Wednesday, September 16, 2020

A Reformation: Too Cute for Names Sock (Tabi monogatari v11.1)

I have a pair of socks that while fits, was just uncomfortable over the course of the day.😭   It was my Too Cute for Names sock.  Something about where it hinged from my foot to the leg was just ... too tight!😒😭   It fit but, it just pulled at that spot and over the course of the day, it always felt like it was getting tighter.  So, I finally gave in and decided that I was going to fix it.  I ripped it out a little past the point to which it was too tight and then followed my Make Me Happier Socks formula.  Here's how it turned out:
1. Started on Row 51 with a total of 47 sts
2. Row 52: k22, m1, k25 for a total of 48 sts
3. Row 53: k
4. Row 54: k, m1, k22, m1, k for a total of 26 sts on each side (total of 50 stitches)
5. Row 55-56 (2 rows): k
6. Row 57: k, m1, k24, m1, k for a total of 28 sts on each side (total of 52 stitches)
7. Row 58-62 (5 rows): k
8. Row 63-104 (42 rows): Make Fish Lips Heel.
9. Row 105-124 (20 rows): k, maintaining 28 sts on each side
10. Row 125-134 (10 rows): ssk, k12, k2tog, k12, k2tog for a total of 25 sts on each side
11. Row 135-160 (25 rows): start 1x1 ribbing, maintaining 25 sts on each side.

Here's how my corrected pair looks like:

Front

Back
I'm so glad that I decided to rip out these socks and make them better.  Now that they fit properly, I don't even know how I managed to wear them as long as I did (and on trips!)!  I think that with all the practice that I had with Hubs socks, I'm finally learning how to make better socks for myself! 🙌 🎉👍

Saturday, September 12, 2020

Make Me Happier Socks (aka Tabi Monogatari v27)

It was time for another pair of socks for myself.  Oddly, when I made my Make Me Happy socks, the foot was a little too short and it wasn't nearly as comfortable wearing it.  So, it was gifted to my Mom (who has slightly smaller feet than me so, it fit her perfectly).  Since I missed my Make Me Happy socks, I decide that it needed to be replaced; using my Yuzawaya Sock yarn that I had originally picked up to "fix" my Make Me Happy socks and my 4" & 3" interchangeables Chiaogoo US 0 needles, based on my Mini Monet socks, I casted on 44 sts and here's what I did:

  1. I started with a Provisional cast on with a total of 44 sts.
  2. K 1 straight row on each side, then connected in the round.
  3. K 15 rows in the round as part of the foot portion.
  4. Started the toes: with 14 sts on each side, splitting it up for 8 sts for big toe, 10 sts for remaining toes.
  5. Big toe:
  • Row 1:
    • Front: k, m1, k to the to the last st, m1, k for a total of 10 sts
    • Back: k, m1, k to the to the last st, m1, k for a total of 10 sts
  • Row 2-15 (14 rows): k
  • Row 16:
    • Front: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 8 sts
    • Back: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 8 sts
  • Row 17-20 (4 rows): k
  • Row 21: same as row 16 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of the 6 sts on each side
  • Row 22-23 (2 rows): k
  • Row 24: same as row 21 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 4 sts on each side
  • Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.
The big toe came out to 5 cm (2 in).
  1. The rest of the toes:
  • Row 1:
    • Front: k to the end, pick up 4 sts, for a total of 18 sts
    • Back: pick up 4 sts, k to the end for a total of 18 sts
  • Row 2: k
  • Row 3:
    • Front: ssk, k to the end for a total of 17 sts
    • Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 17 sts
  • Row 4:
    • Front: ssk, k to the end for a total of 16 sts
    • Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 16 sts
  • Row 5-8 (4 rows): k
  • Row 9:
    • Front: ssk, k to the end, for a total of 15 sts
    • Back: k to the the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 15 sts
  • Row 10: k
  • Row 11-20: same as row 9 & 10, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a total of 14, 13, 12, 11 & 10 sts on each side
  • Row 21: same as row 9, for a total of 9 sts on each side
  • Row 22: same as row 21, for a total of 8 sts on each side
  • Row 23: k
  • Row 24: k, ssk, k2, k2tog, k for a total of 6 sts on each side
  • Row 25: k, ssk, k2tog, k for a total of 4 sts on each side
  • Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.
The rest of the toe came out to 5 cm (2 in).

Then I went back to the bottom of the provisional cast on and picked up the stitches to start the foot.
  1. Row 19: pick up a st fr below at the beginning & end, k2tog for the first and last st, k all other sts for 22 sts on each side
  2. Row 20-26 (7 rows): k
  3. Row 27:  k, m1, k10, m1, k10, m1, k on each side for a total of 25 sts
  4. Row 28: k
  5. Row 29: pick up 1 st at the beginning, 12th & end of each side for a total of 28 sts on each side
  6. Row 30-61 (35 rows): k
Including the initial 18 rows, this came out for a total of 12 cm (4 3/4 in).

With the foot done, I started on the heel portion using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method (since I liked it so much on my Too Cute for Names Sock)  Since the method is copyrighted, I can't give you much explanation as I normally do so, I'll just note any changes I did. 
   17. Row 62: 
  • Right side: K the "top" portion, start the heel on the "bottom" portion.
  • Left side: start the heel as you're already on the "bottom" portion.
   18. Row 63-96: Follow the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method until you have 9 twin stitch 
         (ts) knits & purls sts on each side and 8 regular sts
   This came out to 2.5 cm (1”).
   19. Row 89-100: Continue using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method to turn the heel 
         until you have a total of 28 sts again. 
   20. Row 101 (Left side only): Since the left side ended on a purl side, K to bring 
          you back to the correct side.
This came out perfect! :) *yay* :)

With the heel done, I finished off the leg and cuff:
   21. Row 101-121 (20 rows): k in the round for a total of 28 sts for each side.
   22. Row 122-146 (24 rows): decreasing 3 sts, complete cuff using 1x1 ribbing, for a total 
         of 25 sts for each side.
   23. Bound off using a variation of the Estonian bind off, in which I picked up a stitch from 
         the row below then used the Estonian bind off technique. :)
The total length of the leg and cuff was 9 cm (3 1/2 in).

Look another finished pair! *Yay*! :) 

Front

Back/Heels
I must say, as I was knitting it, I was not loving this colourway ... however, as I kept going, it began to grow on me.  What I'm really loving about it is how well it fits! 😍. I may have finally found my perfect fit! 😍🤞👍🎉♥️