Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Finished: Knee High TARDIS Socks and Giveaway!

My sister, Erato, is one of those super humans who - when she puts her mind to it - can pretty much follow through on any goal with gale force strength single-mindedness.  

Case in point: One month after running her first marathon, she ran a 50k trail run.

Hurricane Force
That's 31 miles, folks. Hardcore.  

While not as physically strenuous, the congratulatory socks I knit for her were something of a marathon, too.




It's not that my mash up of the TARDIS Socks and the Delicious Socks were particularly challenging. It wasn't. It's just that my sister is quite tall. Her calves are about 4" longer than yours...



I know. I'm jealous of her long limbs too.


That's a whole lot of sock to knit!

I already talked about the TARDIS socks when I knit myself a pair. The mashup I did with the Delicious Knee Socks was basically to follow their increase and decrease chart for the legs. I also did the short row heel of the Delicious socks, which is not my norm, but it worked out.  I worry a little that it isn't as strong as my usual Dutch or Band heel.




Other details are that I knit these from Cascade Heritage sock yarn, which is a superwash (ie: machine washable) merino and nylon blend. The merino makes them soft and warm and the nylon adds some necessary strength for long-wearing socks. It's a very springy, cushy yarn. Not my favorite for wearing with shoes, but the color was right. Also, I experimented with the cuff by knitting in some elastic thread  to add some extra grippy-ness, which I thought the yarn lacked. I'll let you know if this turns out to be a good addition.


Hardcore, peeps.

Congrats, Erato!  You are so amazingly hardcore. I hope these give your feet and legs the cushy warm comfort they deserve!

Giveaway
And now, a giveaway.  You see, while I was planning this project, I ordered a lot of sock yarn. Most was rejected for it's color - just not right for TARDIS.  One reject was made into socks for Phin - the blue was too blue-green for TARDIS. But I still have other yarns left over, and well, the truth is that... um...

I hate navy blue. 

Most sincerely. This is probably due to my years in a navy blue school uniform. So very uniform!

So, I'm banishing from my sight giving away 4 balls of KnitPicks Stroll sock yarn in navy. The socks I've knit from Stroll have held up really well and look just as good as when first knit. I bought 4 balls thinking that's what I would need for knee highs, but regular socks can be made with two. So, there shall be two winners!


Merino Nylon Superwash - 230 yards each


Just holler in the comments and make sure I can contact you before Christmas (ie: December 24 at 11:59 EST) and let me know what you think you might knit with this yarn. It's fingering weight, so could have lots of uses besides socks. If you've never dipped your toe into sock knitting but are curious,  K-line is hosting a Two Socks, One Week knit along over the holidays, and she is sure to have some great tips and tutorials.

Anyway, I hope that someone will take this yarn off my hands enjoy knitting navy blue more than I would. 

33 comments:

Clio said...

Ooh, I love TARDIS socks and the ones you made are so impressive!! (As is your sister, I can hardly run down the block!) Ha, I'm very curious about the yarn - I have neutral feelings on navy blue and I've never made socks before, but I think it could be a lot of fun!

Clio said...

The first present I ever gave my husband was a pair of navy hand-knit socks. They looked good but they weren't quite his "thing." He's kept them in his sock drawer for 53 years. I'm thinking I should try again, don't you?

Clio said...

Oh my goodness! Definitely time for a try again! Actually, Phin has yet to wear his socks either. So, perhaps this is a husband thing?

Clio said...

Thanks! Socks are fun to knit and very portable as far as knitting projects go.

Clio said...

Heart is in the right place anyway...

Clio said...

Those Tardis socks are EPIC. Can't say I am a huge Dr. Who fan (haven't really found the time to watch the show), but your socks look awesome in any case. Very fun!

Clio said...

Ooh, I didn't even think of that! I'm so used to my bulky sweaters...

Clio said...

These are so gorgeous! You are a great gifter! :)

Clio said...

How on earth can you hate navy blue? I wore a navy uniform for a zillion years also and it's still my go to colour every time?!?! Thanks for the promotion, T. I hope we have many knitalonger colleagues on the 29th. xo

Clio said...

I would like to enter. This year I learned to knit socks and have knit two pair, but both were given away as presents so I still don't have any for me. I would make a pair of socks for myself - pattern not chosen yet but definitely something lacey. P.S. my New Year's resolution for 2014 is more selfish knitting and sewing - because I deserve new clothes too!

Clio said...

LOL - I'm a picky eater when it comes to color. ;-) I've tried really hard to rehabilitate myself, but every time I've tried wearing navy I end up feeling incredibly boring. I find it very chic on others. Just not for me.



I have already bought myself some Toshsock!

Clio said...

You do deserve socks for you! Clothes too!

Clio said...

Ha - they were epic to knit, that's for sure!

Clio said...

Oh please enter me. I want to try knitting socks again in the new year. Thanks. Ps fabulous socks.

Clio said...

Entry Please!

I am just finishing my first pair of socks and want to try the technique where you knit both socks at once using a magic loop. I love navy!

Clio said...

Those Tardis socks are amazing. I'm knitting socks for first time in K Line"s sock a long. As for the navy blue loathing, I can understand that. Due to a grey and maroon school uniform I couldn't stand those colors for a long, long time. I've come around on grey, maroon? Never!
I have a resolution for 2014 to make / thrift clothes. Ideally the materials will also be scrounged. If the sock a long is a success I'll have learnt how to knit socks, plus have a new pair. It would be great to be able to knit a.second pair.

Clio said...

I'm getting my brave face on and learning to knit at the moment. Would love to be in the draw - socks are quite high on my things-I-want-to-be-able-to-knit-for-myself list. :-)

Also, those TARDIS socks? Absolutely-freakin' amazing!!!!!

Clio said...

These are The Coolest Socks Ever In The History of the World. Love them and if you ever have an urge to make another pair for some random person you have never met, add me to the list.


Yeah, right that'll happen.


Don't include my name in the giveaway, my knitting sucks and would be a waste of this lovely wool.

Clio said...

Baby Cardigan! and maybe socks! I have a new grandbaby coming in February - and it's a boy! It would make a great cardigan for him - especially because we live in Southern AZ and it's not cold - maybe 40s for the lows at night...

Clio said...

Don't enter me into the giveaway. I feel just like you do about navy blue. HATE IT. I say both you and your sister are hardcore rock stars, just in different ways! You are just as determined as she is. These socks rock! Talk to me about the gusset in the sole, please?

Clio said...

Wow. I just ran my first 5K so I have total respect for your sister, especially since I then spent the rest of the week feeling sick on the couch. The tardis socks are pretty awesome! Next time I knit a sock, clearly I need to come to you for help with my heel turning.
I would maybe make socks. There are scads of patterns I'd love to try, now that I've cut my teeth on my first pair. Then again, the Endpaper Mitts are lovely.

Clio said...

I'll be happy to take 2 balls of that yarn off your hands, as I have no mental hangups with navy blue (never wore a school uniform either). I will be making socks, since that's what I need.

Clio said...

Oooh, what colourway? BTW, if you mix navy with yellow or gold, it makes it much more exciting...

Clio said...

Congrats on the 5k! I run 5-10ks too. Just not 50ks! Happy to help with your next heels!

Clio said...

Easy, peasy! I wouldn't even call it a gusset. It's just about an inch on the sole where I do k2,p2. You want it to fall right in the middle of the arch to make the sock a little grippy there. A reader (LinB, I think) suggest I do it a while back and now it is SOP.

Clio said...

LOL. I am off of socks for others at the moment. ;-)

Clio said...

YAY! Socks are great to knit and knit socks are great to wear. Yep, they are tardis socks.

Clio said...

I totally understand! See you in the knit along!

Clio said...

It's not hard to do, especially if you already know the basics of sock knitting.

Clio said...

It's gorgeous blues, greens and blue-greens. I think the colorway is called Cousteau.

You say that, but my navy grammar school uniform had one of those funny criss crossed ties like a Brownie uniform and it was gold. And it didn't make the uniform one bit more palatable. ;-)

Clio said...

Aww - that sounds sweet. And yes, I bet it would be perfect.

Clio said...

I'd either make socks or mitts with this yarn, unless I get a wild hair (wild hare? I'm never sure about that idiom) and make one of the old-fashioned sort of neck scarves with the divided knot, into which you slip an end of the scarf, to hold it all close against your neck and chest. I've been churning them out for a couple of weeks now, as they take less yarn than a Dr. Who scarf (what doesn't?) and can be made up in a night or two of t.v. watching.

Clio said...

I'd stick with socks. I don't have a particular pattern in mind, but that colour would show off lace well.