Cable Rib Ankle Socks

I finished these 2x2 cable socks some time after I finished Mimi's cappuccino socks. Well... I started them before Christmas, lay them down, misplaced them, found them again and finished them in January when I was having my thyroid woes. Nothing like keeping your hands busy to get your mind off things.

The cast-on is 64 sts, and I used Monaco crochet cotton with a US size 1 (2.25mm) pair of bamboo needles 40" long. My cable needle - badaboom! - is a bamboo toothpick 2.25mm in diameter. Very very nifty to use a bamboo toothpick, the stitches don't fall off as the surface of the bamboo holds the stitches well. Great for small-diameter portable projects. It follows the standard sock pattern, only I realized (quickly enough in the middle of knitting the first sock) my design error.


You may notice that the last cable columns on either edge of the sock front sort of blend into the stockinette of the underside. I was trying for symmetry, so to fit the cast-on, I inadvertently left the P2 column out. Next time I shall try for:

P1, cable, P2, K2, P2, cable, P2, K2, P2, cable, P2, K2, P2, cable, P1 = 32 (front)


Yes, it's very pretty with clogs and certain sandals.

On The Needles

... are a pair of cable rib ankle socks, in light blue cotton. This is something I started last December but only managed to knit a couple of rows every now and then. The good thing is that I have finished one sock and am just past the heel on the other.

And then the 40" plastic cable and one bamboo needle decide to separate ways. AAARRRRRGHHHH!!! I will be gluing them back together tomorrow morning. Fortunately I have 32" needles for backup.

Did you know, standard bamboo toothpicks from the supermarket make great cable needles? They're actually a US size 1.

This is actually my second pair, the first one are already with Incredible Joie. Due to a stupid miscounting of stitches (yes, that'll teach me to cast one when I'm sleepy) I end up knitting 2 sets of 2x2 ribbing instead of purling them. Regular folks wouldn't notice, but I do, and I just finished them because I'd already gone and finished one. The one that's on the needles now have the correct number of stitches, knitted according to my handwritten notes.

I brought them with me to Baguio, but when your little niece always wants to be playing there's not much you can accomplish. I went back to them today, until the cable separation occurred.

I gave up and made myself a sandwich of Kiwifruit honey and Brie on wholewheat. THAT always works.

P. S. TDM's socks aren't even past the heel yet! That'll be good for another blog entry. The year started out pretty rough for me, I need to get back into a knitting frame of mind.

Mimicat's Cappuccino Socks

I think these are supposed to be called Caramel Macchiatto socks but that's way too long. The color way is Cannon mercerized cotton MB073, a nice tan-khaki shade with a nice sheen that is in Mimi A's list of personal favorites. Again, the pattern is based on Ann Budd's basic socks, but can be made using the Yarn Harlot's basic pattern as well. These were made with Magic Loop, with a 32+32 stitch cast on, 2 x 2 ribbing, using US 1 or 2.25mm carbonized bamboo circular needles 40" long (you can use 32" as well).

They're for Mimi's birthday, which was sometime last November. I was supposed to have met up with her around then to give her these, but work got in the way and you all know how the season makes schedules crazy. In exchange, I asked for some pink Cannon thread, which I am using in turn for something for Gene's baby. Mimi and Gene are my Ravelry friends here in Manila that I've been communicating with on a semi-regular basis, via our blogs and other social networks. I'm sorry the socks are a little late, Mimi, but they're here, finally. Belated happy birthday!

Note: The carbonized bamboo needles are sooo nice and easy to work with! Honestly, there's not much difference in feel between the carbonized and the blonde bamboo needles, but I can see that the carbonized ones are not as likely to break easily. Worth the slight difference in price.

WIP: Pavel's Olive Merino Socks

Yesterday was a national holiday, Eid al'Fitr (the start of Ramadan). I managed to finish the first sock. I really enjoy knitting with merino! So relaxing, much more so than with cotton. After knitting with cotton I need to stretch my fingers every once in a while.

Here are some pictures I took with my ASUS V80 phone, while waiting for my dad at the dentist's (he likes to have me around for "molar" support, hehehe). The first two pix don't use flash, I manipulated the brightness and midtones to make the cable details pop out. The last one used flash. It doesn't look so bad, except for the lopsided flashing (2mpx cellphone camera, but one day I'll do better). All photos use macro mode for better close-up detail.

I'm using 2.75mm / US size 2 needles, as recommended by Ann Budd. Knitpicks! (The Addis are on the tv knitting.) The size here is for a child's medium with a 6.5-7" foot measured from toe to heel. Pavel is 4 years old but has big feet. I'll see what I can use to block it with. Maybe the nifty corrugated plastic I saw at the bookstore (in office supplies), cut to shape.

One day I'll get me some sock blockers, the nice wooden ones like they have in Ravelry. They don't have to be fancy. They just have to be the right size. Or... I'll ask our friendly furniture repairman (the one who made Incredible Joie's nostepinne from a chair leg).

To End The Confusion

To those who emailed me expressing an interest in the Tita Ting Basic Socks Pattern: I'm sorry I can't give it to you because it isn't mine, and I don't have permission to. I don't even know where Tita Ting got her pattern to begin with. I only have it as the student of Ines J. at Dreams. As for the Ann Budd pattern, I paid for it, and will have to keep to a lower living budget after the bookbuying mania of the recent Manila International Book Fair.

However, I can do the next best thing: give you some links to very similar FREE patterns made available to us on the net through of the generosity of their owners.

Lion Brand Wool-Ease Grey Socks

Knitting Socks by Yarn Harlot *I prefer this one*

To convert this pattern from 4 dpns to Magic Loop:

1. Divide total number of cast on stitches by two. For example: 30+30 = 60.

2. When you join the round, the yarn tail should be on your right. This first half of the stitches (30) would correspond to the first 2 dpns (14+16). The second half of the stitches on the other half of the circular form the heel. These would correspond to the 3rd dpn (all 30 on 1 dpn), with the 4th dpn as working needle.

3. If it makes it easier for you, place markers on the circular needle where each dpn needle is indicated so you remain in place on the pattern.

4. Try for an even tension/gauge, particularly on the joins, so you don't have ladders.

5. When working with crochet cotton, use a 2.0mm needle for the 1x1 rib cuff and switch to a 2.75mm needle for the sock body. The bigger needle creates a soft fabric and a wider stretch. The smaller needle addresses the ankle elasticity.

6. I don't care if people say it's cheating, but sometimes I sew a row or two of transparent elastic in the 1x1 rib. Cotton doesn't stretch much, folks. Good thing mercerized cotton doesn't shrink further. But it is nice and snug!

For those who don't know Kitchener stitch yet, click here for the video tutorial. There are also very good videos for other techniques on Knitwitch.com. I like the clear demonstration, simple language and summary of the techniques. I knit Continental and the Knitwitch knits American ("throwing") but the important thing is to watch not the hand movements, but the needle tips, where they go, and where the working yarn goes.

Other tips and tricks can be found in one of my favorite sites, Knitting Pattern Central. The free patterns directory can be found here.

You can also generate a custom sock pattern using Violet Green's Custom Sock Pattern Calculator. Just find a fiber with the right gauge. I found this in the blog QC Tester Hobbies: Sustainable Excellence (which also has links for other knitting patterns, cooking and other hobbies we all likely share). I think the surfing around is addicting enough. Don't forget to actually knit something!

You can also check out the other sites listed in my sidebar :) Why don't you join the international knitting community Ravelry and get access to other knitters and their projects? Knitter General's Warning: more fun and craziness as you get around.

Ningning's Candycane Ankle Socks

Note: Photo taken in fluorescent light without flash to give you an idea of the actual color.

Ningning went to Honolulu last month, and asked me if she could get me anything. "I hope it's not too heavy," I said, "but could you manage a book?" I wanted Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks. Yes, I could have ordered it on Amazon for less, but it would have taken forever to arrive.

I promised the pinkaholic Ningning a pair of pink socks, and had just the right Cannon crochet cotton, in white-pink-red gradient (#S0016). Ankle socks too, because nobody seems to wear longer socks in this climate except school kids.

Leisurely knitted, I finished one sock on the Saturday afternoon of Sept. 6. Ten days later (ie., last night) I managed to finish the second sock. No second sock syndrome, I just had a million things going on in between. I practically knitted this pair without looking at Ines' handwritten version of the pattern anymore. A portion of the second sock was knitted while waiting in line at the dentist the other day.

It was actually while reading Ann Budd's book that I realized that what I'd been calling the Tita Ting pattern (the original of which I thought was from Lion Brand) was practically word for word Ann Budd's. So when I registered this project in Ravelry I filed it under Ann Budd's Basic Socks. I know it's probably a Chicken and Egg situation, but let me clarify: Tita Ting's version was written for Magic Loop while Ann Budd's was for 4 dpns. I resist knitting with dpns only because I lack practice, but a thorough reading of the patterns from the book led to numbers clicking into place in my head. Now I (think I) know how to convert from dpns to Magic Loop...

Ningning -- many, many thanks for getting me the book, and I hope you enjoy these socks :)

Nanay's Apple Green Ankle Socks

These are my first completed pair of ADULT SIZE knitted socks using crochet thread. I posed them with Elmo and Moo to give you an idea of scale; they fit a woman's size 6-7.5 foot. This follows a basic sock pattern from Tita Ting, but which can be found free on the internet in different guises.

They were actually meant for Mimi, but in my knit-and-frog delirium over the last few weeks I was unable to finish them before she left for Hawaii. However, my mom took a shine to them, as the color evoked youth and gardens, the latter being her recurring source of creative happiness (much as mine is knitting).

One reason why I wasn't able to finish them in time was that:

1) Crochet cotton doesn't stretch very much, even with a tight 1x1 rib in the cuff. Sock yarn, which is a wool-nylon blend, has that elastic give. While I have some merino in stock, I really wouldn't use that for a first try. Besides, cotton is really cool on the feet here in Manila.

2) It was only last Saturday when I discussed my issues re reinforced heel flap mistakes and tight/loose cotton ribbing with my teacher Ines. The reinforced heel mistakes were easily corrected. Then Ines taught me the ff. solution to the ankle cuff:

Needles: US size 1 (2.0mm) and 2 (2.75mm) circular knitting needles (here I used Knitpicks)

Gauge: 32 sts across and 40 rows for 4x4" square for larger needles

Cast On: If sock body is for example a total of 30+30 = 60 st st around on size 2 circular needles/dpns, cast on 90 st on size 1 needles and distribute as for Magic Loop/Cat Bordhi 2-circ method or dpns.

Row 1: *K1, P2*, repeat * until end of 45 sts per circular needle. (For dpns, you divide the heel sts evenly as long as your Row 1 repeats per needle ends with the P2.)

Row 2: *K1, P2tog* repeat * until you have 30 sts left on each needle.

Row 3: *K1, P1* repeat * and knit other rows as for 1x1 rib until you have the desired cuff length.

Sock body: Switch to larger needles for the rest of the sock pattern.

I think what this does is to prevent the cast-on edge from being too tight, but allows the cuff to snugly fit the adult ankle. The technique provides even more give for finer gauge cotton, such as DMC Petra crochet cotton #8. Ines uses Petra for baby socks, which is finer than local brands and requires finer needles.

Et voila:

Obviously, I am the model, as my mother is off to a local Red Cross meeting, where she is a director. I wish there were more light in the photo, but it's the monsoon season... The humid-but-cool weather is a perfect reason to wear cotton! So happy with these. My feet are narrow and flat, but my mom's feet have a higher instep and are just a bit wider across the widest part of the toes, and they fit her quite well! She was a bit alarmed at the lack of elasticity in the cuff, but soon discovered that folding half the sock inside-out and putting the socks on by gently pulling them up the heel worked beautifully.

Material: Cannon crochet cotton size 8, in apple green (shade # MB767) at PhP 25/ball (mall) or just over PhP 21/ball (or PhP 260/box of 12 wholesale). I recommend that you buy 2 balls, and knit a complete sock from each ball so you don't have to make joins if you're not confident about weaving in joins invisibly. Actually you could make 2 socks from one ball, but for an adult women's size 6 your second sock will require a join from the second ball just about where you start decreasing for the toes. I did this, but I had to weave in ends on a side decrease so that I don't feel or see any "double thickness" running across the upper side or underneath. I think I did pretty well.

Care: Ines recommended a mild bath soap or laundry bar such as Perla. Turn socks inside out. Apply soap. Gently squeeze out suds as you handwash. Rinse well. DO NOT WRING. Roll socks in a towel to absorb excess water. Shape and let dry flat. DO NOT IRON.

Joy's Multicolored Ankle Socks

Now these are my first adult worsted weight acrylic basic ankle socks, requested by Joy. I'd long been thinking acrylic would be too thick or hot for the local climate, but later realized they make perfect cushioned sport socks! Joy was intending to wear them to the Little Gym, whenever she accompanies Lilo to her weekly class.

Needles: Addi Turbo US size 4 (3.5mm) 80cm long circulars

Material: Red Heart worsted weight acrylic yarn, shade # 08327 (the 255m big ball) by Coats Manila Bay, PhP 70/ball (Carolina's Megamall). One big ball can probably make a pair and a half with a bit left over. Or almost two pairs, if you add one small 18g ball of the same shade.

Pattern: Tita Ting's basic socks pattern similar to this one. The pattern I followed was based on Ines' foot size, which is around a women's 6.

It knit up pretty quickly, being an ankle sock, about 4 hours in front of the tv after dinner? And I wasn't even in a hurry. That time even included unravelling mistakes. Great thing is, same size fits Nanay and me too. Joy got other unlikely colorways for me to make unique looking socks for her. Pictures of future socks as they finish!