September Socks

I'm really not sure how I become ensnared in the Sockknitters Anonymous and the Solid Socks groups on Ravelry at the beginning of September ... but I did.  Each group has a "challenge" each month and umpteen members try to finish at least one pair of socks using the designated technique, pattern from a particular designer, or color of yarn during the month. 

First of all, the Sockknitters Anonymous group's "technique" for September was to knit a pair of socks using yellow yarn.  Well, I just happened to have two skeins of Brown Sheep Wildfoote in "Lullaby Yellow" that have been languishing in the stash for a couple of years.  Nancy Bush, a world renowned sock designer, graciously designed a mystery sock for the group and the clues were released weekly during the month.  I cast on the first sock on September 2nd and bound off the second sock just in time on September 29th.  The pattern is called "Fox Faces" and creates a beautiful lacy design.  I had thought I might give these socks away because I don't see me wearing yellow socks, but as pretty as these turned out I think I'll keep them.  (The yarn is really much more of a pastel yellow than the photo shows.)

Then the designated Solid Socks group color for September was red.  And in my yarn inventory was a rich red skein of Bearfoot by Mountain Colors.  The yarn is a mix of wool, mohair, and nylon, and the mohair adds such a nice softness and halo to the knit.  For this sock I chose the Yarrow Ribbed Sock pattern in the book Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush.  But since I have knit this pattern before, and have been wanting to teach myself to knit socks from the toe up I switched directions and used Wendy Johnson's toe-up techniques for the socks.  I have avoided toe-up sock patterns in the past ... no more!!  I had a few problems but none that I could not overcome.  And my good friend Cindy M showed me a very stretchy bind-off that works wonderfully.

The only problem I foresee with these red socks is that I have to remember to always handwash them.  When I washed them for blocking the water was a very bright red through the washing and all four rinses.  The yarn must be super saturated with dye! 

Tomorrow, October 8th, I am off to my quilt guild's annual Fall Retreat.  One suitcase is packed full of fabric, thread, patterns, batting, and miscellaneous supplies.  I am probably taking two to three times the number of projects I can reasonably get done in the four retreat days, but better to have too much than not enough.  Of course I am also taking along some knitting for the quiet times - the one pair of socks left over from the September challenges and two pair of socks I've cast on for the October challenges.