No. 1 THE LARCH (aka Tabi Monogatari v57)

I had originally seen this sock pattern as a cuff down pattern but the designer finally made a toe-up version. So, of course, I had to try it.😉😁Using my leftover sock yarn scraps and my Chiaogoo 2.0mm (US0) needles, here's how it went:

1. Cast on a Provisional cast on with a total of 44 sts.
2. K 1 straight row on each side, then join in the round.
3. K 10 rows in the round as part of the foot portion.
4. Started the toes: with 22 sts on each side, splitting it up for 8 sts for big toe, 14 sts for remaining toes.
5. Big toe:

• Row 1:
• Front: k, m1, knit to the last st, m1, k to for a total of 10 sts
• Back: k, m1, k to the last st, m1, k for a total of 10 sts
• Row 2-11 (10 rows): k
• Row 12:
• 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 13-14 (2 rows): k
• Row 15: same as row 12 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of the 6 sts on each side
• Row 16-19 (4 rows): k
• Row 20: same as row 14 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 4 sts on each side
• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

The big toe came out to 4.5 cm (1 3/4").

6. The rest of the toes:

• Row 1:
• Front: k to the end, pick up 2 sts, for a total of 16 sts
• Back: pick up 2 sts, k to the end for a total of 16 sts
• Row 2: k
• Row 3:
  
• Front: ssk, k to 2 sts to the end, k2tog for a total of 14 sts
• Back: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 14 sts
• Row 4:
• Front: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 12 sts
• Back: ssk to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 12 sts
• Row 5 : k
• Row 6:
• Front: ssk, k to the end, for a total of 11 sts
• Back: k to the the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 11 sts
• Row 7: k
• Row 8-19: same as row 6 & 7, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a total of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 & 5 sts on each side
  
• Row 20: same as row 19, for a total of 4 sts

• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

The rest of the toe came out to 5 cm (2 in).

It fits like a glove.

Then I went back to the bottom of the provisional cast on and picked up the stitches to start the foot.

7. Row 11: pick up a st from the “front” side and put it on the “back” side; pick up a st from the “back” side, bringing it behind the st picked up from the “front” and put it on the “front” side. Then k to the 2nd to last st in the round & pick up a sts from below. There should now be 22 sts on each side.
8. Row 12: pick up sts on the 2nd, 7th, 12th, 14th, 20th & 25th sts for a total of 28 sts on each side (total 56 sts).
   
9. Row 13-57 (45 rows): K

Including the initial 10 rows, this came out for a total of 12.5cm (5").

With the foot done, it was time for my standard Fish Lips Kiss Heel method. Since the method is copyrighted, here's the changes I did to make it work for me:

   10. Row 66: 

• 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.

   11. Row 66-106: Follow the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method until you have 9 twin stitch 

         (ts) knits & purls sts on each side and 10 regular sts

It worked as it came out perfectly! 🙂  *yay* 🙂

Turning the heel is always magical and never gets old:

With the heel done, time to finish up the leg and cuff:

   12. Row 107-111 (5 rows): follow the pattern repeat 4 more times, maintaining 28 sts.

Then to finish off the cuffs, follow Laura Nelkin's Toe-up Larch Peds Cuff directions:
   13.  Row 112-143 (32 rows).
   14.  Bind off using Laura Nelkin's alternative elastic bind off.  The total length of the leg and cuff was 9 cm (3 9/16 in).

And here it is, in all its finished glory (finally): 

Oddly enough, I was able to knit up this pair of socks quite quickly: I set up the sock and finished the big toes on Day 1; finished the rest of the toes and the foot, including setting it up for the heels on Day 2; finished the heels and leg on Day 3; and learned & finished the cuffs on Day 4.😳🥳🙌 So, either I'm knitting faster or all my sock "practicing" really paid off since it seemed very second nature on punping this pair out.😳😁😊🥰 As for the cuff (the whole point of this sock), it was a really interesting way to add additional padding to the back of the sock. It did have a learning curve to it (I initially knitted it backwards on the outside portion and correctly on the inside portion 😳🤦‍♀️) but by doing it incorrectly, it allowed me to really "see" what I was supposed to be doing. Now, I  just need to "test" them to see how well it holds up as well as how "cushiony" they'll really feel against my shoes.🤞🍀😊 

Melt the ICE! Badges

There's been a lot of turmoil of late and I must say, these times are s-c-a-r-y. 😳😱😭As a child of immigrant grandparents and parents, I worry about my mainland family a-lot: Are they safe? Will they be kidnapped in the middle of the street? At the grocery store? While picking up our next generation from school? 🙇‍♀️😔And, I'm also very sadden to see how dismal our government has become as well as (quite frankly) embarrassed for and about being an (ex-)Federal employee.😱😡😤😠😖 I'm actually quite grateful that I'm no longer a Federal employee because I would be so ashamed and embarrassed to be one right now (while I understand that not all Federal employees are behaving badly, the ones who are (behaving badly) are giving all other Federal employees who are truly working for the public a bad rap!😡😤😠😖🤦‍♀️).  So in solidarity for all Americans, particularly for immigrants and children of immigrants, I've decided to make this Melt the ICE badge.  I know it's not much but other than my vote (I did not vote for this Administration) and my dollars (which I try my utmost to ensure that I do not support anyone in this Administration nor anyone who's supported this Administration) but, it's a little something I can do.👍🙌 Here's Hubby's badge:

And here's my badge:

(The "tie" part acme out to 33 i-cord rounds) 

It was really quick to knit this up (these are really tiny hats!) so, I highly recommend (to folks who don't need a hat) to make these instead!🙌🎉 It's also a great way to use up stash!😉😁🙌 Also, while the 3D one was written to knit flat, you could easily knit it in the round (like I did); just make sure to K all the P rows. I also tried to be fancy and use the mods this person did to their hat but found that since the badge is so small, it didn't really come out right so, I had given that up.

 

Some of my family found it so cute, they wanted one too so, here's what theirs looks like:

(The "tie" part came out to 35 i-cord rounds)

And I also made one for our Kewpie:

Here's what I did for the Kewpie, using sock weight yarn and 2.0mm (US0) needles:

CO 24 sts, connect in the round.

Row 1: K24 sts

Row 2-5 (4 rows): 1x1 ribbing knit

Row 6: SSK, K8, K2tog 

Row 7: SSK, K6, K2tog

Row 8: SSK, K4, K2tog

Row 9: SSK, K2, K2tog 
Row 10: SSK, K2tog

Row 11: K2tog

Make I-Cord 5x then make 4 2" tassels (fold in half). I  threaded them through loops 1 & 2 of my i-cord, made one more i-cord (total 6 rounds) before binding off and wrapping the end around the tassle. 

心がいっぱい (Kokoro ga Ippai ) (aka Tabi Monogatari v56)

I finally finished my "practice" sock and was now ready to start on my 恋人の靴下. Before I start on my actual sock, let me talk about the yarn I purchased from Gauge Dye Works: first of all, it feels really soft (so I'm a little afraid about how it'll wear); secondly (and most importantly😉), it was so easy to wind and winding my White Light yarn brought me such joy! 🥰💕🎉🎊 It was like winding up an Easter Egg - you could see how the colours were really going to "stripe" and it was so pretty as it went spun itself into a cake🎉🎊🥳.  Now, onto the sock itself: since it had the same amount of repeats in the pattern as my Pressed Flowers sock, I decided to use the same formula. Unfortunately, when I casted in my sock and gave it a try to check gauge, I noticed that it felt extremely loose. 😳😱🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️ So, here's what I did instead:

1. Using my Chiagoo 2.0mm (US0) needles, cast on a Provisional cast on with a total of 44 sts.
2. K 1 straight row on each side, then join in the round.
3. K 7 rows in the round as part of the foot portion.
4. Started the toes: with 22 sts on each side, splitting it up for 8 sts for big toe, 14 sts for remaining toes.
5. Big toe:

• Row 1:
• Front: k, m1, knit to the last st, m1, k to for a total of 10 sts
• Back: k, m1, k to the last st, m1, k for a total of 10 sts
• Row 2-13 (12 rows): k
• Row 14:
• 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 15-16 (2 rows): k
• Row 17: same as row 12 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of the 6 sts on each side
• Row 18-20 (3 rows): k
• Row 21: same as row 14 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 4 sts on each side
• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

The big toe came out to 4.5 cm (1 3/4").

6. The rest of the toes:

• Row 1:
• Front: k to the end, pick up 2 sts, for a total of 16 sts
• Back: pick up 2 sts, k to the end for a total of 16 sts
• Row 2: k
• Row 3:
  
• Front: ssk, k to 2 sts to the end, k2tog for a total of 14 sts
• Back: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 14 sts
• Row 4:
• Front: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 12 sts
• Back: ssk to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 12 sts
• Row 5 : k
• Row 6:
• Front: ssk, k to the end, for a total of 11 sts
• Back: k to the the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 11 sts
• Row 8: k
• Row 9-20: same as row 7 & 8, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a total of 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 & 5 sts on each side
  
• Row 21: same as row 19, for a total of 4 sts

• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

The rest of the toe came out to 5 cm (2 in).

It fits like a glove.

Then I went back to the bottom of the provisional cast on and picked up the stitches to start the foot.

7. Row 9: pick up a st from the “front” side and put it on the “back” side; pick up a st from the “back” side, bringing it behind the st picked up from the “front” and put it on the “front” side. Then k to the 2nd to last st in the round & pick up a sts from below. There should now be 22 sts on each side.
8. Row 10: pick up sts on the 2nd, 7th, 12th, 14th, 20th & 25th sts for a total of 28 sts on each side (total 56 sts).
   
9. Row 11-55 (45 rows): Switching to my Chiagoo 3.25mm (US3) needles, follow the Sweetheart pattern; repeat pattern 1.5 more times (ending on a solid row), maintaining 56 sts (total 5 hearts). I used this YouTube video in hopes that it would help give me a neater look on the inside.

Including the initial 14 rows, this came out for a total of 12.5cm (5").

With the foot done, it was time for my standard Fish Lips Kiss Heel method.  Since the method is copyrighted, here's the changes I did to make it work for me:

   10. Row 56: 

• 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.

   11. Row 56-96: Follow the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method until you have 9 twin stitch 

         (ts) knits & purls sts on each side and 10 regular sts

It worked as it came out perfectly! 🙂  *yay* 🙂

Turning the heel is always magical and never gets old:

With the heel done, time to finish up the leg and cuff:

   12. Row 97-133 (36 rows): follow the pattern and repeat 1 more times (total 4 hearts) maintaining 28 sts and ending on a solid row.

Then to finish off the cuffs:
   13. Row 134-138 (5 rows): complete cuff using 1x1 ribbing, maintaining a total of 28 sts for each side.
   14.  Bind off using Jenny's stretchy bind off.  The total length of the leg and cuff was 9 cm (3 9/16 in).

And here it is, in all its finished glory (finally): 

It took me nearly a year to finish this pair of socks. I had originally started it back on 03/19/25 but after finishing the toes and completing three (3) rows of colourwork on one sock, I decided to stop working on project on 03/31/25 as I wanted to try ladder back jacquard (LBJ) for the floats instead of the "regular" colourwork floats I've been doing. I finally had the brain space and energy to pick this project back up on 01/16/26 where I frogged the original colourwork and started it again on 01/24/26 using the LBJ technique. After doing 1.5 repeats of the colourwork on 01/25/26, I decided to do a fit check and found that using my 3.5mm needles produced a really loose fitting sock (almost like a house sock).😳😔😱😭🤦‍♀️ Since I hadn’t done the other side yet, I decided to use my 3.25mm needles and did 2 repeats of the colourwork before doing a fit check. Thank goodness, it was a much better fit.🥳🙌🎊 I ended up completing that side to the heel segment on 01/25/26 then frogged the original side to redo using the 3.25 needles, "catching it up" by 01/26/26. Then, I had realized that I did the "test" side differently (and less efficiently) than the frogged side so, I ended up frogging that side as well and redoing it. I'm much happier now that both sides are done the same way and fit much better. Next up was the heels and leg portion which I finished on 01/29/26 (I took a 2 day break). I finished the cuffs and bound off on 01/30/26.

 

Overall, I learned a lot making this sock and am glad that I had purchased the sock kit. I really liked how it came out. However, I did find that the yarn itself is very soft (& splitty if I  wasn't paying enough attention); so, I'm wondering how durable (& how long) this sock will actually last.🤔 Thankfully, it was for me so, I'm sure it won't wear out nearly as quickly as Hub's socks do.😊