Minerva's Projects for 2022

My knitting goal for this year is 25 pairs of socks and six sweaters. I get lazy about finishing projects once they are off the needles because I get excited about casting on the next project. Finishing tends to happen in batches.

This pair of socks was started in 2017, shortly after I started knitting socks and before I had figured out what really worked for me. I have somewhat bitty feet -- not so much short as narrow -- so the first few pairs of socks I made turned out way too big. Then I discovered toe-up and magic loop and the Fish Lips Kiss heel. I really wanted to make this pattern (Socks for the Deputy Headmistress is free on Ravelry), but to have any hope of 72 stitches fitting my foot, I had to go down to a size 0 needle, and I still did some decreases on the sole of the foot. Size 0 needles and I do not get along particularly well, so these socks kept going into hibernation, earning the name "never-ending socks". Somehow I finished the first sock, so I wasn't willing to just frog the project. I finally buckled down and worked two rounds a day, and now they are OFF THE NEEDLES!! I am super excited.

I have tiny feet too and always have trouble with the heel of a sock being up around my ankle. My friend who makes socks made me a pair last year and they fit so nice and tight. Those are a nice pattern too.

Those look great! I admire your goals for the year -- that's a lot of knitting.

I no longer knit, but those look fab! That is an ambitious goal!

>2 dudes22: Socks are one of the reasons I learned to knit because that is the exact problem I tend to have with commercially made socks. It took a while to find my flow. The toe-up and Fish Lips Kiss heel discoveries were revelatory. Now I can just knit socks based on the formula which I know reliably fits my feet.

>3 lauralkeet: It is a lot of knitting, but sock knitting is my happy place in an anxiety-filled\fueled world. Since I don't do well with tiny yarn and tiny needles, I double-strand fingering weight yarn and use size 2 needles. My bitty feet only require 48 stitches.

I have four other pairs of socks which just need to have their ends woven in. That might happen today.

This green pair is my first completed pair of the year. They are made with rustic worsted weight yarn stranded with silk-mohair, and I highly recommend the combination. They are toasty warm and practically slippers.

>4 avaland: Thank you. I love the pattern.

>1 minervasbooks: Love that yarn and pattern. What is the yarn?

>6 minervasbooks: sock knitting is my happy place Mine is shawls, cowls and scarves: mindless work and luxurious yarns.

>8 SassyLassy: : The yarn is from the Woolen Rabbit, a hand dyer in Conway, New Hampshire. It is the Pearl base, which is 80% Merino and 20% nylon. The color is Butterscotch Pudding.

I love her yarns, and I love that she often has non-superwash options. She hasn't been dyeing as much the last few years.

Some yarn feels like it is too pretty to use. Her yarn is too pretty NOT to use. One of my most favorite things I have ever made is an Always Amsterdam shawl with a worsted weight yarn base called Frolic.

The shawl is unblocked in this picture.



I used to knit more shawls. And hats. LOTS of hats. But for some reason in January 2021, socks became the thing I needed to knit pretty much all the time.

That looks like a lovely warm shawl.

Thanks for the link to Woolen Rabbit - so tempting.

Oooh, I love all the socks, they look cozy-colored and warm!

Yesterday Creative Grandma on You Tube was showing Premier new sock yarns. I do not crochet socks but amazed at people who knit and crochet them.

Have you managed to stick with your goal in >1 minervasbooks: this year? All of your photos have such pretty projects!