The Big Send Off

The Sockapalooza 4 socks are on their way to their new owner in a far-off land. Once I get the news that my sock pal has received her socks, I can spill the beans about who she is. Wait until you see her knitting blog! She is an amazing and prolific sock knitter!


I made sure to give the socks a good washing before wrapping them up. The tag for this yarn suggests adding a bit of vinegar when washing. I had never done this before, so when Roxanne at Zen Yarn Garden left a comment here, I took the opportunity to ask her what the vinegar is all about. She wrote back right away, with this great info:

I suggest just a dab of vinegar in cool water for the first wash...it helps to preserve colour a wee bit. If the colour runs a bit, don't worry, it's just a little excess coming out like a new pair of jeans - it's to be expected with dyed yarns. My dyeing process helps with colourfastness and I have rinsed them quite well before you get the yarns too. Just a dab will do you...it's an old trick with colours - a little vinegar in the wash just keeps the colours a little longer.

Thanks, Roxanne! I just got a bottle of lavender-scented, no-rinse, Eucalan wool wash. (Visit their site to get a sample!) So I filled the bathroom sink with water and added one cap-full each of Eucalan and white vinegar. The vinegar really did do the trick -- minimal bleeding! I was a little worried that the vinegar smell would remain which, given that these are supposed to be worn on FEET, would not be a good thing; but I took a good sniff after they dried an it's all good.

As a little treat for my sock pal, I packed the socks into this charming lunch bag.


The hand knit wool socks look like such an anachronism against the thermal silver lining of the lunch bag; but I guess that the anachronistic nature of hand-knits is what makes the craft so popular today, and why it lends itself so well to blogging. Combining an old craft with new technology brings a very calming source of balance.


I didn't finish up my trail of notes to ensure that sock #2 is identical to sock #1, so here you go:

• After finishing the heel, start back in the pattern for the leg
• Knit 58 rows in the pattern so that you get 29 little eyelet thingies; end with row 2 of the pattern
• Cut yarn for main color, leaving enough tail for weaving in later
  
• Switch to the contrast color and, using size US6 needles, purl all stitches for 2 rounds
• Switch back to US 4 needles and begin knit1 purl 1 ribbing, do 14 rows of ribbing
  
• Use this method to create a stretchy bound off edge; pull the cuff wide after every 2 stitches are bound off to make sure it's not too tight
• Weave in all ends
  

With all the excitement of making these socks for my sock pal, I almost forgot that I can expect a pair of socks to arrive on my doorstep as well. (Giving really is as good as receiving.) I can't wait for my own Sockapalooza 4 socks to arrive!

Have a great week!