drag on a bit...apparently, 52 stitches, as opposed to 44, is a difference of a MILLION :O  They took almost a month, but they ARE pretty stinkin' cute.  I'm noticing, though, especially with her socks, that my row gauge, as is always the case, seems especially tight when my STITCH gauge is on.  It isn't a big deal, normally - except that we have a whole instep to consider.  I really think I need to start lengthening the heel flap because of this.  I did lengthen it a row or two on Camden's socks, but it probably needs to be more like four rows longer.  The socks fit great around her foot and around her ankle/leg, but getting them up and over is a pain.  I'm sure a soaking will loosen them up a bit, but something I need to remember, anyway.

Chubbs!

I LOVE these!

On another note....poor Matt needs hand-knit socks.  I started some for him years ago....and have basically ripped them out and need to start over.  Sad times.  Soon enough!!!

And more family shenanigans....

Rock piles....good times

Seriously

For real....

His sister has a bike.  The end.

Good 'ole family reading time

Poor kitty...