....to some of these patterns!!!

I have decided to retire certain patterns. They're not the most popular ones. I am not deleting them permanently, I'm just making their pages into drafts. If their end location happens to be a Raverly, then the pdf located there will stay.

Why?

They don't get any shares or views.

They're taking up space.

The photos aren't that great.

They could be rewritten to be better understood.

For a variety of reasons, it is just time to take them down.

The ones that are being retired are:

  • The Blue Socks of Happiness
  • Spring Garden Socks
  • Bleached Herringbone

I will take them down on Friday evening, probably about 10pm EST, before I go to bed. This doesn't mean that they are gone forever, just for now.

 

 

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This is a lead in page to the PDF of this pattern. For whatever reason. the PDF link won't generate on the ravelry pattern page. If I put it in the link field in editing, I get the red marker of doom telling me that it's a PDF link and needs to be in its proper little field....where it won't display.

Sorry folks. Ravelry has never been my favourite place to try to save and distribute patterns, but it's the busiest.

Click this link to get the pattern as a PDF. If it won't click, copy and paste it into your browser.

http://simplesockmaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/BasicToeUpCrochetedSock.pdf

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Hey sock lovers!!

After a long absence away from this site, I decided to finish cleaning out the posts. My goal is to get this site lean and mean and down to the patterns and related articles.

My next goal is to clean up the comments because at one point when I was on blogger, I didn't check yes for a spam filter so I got pretty damned spammed.

Hopefully no one misses the porn links. LOL

my son's gargantuan size 14 feet, cozy and warm, in his favourite socks.  01/2013
my son's gargantuan size 14 feet, cozy and warm, in his favourite socks. 01/2013

This is a revised version of something I wrote several years ago. In going through my documents, on my phone and on my laptop, I came across this. Enjoy!!

Projects made with lightweight yarn are in style again. Several years ago I wondered if this didn't have something to do with the economy and I still believe that this is part of it. A 100g skein of lace weight yarn contains 600m of fibre while a worsted weight skein of the same weight will only contain about 180m. During WWII, when wool production was directed to the military forces, mills made their product available to the public by promoting patterns containing fingering and lace weight yarns for their economy. This is true again today, albeit for different reasons.

Another reason that light weight yarns are back in style is simple aesthetic. Small stitches flatter a wider variety of bodies than big stitches. There are a huge amount of patterns out there that use worsted and bulky weight yarns to cater to crafters with a need for instant gratification, but they really don't look good on a large cross section of people in Western society. Big bodies in big yarn look like big bodies wearing fat suits. Since I am the owner of a big body (not anymore - I am the owner of a rapidly shrinking body!!) I can attest to this. The downside to garments made from light weight yarns is that they take a lot longer to create. Things don't move as quickly when your gauge is 9sts/2cm as opposesd to 4sts/2cm. 

This is where socks come in. They're fabulous projects made at a small gauge that won't take forever. You can start and finish a basic pair of crochet socks in one day, working in between other tasks. Here are some other reasons why you should make socks:

  • Socks give us the chance to sample expensive, foo-foo designer yarns handspun by artisans located in remote mountainous regions that we may never be fortunate enough to visit. I may never have the budget to make a $300 sweater but I can probably find $30 in my budget to make a pair of socks.
  • Socks also give us the chance to sample new stitch patterns or new techniques without investing huge amounts of time. We could work Tunisian, cables, bobbles, and mosaics all in one sock if we wanted, and it wouldn't take us a year to finish.
  • Crochet also works both sides of the brain and I was told several years ago by my son (who knew everything then and still knows it all now) that if I didn't use it, I would lose it. Activities that exercise both halves of the brain keep us in tip top cranial form. I am told that other such activities do exist, but I haven't been able to put my crochet hooks down long enough to find out what those other activities might be.
  • When you are stressed out and on your last nerve, crochet can be relaxing and therapeutic. Those of you trying out something new may not agree - haha - but when I need to relax, I go to the only room with a locking door (yes, the bathroom....don't judge - every mother has done it) to drown out WWIII with the overhead fan and sit on the edge of the tub, happily crocheting away the urge to strangle my family. It's better for you than drinking or emotional eating, and you get to have nifty little dishrags, socks (or whatever it is that you can make on autopilot) when you are finished.
  • The fibre arts give me a sense of continuity and tradition in a monocultured world where we are often so mobile that we never put down roots. While I am sure that my grandmother and other long gone female ancestors probably never crocheted a vibrator cozy for their girlfriend's stagette party, I still feel connected to my heritage whenever I pick up my little hooks and start winding yarn around my fingers. In case my mother is reading this, I have never made a vibrator cozy. I was only kidding. Really, I was.
  • You can sample the strangest, craziest yarns in a sock and no one will blink an eye. Socks are just that cool now. You may never be able to wear a pink, purple, and green fluffy mohair sweater to work because it's loudness will cause instant blindness, but you can wear socks like that and everyone will think they're just the cutest! things! ever!
  • Finally, socks will never, ever make your ass look big. You can make them with any yarn, in any stitch pattern, any old way you want, and they will never, never, never make you look like you regularly eat panfuls of brownies by yourself. I can not honestly say that about some of the sweaters I've made.

I found this video in my YouTube Channel. It was shot quickly, for someone who needed to know how to turn a heel. I don't know why it was marked private, but meh, whatever. I made it public now. In watching it again I am reminded of why I love my little tripod now, because 17 year old boys make the WORST cameramen.

 

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Here's a quick stocking pattern that works up while you watch tv.
UPDATE!!!

This morning (December 9th) I shot two videos. The first one shows the Tunisian lace being made and the second shows a Tunisian bind off:

Tunisian lace
Tunisian bind off

6.0mm hook
6.5mm Tunisian crochet hook,preferably with a long cable
1 darning needle
Split ring markers
1 skein Red Heart Super Saver, Red
1 skein Red Heart Super Saver, White

Foundation round:
Using white yarn and the 6.0mm hook, chain 11. Flip the chain. Working in 2nd chain from hook, work sc across in the bottom bumps. 10 sc. Work 1 sc in same stitch as 10th sc, place marker. Flip the chain right side up. Work another sc in same chain, work sc across, working two sc in first chain. Mark the 2nd sc. You should have 22 sc. On either end is a group of three sc and the central stitch in each group is marked.

Round one (increase round):

Work 2 sc in each sc on either side of marked stitches, and work one sc in all other sc. Be sure to replace the markers in the appropriate stitch as you work.

Round 2 (even round):

Work sc in sc around.

Repeat these two rounds until you have 42 stitches. Break white yarn and switch to red yarn. Remove markers.

Body of foot:

Work sc blo in rounds for 15 rounds. At side stitch, break red yarn, attach white yarn.

Heel:
The heel is first worked in short rows that form a triangle. To turn the heel, stitches will then be picked up at either end of each row. This forms a cup shape for the heel.

RS: Work 20 sc across sock. Chain 1 and turn.
WS: Work 19 sc across. Chain 1 and turn.
RS: Work 18 sc across. Chain 1 and turn.

Continue like this until you have worked a short row of 10 sc across. Chain 1 and turn.

WS: work 10 sc across. Insert hook in side edge, draw up a loop, insert hook in skipped stitch of row below, draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through all loops. Sc2tog made. Ss in next side edge, turn. 11 sc plus 1 ss.

RS: skip ss and work even on 11 sc. At end of row, work sc2tog into side edge and stitch below. Work ss into next side edge, turn. 12 sc plus 1 ss.

Continue working as established until all 20 stitches are picked up and the heel is complete with the right side facing. Attach red yarn and continue working in rounds as before.

Cuff:

Work sc blo for 15 rounds. Work more if you wish for a longer cuff.

Trim:

If you have a Tunisian hook with a long cable, pick up stitches on the sock. Using white, pick up the first four stitches in the front loops and the last four in the back loops of those same stitches for an overlapping cuff. Make sure that the right side of your work faces the inside of the stocking so that when the cuff is folded down the right side is visible.

If not, simply chain 46 and work the lace pattern. Whip stitch the trim onto the cuff so the edges overlap.

Lace trim:

Foundation row: chain 46, pick up loop in 2nd chain from hook and each across. 46 loops on hook.

Work the return pass: yarn over hook, draw through one loop, then yarn over hook and draw through two loops across the rest of the stitches until you are at the beginning of your row, with one stitch on the hook, to work the next row.

This is the standard Tunisian return pass and it will be the return pass that is worked on every return row of this pattern.

Pattern row one:

(Please note that the first loop on the hook is not counted in the pattern stitch directions. This is your selvedge. By default it is a Tunisian simple stitch or TSS)

TSS2tog = insert hook in next two vertical bars of stitches to be worked, yarn over and draw up a loop. Decrease made.

*TSS2tog, yarn over* across to last vertical bar, TSS. Work standard return pass, treating yarn overs as stitches.

Row two:

Work TSS in each vertical bar and each eyelet hole that was made by the yarn overs from the previous row. Remember that the working loop on your hook corresponds to the very first stitch (the selvedge). Do not forget to pick up a stitch in the very last vertical bar - you may have to tug on it and straighten it up to see where it is.

Work standard return pass.

Work as many rows as you like, and end your work on a pattern row one, getting ready to work row two.

Final bind off:

Chain one, draw up the loop in next vertical bar and pass it through the loop on the hook to make a slip stitch. This binds off your work, similar to knitting. Work this slip stitch bind off across. Weave in loose ends.

Whip stitch the trim so that when folded down, the right side faces out.

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I'm sitting in the food court of the shopping centre where I work. I decided to pull out a sock that I'm working on, whose pattern will be used in an upcoming FREE sock class for everyone who wants it.

I had worked on it during the bus ride across the city this morning and when I looked at it, I laughed out loud. No really, I LOL'd good and hard. I made the lady at the table beside me jump. Sorry about that!!

The reason I laughed is that I took a look at my sock and right away realized that I should snap a picture and share this with you. My sock is made toe-up. You can see that the toe is nice and relaxed looking. The body of the foot is proportionate and then suddenly in the last two inches or so, it looks like I made a bunch of decreases, except that I didn't.

My sock shrank when I started to crochet on the bus this morning. I guess being cramped up between two men that insist on taking up all available space around them can have a negative impact on my gauge, eh?

This is why blocking is important, especially if your item is made of animal fibres. When you block something, you are setting the fibres - just like styling your hair. Some fibres have better memory than others just like some folks' hair can hold a style better. Not only will blocking set the shape and reduce the effects of changes in gauge, like in the photo above, but it'll help to open up lace and other stitch patterns meant to have visual impact.

Blocking doesn't have to be an ordeal. Sock blockers can be purchased inexpensively at most craft stores or even made with corrugated cardboard.

And with that, I'm off to save the world from snarly eyebrows and fugly nails!!

wolfenwoodshooks
Some of the beautiful hooks of Wolfenwoods.com
 Most of the hooks that I use are bright powder-coated aluminum Boye hooks. They’re sturdy, bright to look at, and they allow me to work quickly. They’re also extremely affordable, at about $2.99 each. However, now and then we like to splurge. I was daydreaming one day, looking at hooks online, and I came up with this list of fabulous looking hooks that I’d love to own:
  1. River John Needle Company. These folks aren’t new to me, I have several sets of knitting needles from them. In fact, my favourite straight knitting needles come from this family. I am also the happy owner of a set of crochet hooks from them, courtesy of my brother John. Their hooks and needles arehand made and unfinished, so if you wanted to stain them or paint them up, you could. They will also make Tunisian hooks, although that info is not on their website. AND they’re Nova Scotian, which makes them homies. Buy their hooks :)
  2. Wolfenwoods. These hooks made me squee. They are made with various materials and they are gorgeous. I want one so, so badly.
  3. Kathryn Kowalski. These hooks also made me squee. So did the hair pins and everything else that she turns. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!!!
  4. Laurel Hill. Not brightly coloured but they look like they could stand up to me.
  5. Celtic Swan. The Celtic Swan forge turns out hooks in silver. I would brown-bag it for a year for that set of hooks. Of course, I’d have to do that, haha, but OMG….silver hand made crochet hooks? Oooooh:)

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Done!! Finally!! They took all month to make. Now I can give some love to my lace wrap sweater and possibly be done that by tonight.
And my son’s cable sweater….
And my mittens……
And my placemats…..
…..and some more blankets for my luulla store. I either need to sprout goddess arms like Kali Ma or I need assistants to do all the making.
It’s time for a trip to the massage therapist for some of that hot, sexy beating!!!
But yes, the socks are done. I made them for Potions Class for the Harry Potter Knit Crochet House Cup. Potions homework option #3, something requiring total focus.
For a good portion of the foot and heel it felt like two steps forward and three steps back. Because they DID require such focus, I could only work on them during the two days each week that The Two Ronnies weren’t home. The second one of them started to talk I’d screw something up. They’re lucky they’re both so good looking :)
Now to plot next month’s class in Herbology.

This has been copied and pasted from my blog at hookey.org. I thought it might be useful to people here.

This is largely a marketing term, designed to sell someone socks at a higher price. Many socks not labelled “diabetic” can be worn by diabetics. So what is a diabetic sock? In order to be considered a diabetic sock, the socks must be:
Non-binding. Since circulation is affected in diabetics, the risk of ulcers is much higher than in those without diabetes.
Moisture control. Circulation issues can lead to bacterial and fungal infections. Keeping skin dry is desirable.
Seamless toe closure. Some diabetics have extremely sensitive skin and a toe seam rubbing against skin can cause blistering and irritation.

I have many, many diabetic pedicure clients in my practice as an esthetician. Most of them don’t require anything special in regards to their feet. However, at least half of all diabetics will develop what is called “neuropathy” and this is where the cause for concern lies.

If blood sugar levels are not controlled properly, then nerve damage occurs. This can happen all over the body, inside and outside, but it is most common in the feet because feet will receive blood with the least amount of oxygen and other nutrients for the necessary repair of everyday wear and tear and injuries that may occur. This is why foot injuries can sometimes take longer to heal in all of us, whether we have a metabolic disease or not. As neuropathy advances, diabetics lose the sensation in their feet. This is dangerous because they might not be able to sense that they have stepped on something sharp, that they are walking on too hot or cold of a surface – normal nerve sensation that we feel every day, which tell us something is wrong.

Now obviously a pair of socks can not cure this, but it is paramount for diabetics to protect their feet. Most of us do not take good care of our feet. We jam them into socks and shoes that do not fit, put on band-aids in anticipation of blisters that will occur while we “break in” our footwear and then we suffer later in life with foot problems that are largely preventable. Many of us in the Western world, are going to become diabetic in our middle age. In one small town in Nova Scotia, 100% of my elderly clients were Type II Diabetics, overweight or not, black, white, aboriginal, rich, poor – it did not matter. They were ALL diabetic.

When I taught esthetics in trade school, I emphasized to my students the importance of learning to treat diabetic (older) clients because this would be the reality of their practice in the years to come. I would advise sock makers who wish to sell their wares to consider marketing to such people as well. Many of my esthetic clients are aware that I crochet and several have asked for either sock patterns or pretty socks – most of my clients are also women If you go to Google Images, you will find that most diabetic socks are pretty blah. Socks are popular now, and people are more into adorning their feet in Western culture.

Here are the things that I take into consideration when designing a diabetic sock:
  1. Toe-Up Construction. One of the reasons that 99% of my sock patterns are toe-up is because so many of my recipients have been diabetic. Big seams can irritate sensitive toes, causing blisters. This can create an environment that allows bacteria and/or fungus to proliferate.
  2. Soft, stretchy yarn. When your nerves are degenerating, not only does it cause numbness and tingling, but it can also cause unpredictable moments of hypersensitivity. A yarn that feels ok against skin unaffected by neuropathy can feel like a wire brush again skin that is affected. Some fibres to think about are alpaca, superfine merino, cashmere, bison, qiviut, sea cell, corn fibre, bamboo, and cotton. Also very useful are sock yarns that have aloe lotion blended into them, especially when trying to prevent dry winter feet.
  3. The fibre must not inhibit the skin’s excretory process. Our skin is constantly getting rid of waste for us. We notice it most when we are sweating, but it is a function that is carried out at all times of our lives. Some fibres are very good about wicking moisture away from our bodies and some are good at holding moisture to us. I personally do not like acrylic yarn. I find that it does not hold its shape, and when used in sock construction, has no insulating or cooling properties to speak of.
  4. Custom shaping. We all have differently shaped feet, with their own lumps, bumps, and knots. This is why when I create a pattern I emphasize customization. Many diabetics have edema, and those with advanced neuropathy often have disfigured feet. Most socks are two straight tubes joined by a heel and this does not work for everyone. Make full use of short rows, increases, decreases, lace, and whatever other tricks are up your sleeve to craft a sock that fits. Remember, as I’ve said in years past, crochet socks look like Keebler Elf boots, so don’t worry about what your sock looks like when it isn’t on the foot. If it is shaped properly, then it will look absolutely fine when it is worn on the foot for which it was designed.
  5. The yarn must have good memory. Most plant fibres do not have as good a memory as animal fibres, but they are soft and slippery feeling. Choose a fibre that is somewhat curly in its natural state. This is what makes wool so useful because most of it has “body” or wave when it is on the animal. Curly hair when spun, makes for a garment that holds its structure. Blocking an item is no different than styling hair – you shampoo it, and then dry it in the way that you want it. Curly hair with a touch of coarseness holds a style better than straight slippery hair. My current favourite yarn for all of my socks is Corny Goodness’ 60/40 corn/wool blend. That doesn’t mean that other brands won’t work, just that this happens to be my favourite. This makes for an expensive sock for me, because the closest distributor is in Fargo, haha.
  6. The gauge should be as fine as you can muster. It is no secret that large gauge socks done in crochet can HURT. The first book I ever bought about crochet socks featured patterns all done in worsted weight yarn. When I put my socks on and walked around, I couldn’t believe how painful it was and I have some pretty tough soles because I live barefoot most of the time. I find that a gauge of 5 sts/1″ is as large as I want to go. The current pair that I am working on is at a gauge of 9 sts/1″ using lace weight baby merino and a 2.25mm hook.
  7. White, or light colours, are preferable for those who can not feel parts or all of their feet or lower legs. This is because drainage from new or old wounds can be detected when it seeps through and stains the fabric. Blood, lymph, and other body fluids associated with injuries aren’t going to be as obvious on a magenta kettled dyed sock as they will be on a flecked beige one.
  8. A touch of Lycra for stretch. A nice soft sock feels good against the skin but if it gets too baggy then it will rub and cause irritation. Yarns with a touch of Lycra can alleviate this. Be careful not to work too tightly with a stretch yarn. Sometimes it is better to go up a hook size or two. Pay attention to how the sock feels. I find that many stretchy socky yarns can be very uncomfortable even when crocheted in a fine gauge. Explore different brands until you find one that you like. If the recipient finds it does not feel nice, then consider reserving the stretch yarn for cuffs and working the rest of the sock in a non-stretchy yarn.
  9. Stay within 1/2″ of the wearer’s actual foot measurements. This way the sock isn’t too tight. I personally love negative ease in my socks, but when it comes to diabetic feet, the less negative ease, the better.
  10. Keep heavy texture to a minimum. You can use lace, posted stitches, and other elements to create a visually interesting sock, but keep in mind how the wrong side will feel against sensitive skin. In many cases, straight single crochet in a spiral round worked in a fine gauge is preferable for the foot, saving the fancy stuff for the leg.
  11. Keep colour changes to a minimum to avoid lots of little bulky areas where multiple ends are woven in. Lots of sock yarns come in beautiful muted variegated colourways that don’t require colour changes.
Above all, keep the recipient in mind. Try it on as you go, and be patient. There may be lots of ripping back, or pattern or yarn changes as you figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Happy Hooking!!!!!