Thursday 15 Nov 2007

Little Feats

I spent two full weeks traveling in October and took advantage of airports, airplanes, and hotel rooms to knit some baby socks. I needed a gift for the soon-to-be-born grandchild of a friend and baby socks seemed like a perfect portable project that could be knit without the necessity of looking at the instructions constantly.

My first pair was knit from some leftover sock-weight yarn, using a variation of Teri‘s Little Sixteen pattern:

BabySocks1

Basically, I followed Teri’s pattern until I got to the heel. But instead of working the heel flap in stockinette stitch, I twisted all the knit stitches to make it a little more decorative. I also continued the ribbing down the foot. Oh, and I worked a round toe instead of a wedge toe.

Cute, but the foot seemed a bit too long and I didn’t love the heel.

I tried something different with the next pair:

BabySocks2

This time I continued the ribbing down the heel and I picked up the gusset stitches through the front loop using this technique. I saw Nancy Bush pick up stitches that way a couple of years ago and it’s one of my favorites. I really like the decorative look of the twisted stitches.

But, once again I felt like the socks were a little too long through the foot. And I wasn’t loving the tight gauge (10 spi).

So, in the spirit of Teri’s pattern and Norma‘s Magic 28 pattern, I worked up my own simple-to-remember baby sock pattern that I think knits up into a nicely proportioned, very stretchy sock.

babysocks

If you come back tomorrow, I’ll be sharing the pattern.

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23 comments | knitting, socks

23 Responses to “Little Feats”

  1. # Kathy on 15 Nov 2007 at 4:57 am

    That’s super cute!

  2. # Knitting Bandit on 15 Nov 2007 at 5:10 am

    Cute socks! I do like the green ones best. I’ve noticed that all hand knit socks look a little long in the foot…on that note I saw a size 18 men’s shoe the other day. Oh my God…knit that foot a blanket!

  3. # Becky on 15 Nov 2007 at 5:45 am

    So cute! What’s the patterning yarn for the middle pair? I really like the colors and pattern.

  4. # margene on 15 Nov 2007 at 5:52 am

    It’s just so cute and I love the shape.

  5. # Alyssa on 15 Nov 2007 at 6:00 am

    I love them they’re so cute!

  6. # marianne on 15 Nov 2007 at 6:32 am

    Ooooh, those are so cute! Plus they look like they’ll stay on squirmy little feet!
    I’ll be back tomorrow for sure!

  7. # Beth on 15 Nov 2007 at 6:35 am

    Oh – I kind of like the twisted heel stitches on that first one. Is this going to be another project I need to whip out before the holidays? I have that new niece, you know.

  8. # Stitch-n-Snitch on 15 Nov 2007 at 6:40 am

    I’m glad I’m not the only one who has babysockitis. Your socks look great! :)

  9. # Chris on 15 Nov 2007 at 6:52 am

    I love each version!

  10. # Anne on 15 Nov 2007 at 6:55 am

    Very very cute! Doncha love plane projects?

  11. # Marcia on 15 Nov 2007 at 7:04 am

    I like that twisted stitch thing! What I have found, through knitting countless baby socks, is that you need a longer cuff for balance. Babies have such weird shaped feet! Make the cuff twice as long and fold it over!

  12. # marie in florida on 15 Nov 2007 at 7:06 am

    heck yeah, i’ll be back tomorrow! you know i have a baby in the house and she never has socks…(LOL)i also pick up twisted gusset stitches and rib the magic 28 all the way down.

  13. # Heather Joins The Round on 15 Nov 2007 at 7:55 am

    AWWWWWWWWWW.

    Baby socks never get old!

    I look forward to trying your pattern out.

  14. # Lisa on 15 Nov 2007 at 8:24 am

    Very cute. And easy to remember is a good thing for us bus-knitters. I have a new baby next door to knit for and would love to try these out.

  15. # TeresaB on 15 Nov 2007 at 10:35 am

    Coming out of lurk-dom to say I’m glad I have a feed and will see the pattern tomorrow. Love great baby socks and yours looks wonderful!

  16. # Vigdis on 15 Nov 2007 at 10:54 am

    hi there!
    You posted a comment on my blog asking for where I bought the pattern for the Baby Booties. It’s from Dansk Mohair, but they don’t sell the pattern any longer I believe, and it is in Danish…so….
    Love Vigdis
    ps, maybe I ought to ask permission to translate it??? Just a sudden thought…

  17. # Dianne on 15 Nov 2007 at 4:23 pm

    TOO CUTE!!

  18. # Nancy on 15 Nov 2007 at 5:05 pm

    I’ve been doing that thing with twisting the picked up gusset stitches for a long time now. I just happened to discover that it eliminated some little holes that I sometimes got on one side of the heel flap. I didn’t know what others did, but it worked for me.

  19. # Kim on 15 Nov 2007 at 7:53 pm

    Oooh….I love those little feet :-)

  20. # Wanda on 15 Nov 2007 at 8:12 pm

    I’ll definitely be back for the sock pattern tomorrow! I really like your green socks the best!

  21. # Annalea on 15 Nov 2007 at 10:34 pm

    I don’t know, Susan. I think those first socks are great . . . my babies are always born with such long feet that the socks they’ve been knit haven’t fit for long, if at all!

    Does your friend’s soon-to-be-grandbaby’s parents have big feet? If so, you’ve got it covered. ;o)

  22. # Lisa on 18 Nov 2007 at 8:34 pm

    I am in love with the socks. They actually look like they wouls stay on a baby’s foot. Thank You!!

  23. # Lisa on 18 Nov 2007 at 8:36 pm

    I mean they WOULD stay on a baby’s foot. I hate typographical errors!!:)