Hey it's February!

How did that happen?! I think time is moving faster. I mean it feels like it was just Christmas and now we're into February already!

I've been doing some knitting lately and have my first FO of the year (well I finished 2 pussy hats so that's not true). But here is my first pair of socks for my 12 pairs of socks in 2017 goal...

I used some stash yarn scraps and did a plain vanilla sock pattern (Susan B Anderson`s How I Make My Socks, check it out on Ravelry if you`re interested, great free pattern). I usually make this pattern when I knit socks. It`s easy and slick. Plus it knits up fast! Especially when I make socks for me, which these are :)

I love this colourway, it`s from North Bound Knitting, an indy dyer from Ontario. It`s really fun.

I`ve started my February socks already. I`m not far along but I hope to get to the heel flap tonight. These are also for me and I`m using stashed Socks That Rock, and I have no clue what the colourway name is, the ballband is long gone. It`s bright and green and feels like summer.

I think I may go crazy for my next pair and knit some texture... I am kinda crazy like that. I have the Mercury Socks in my queue. They are a free lace sock pattern, I think I`ll make a pair. After that I may get really bold and knit a pair for Brent. He mentioned that he`s like a pair and I have yet to knit man socks... I may have to buy 2 skeins of sock yarn for him in a manly colourway. He`s probably not appreciate the crazy sock yarn I have in stash.

If you have any favourite sock patterns for dudes shoot me a comment below. I`d really appreciate the help!

Lullaby Blue Socks

I finished a pair of socks last night. I named them after the colourway from Knit Picks, the yarn is their Stroll Handpainted 462 yards. 

I love blues and these are really blue! I still have tons of yarn left too. Enough to make another pair, certainly lots to use in my Epic Blanket.

The pattern is really a tutorial found here on how to do short row heels/toes. I started with a cast on of 64 stitches and did ribbing for about 16 rounds. I used my favorite size of dpns for knitting socks, 2.75mm.

The heel itself was easy to do, had those pesky holes on the first sock though (when you finish the heel and go back to knitting the foot). It was an easy fix on the second sock (just pick up an extra stitch on the first round and knit it together with the next stitch on the next round).

What I like about these heels:
- they knit up fast! No flap or turning the heel or gussets...
- the patterning stays the same throughout the sock, no weird pooling or break up of stripes
- it looks slick...

What I don't like about these heels:
- picking up double wraps on little dpns isn't much fun
- the heel doesn't fit as well as I wanted it to
- the leg portion of the sock ended up shorter than I wanted because the heel isn't as long as it would be if I had done a flap
- and the same for the foot, I had to knit it longer to make up for the gussets

So would I knit this style heel again? Ya, probably. I could see using it for self striping yarns. But I still like the heel flap/turn/gusset style better, at least for fit.

I'm debating what my next sock project is going to be. I've knit 7 pairs now this year. I have so many scraps  that don't fit into my blanket theme that I may do a true scrappy patchwork pair.

On the other hand I'm ready for a sock challenge. Maybe something with lots of cables or twisted stitches or lace. I'll let you know what I chose when I cast on...