I liked working with this yarn. It was just a bit softer than most of the socks yarns I have used. (Don’t you know I can’t find the label – I’ve tossed it out! It is a blend of 75% merino/25% nylon). Because I only had a 50g ball of yarn, I interspersed a solid white and a pale grey as I knit so I could extend the pattern most of the way to the toe.
Finally finished this pair of socks made from two different variegated yarns. I could have bought two 50g balls of either, but wanted to see what I could do by interleaving the two.
The two variegated yarns were based on blue – one more strongly patterned, the second subdued. Unlike the previous pair where I alternated rows of each yarn, this time I knit 10-15 rows changing yarn when I thought the colours would blend. My problem was because I couldn’t discern the repeating pattern in either yarn it was impossible to duplicate the starting place on the second sock – so the two socks, while related, are different.
Nobody will notice when they’re being worn! So into the gift pile they’ve gone – I know a couple of wearers who will smile when they put them on.
Finished last evening. To make these socks, I bought two 50g balls of Fabel sock yarn – one in shades of turquoise, the second in shades of grey. The variegated pattern in both was subtle, not a lot of change, so I decided to interleave the two yarns throughout the whole sock – that way (with cuff, heels, and toes in a complementary solid Sisu yarn) I’d have enough yarn to make a pair of socks.
Because they go well with my turquoise wool crewneck sweater (from Woolovers) I decided to keep them. I wore them today!
The next pair will be similar using a variegated with a strong pattern in blues along with another ball in subtle shades of blue/grey. This time I might knit whole sections in one yarn, then change to the second, and back again. We’ll see once I get beyond the cuff.
More improvisation!
Here they are. Finished last evening. The yarn was dyed to produce the spiral stripes. Overall, I find the black overpowering the white/pink/rose. So these would be socks to wear with black, rather than pink, say.
Into the give-away pile… (which is growing – I’m going to have lots of socks for Christmas presents, coming December).
These are the socks for my friend Sab (who works for Lufthansa). She asked me for a pair of socks she could wear with her uniform – indigo and red – but Lufthansa’s colours are indigo and a golden yellow, so I incorporated both the red and yellow into the socks, making sure there was a reasonable amount of navy at the cuff end so she can wear them in her boots without the colour showing! At least I hope that’s what will happen.
Now to pack them up and get them in the mail to her. That’s for tomorrow.
The pair I started last evening I’m calling black/white cow – the yarn colours are white/black/grey with some pink – they just remind me of a cow. The yarn seemed so silly I couldn’t resist it. 
See what I mean – at the moment I’m knitting on 68 stitches – the “pattern” will change when I reduce to 64 in another 10 rows or so. Then I suspect there will be a set of spirals that appear. That’s the pleasure of knitting with variegated yarn – I love seeing what pops out as I knit!
The variegated yarn consisted of shades of grey with some soft burgundy and a grey/white mix. I extended that yarn with more white, a much stronger burgundy, with cuffs, heels and toes in a dark grey. It worked.
I did portion out the patterned yarn into two equal amounts before starting so if I ran out I could balance the two socks. I actually was able, in this case, to make it all the way to the toe!
This was the last of my leftover yarn. I went to the yarn store last Tuesday to pick up some new stock. Sab, my friend in Munich has asked for a pair of navy with red to keep her feet warm while working. There wasn’t any patterned yarn in those colours so I picked up some navy and red (I had some white at home) to see what I can concoct. Started this afternoon.
This is the pair using leftover yarn. I interspersed the variegated with a solid peach for the leg and instep. When I ran out I added a solid light grey. The point is to stretch out the variegated as far as it will go. I suppose I could stretch it further were I to use a third inserted colour.
This was the original pair knit from the variegated with contrasting cuff, heel, toe.
Just the heel in a contrast colour this time. I wanted to use up as much of this yarn (Opal: Sweet ‘N Spicy) as possible to have the least left over (still probably enough for a pair of legs).
This is the only yarn I’ve used for three pairs of socks – that’s why this pair seemed to go so slowly – I knew what was coming.
That was the last full ball of yarn in my stash. Time to visit LK Yarns in the north end, my local yarn shop.
Finished last night – decided to continue with the variegated yarn for the toe rather than do it in red although I like how the heel (with stripe over the instep) in red ties the colour progression together.
I’ve been knitting socks for myself and others since 2003. So far I’ve probably knit about 350 pairs of socks – of which I have 42 pairs in my sock drawer, including the latest pair I finished last night.
Socks drying after being washed
I started knitting socks for myself because I have always found the seam across the toes of ready made socks uncomfortable. I’d read about “self-patterning” yarn and when I came across some I thought I’d give sock knitting a try.
The great thing about knitting with variegated yarn is that a pattern emerges and I keep knitting to see how the sock will unfold (the first sock is always an adventure, the second sock is boring, but hey, it doesn’t take a huge time investment before a new sock adventure begins!).
Within a couple of months I had half a dozen pairs of socks; within a year I’d got rid of all my store-bought socks and I just kept knitting.
I produce about 26 pairs a year on average, some years a few more. I always have socks on the go. I find the act of knitting very relaxing. I’ve never knit the same pattern twice so each new pair of socks is a new exploration. Making something interesting from leftover yarn is the most enjoyable – I really never know how they’re going to turn out!
So as long as my hands will allow I’ll have socks on the go.
jmn 