Saturday, July 07, 2007

Avoiding SSS or 14 socks in 2 days!

I hate to break it to you guys, but I knit the socks from the previous post in THREE days, July 2, 3, and 4! ;o) And - a) I was sock knitting starved, b) was sitting there with needles in hand, hand over sock yarn stash, waiting for the pattern to be released, c) wanted to get the cable socks over with as fast as I could, and d) they are not full length socks, but no anklets either. So there, no wonder I was fast! ;o)

These little babies were waiting to be knit, right after the Serpentine socks. My very first mini sock I gave to my mom, with the Panda Wool socks. As it turns out, all of her friends now want one of those cute sockies too. So I promised to send her a few.





(Opal - Knit Picks Dancing - German sock yarn)



It looks like, just right before my brain shuts down for the night, I get some light bulb moments. I was wondering how to connect the socks with the key ring. My first mini sock was connected with the sock yarn, and I hope it will hold up for some time. I wanted something else, when I came upon my stitch marker box, looked inside, and wouldn't you know it, they practically jumped out on their own, eager to please. Shannon, some of these are the ones you gave me! I rarely use those pretty stitch markers, but I like to have them and look at them. But I find these days, that I become less and less of a "hoarder". Why hide these beauties in a box? This way others can enjoy them too. Not all of my stitch markers were right for this job however, their time will come....



I tried to pair sock and stitch marker colorwise if possible. I made 14 mini socks. The one on the left is made from Koigu and will be MINE! ;o) I love it. It was the last one I knit, and I tried out a pattern on the leg part and did something different with the heel. I like it best.


The very left one is made with Lorna's Lace Rainbow color. Do you remember the socks I knit with this yarn? I hated the pooling. I was expecting striping like this little guy, I would have loved it!

Right next to it is sweet georgia's yarn, this seems to pool no matter what stitch count you have. Next is Trekking XXL, never a surprise, always pleasant to look at. The last one in this picture is Reagia something. Can't remember.



The far right sock was knit with Knit Picks "Pansy". Isn't it lovely? Want to see what grown up socks look like with this yarn? The other two are Trekking XXL 100 and some Regia in the middle.



While I was knitting one sock after the other, I was putting the finished ones up here. I should have washed all of them, but I forgot. Next time I will though.


The first few mini socks having fun with my poor little mannequin.


Oh, and don't let me forget # 14!



This one's very special to me. I was about to throw out left over singles from "Nightshade", when I remembered that I always wanted to knit something with an over twist, to see how the stitches lean to one direction. I wanted this to be a mini sock too, and used needles normally too small for this job. Added the over twist this knitted fabric was hard. The sock looked like a cork screw. I DID wash this one, otherwise I would not have gotten this into shape. I like the colors, but as it was wet, it rather looked like a dead rodent (and smelled similar). I would never knit real socks with singles yarn. It's just not worth the trouble, wouldn't last long, even with over twist, because I really DO wear my socks. Now I've got two mini sock key chains just for me! Wow!

I think I will make some more in the future, but for now, I've had enough.

This concludes my mini sock mass production.



Oh yeah, how about the SSS? It helped that I didn't have to make the same colored sock twice, but it still got boring in the end. And see how fast one can knit socks!


Here's a little recipe if you like to make your own:


Cast on 24 stitches. Knit 5 or 6 rounds (K1, P1). Knit 20 rounds. Start heel (whatever you like). Knit 15 rounds. Start toe (whatever you like). Weave in ends. Put a stitch marker on the top edge and a key ring on the other end of the stitch marker. Done!


You can do some stitch pattern, as you see on the Koigu sock, but it has to be an easy one, no elaborate pattern possible, because of its size (Duh!)
I have to add, that these socks were not my original idea. I saw them on this German website, the Sockenstricker Homepage.

37 comments:

Frieda said...

What a great idea ! That's a perfect way to use up some of the bits of leftover sock yarns. Love the stitch marker ring conectors . Thanks for the recipe.

Carol said...

Cute little baby socks! And the stitch marker thing? Great idea!

Teresa said...

Wow, those are adorable. I'm going to have to knit some. But you and I both know that iddy biddy socks in a house with a little girl whose Barbie collection is ever increasing, the socks would be adorning fragile plastic feet instead of my keychain.

Strickfimmel said...

So, jetzt habe ich den Salat! Meine Tochter hat die Minisocken auf Deinem Blog gesehen als ihn mir angeschau habe. Und nun muss ich auch Minisocken stricken. Ihr Kommentar: Oh, wie süß! Solche will ich auch haben. Die kannst Du doch auch stricken, oder? Deine Minis sehen alle toll aus. Ich könnte gar nicht sagen, welche am schönsten sind.

judith said...

oh die sind ja alle wunderschön!!
und die Idee mit den Maschenmarkierern find ich genial, ich hab nämlich leider auch schon die Erfahrung gemacht, dass Sockenwolle nicht ewig hält am Schlüsselring

ganz liebe grüße

Judith

Anonymous said...

LOVE LOVE the mini-socks! I'm catching up on my blog reading and you've have too much great stuff to do individual comments. LOVE the dyed roving, the red cardi, and the socks!! If you want to see mini MINI mini knitted objects, check out this site www.lluest.blogspot.com. If you go back in her archives, she uses what looks like hat pins to knit with! Unbelievable!

Yankee Girl ~ Missy said...

WOW, I love your little key chain's I will be making some of those very shortly. How beautiful... Great job!

Anonymous said...

I love seeing all the mini socks! They are adorable.

Debi said...

These are beyond cute!

When I make socks as gifts for the holidays I make a mini too with a loop to hang on a tree...so they have an ornament reminder even after the sock has worn out :)

Anonymous said...

Those are too cute - you can have your own Etsy shop with those :-)

Anonymous said...

SUPER!!! Aww they are all so cute, if I were you i'd want to keep them all :)
Great idea to use the stitch markers too!

sgeddes said...

Those are the cutest little things! I'm going to have to try to make one! I love the yellowish regia colored sock!

Stephanie said...

What a great idea - those are so cute!

Devonshire said...

LOVE THOSE! I am in love with your too cute mini socks. Those colors are gorgeous and the key chain attachment is perfect. You are one crafty lady. Also thanks for the pattern.

Kris B said...

Three days is still fast for a pair of socks. I think it usually takes me about a month to finish socks. If I really work on it I can do a pair in about two weeks. I now know why you are called smoking hot needles :). The mini socks are adorable. I like how you used the stitch markers to attach them to the key ring.

Ruth said...

Did you see her cute little mini-pullover> It's adorable. Plus that strange bunny.

DAWN said...

Wow, those are the cutest damn things! and what a nice way to make socks for someone when you don't have the time to do a full size pair.

Anonymous said...

Your socks are adorable!!!

shannon said...

monika those are the sweetest little socks i have ever ever seen!!! such joy.

Micky said...

Very cute!
I like making mini things too. Cause they don't take as long to finish.
:)

Romi said...

So cute! :)

Rhonda said...

I love your wee socks! It is a great way to remember all your fav sock yarns as well. You are so clever!

Lynn One, Purl Two said...

monika... these are a riot! i love them!

Anonymous said...

I love them! It's a little sock sampler.

Anonymous said...

What fun!! and how differently sock yarn knits up with 24 stitches around - talk about getting a quick sock fix! and the stitch marker attachment is perfect!

Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...

Those are just too cute! What a clever idea and great use for left over sock yarn. I think I need one for a keep chain!

T-Mom said...

Add me to chorus--like someone said, a little sock sampler! 14 in two days!! Wow! (Obviously Trekking XXL is going to have to be the next commercial yarn I try--beautiful colors.)

meg said...

Such a great idea, Monika. I love them all.

Patricia said...

Very cute socks. I'm on this due to the masses of leftover yarn that I have. Now, just where did you get those tiny sock blockers?

Violiknit said...

Such cute little socks!!! I totally want to start making some for Xmas ornaments!

Angelika said...

I went through this stage a while back and it keeps coming back. It's a nice way to use up all those leftovers and they make nice keyrings, gifts, even christmas ornaments. I think I knitted one up in one hours. I must have been really sock crazy at that time.

bobbi said...

I just love those itty bitty socks!!

Westozcaat said...

they are fantastic
quick question though: how did you attach the sock to the bottom of the stitch marker?

Kate

AfternoonMoon said...

Wholey-moley! Now I have something to save all the labels in so I remember what yarn was used for which sock! Love the Christmas ornament idea as well!

Sarah said...

What a great idea! I've similar key chains, but I'd never thought of stitch markers. So cute....

fab said...

These are the cutest things I've seen in ages! Thanks for sharing them with us, and it's a great idea for us noobs to practice some techniques.

Emily said...

Those are all so wonderful. I love them all. :)