SailingKnitter

The latest issue of Interweave's Sockupied eMagazine, Spring 2014, is now available for download. Why do I mention this? Ta-Da! Because this issue includes not only my new Spectrum Socks pattern but also an article I wrote to share some of my hints for successfully knitting color stranded socks!

I wrote the article, the pattern, and knit the socks way back in July of last year. A dear friend and I had been email corresponding about her socks which were knit with the stranded colorwork (Fair Isle) technique. We discussed various solutions to the "too dang tight" problem. So that was my motivation to write the article - might as well share these tips and tricks to all sock knitters!

I do love it when knitters ask me for advice or question a knitting method or their results. It MAKES me think about what I am doing as I knit and WHY I do what I do. I also find that often their questions make me a better knitter because I get out of a knitting rut that perhaps doesn't produce the best results in my own knitting.

Spectrum Socks can be worked with any color of yarn including tonals, hand-dyed and yes, even some wildly colored or self-patterning yarns in some of the sock areas. Just be aware of where you're using these fun yarns. Here are some photos of other ways that I've played with yarns using this pattern.

These swatches on the sock blockers here all use the same yarn as in the "official" pattern photo - Cascade Heritage sock yarn. Very nice stuff.

But I also worked up some using a Knit Picks Stroll Tonal sock yarn (springtime color) as my base green color and various other yarns for the accent colors. On these I also eliminated the colorwork on the feet because I wimped out I like the contrast between the fancy leg and the plain foot. And who sees your foot when your'e actually wearing the dang sock in a shoe anyway? Sheesh.

No, I haven't blocked the green socks yet which is why they look a little bumpy.

Also, I tried a more "metro" look with black Knit Picks Stroll sock yarn as the base and teal with tan for the accent colors. I'm looking forward to seeing what other knitters do with this simple stranded color-work pattern! Note: sailboat and many other designs of these wooden sock blockers are available Chappy's Arts and Crafts eBay store.

I hope you decide to download this great eMag from Interweave and try your hand at color stranded socks! For $7.99 you get SIX sock patterns and a lot more fun knitting stuff to read and learn. Now ask me more knitting questions. That's one of my favorite things to ponder when I swing in the hammock up on the bow in the evening trade winds with the twinkling stars.
Life is good.