« Simply SockapalOOOza | Main | H is for »
April 20, 2006
My Big Fat Greek
SOCK!!
The whole time I was knitting my sock pal socks (thanks for all your kudos by the way!) I kept thinking about how great the Hot Flash would look with the Lover's Leap. So I started looking through books and more books until I found this mosaic pattern I thought would work. It's the Fretwork Pattern from Barbara Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, p. 82.
The pattern notes say it's based on the famous Greek Fret and as soon as Georgie saw them he said they were "My Big Fat Greek Socks." Seriously. He takes all the credit for the name - he LOVES them! He's got me making socks in greek flag colors for all the little girls at Greek School. Um no. He can't wait to show them to his mother on Sunday, which is Greek Easter. I'm happy because they remind me of the Red Easter Eggs we have at his parent's house every year. Everyone takes an egg and you crack the ends against your neighbors' eggs and the last one with a whole egg (no cracks) wins! (What they win I'm not sure - eternal happiness? Chocolate? Sadly, I've never won.)
I'm THRILLED with the way the socks look off the needles, but so so on the foot. The slip stitches at some of the joins are loose and if I like the way the sock ends up, I'll probably knit another pair and keep this one as the prototype. They're a bit tight getting them over the heel, but I don't think I can go up to Size 3 needles. Maybe if I keep the ribbing on 2s and do the body on 3s? Then go back to 2s for the heel and the foot? I'm going to do the heel in red and the toe in red and the foot, well, I have an idea about the foot, but I'll get to that when I get there.
Today's a process day. I need to mull over some work stuff and G's out tonight so I'm going to concentrate on lots of fiber fun. Like SPIN! Finally. I want to move onto my April Project Spectrum Spinning before April actually ends and I plan on trying to get in a whole repeat today on the shawl. Ambitious I know, but if I don't eat or clean or pay bills or tend to my own personal hygiene, I think I can do it ALL!
Posted by Cara at April 20, 2006 01:50 PM
Topics: MBFGS
Comments
Those socks are just beautiful! Your use of color is always so inspiring, and this pattern just really brings out the best in both of them.
Posted by: Rachel at April 20, 2006 01:57 PM
I love how it looks on! It kind of fills out the pattern and makes it more meaty and less squared off...
Posted by: Wendi at April 20, 2006 02:01 PM
Yes, do it all! The sock looks great. The best way to loosen it up some is to make sure your floats aren't tight. Keep 'em loose. Not sure #3 needles will really give the look you want. Short socks might help, too. THEY LOOk FABU! LOVE the colors...just perfect for Greek Easter (I miss our Greek neighbor who had a full lamb barbecue every Easter.)
Posted by: margene at April 20, 2006 02:04 PM
They look great! What are you talking about?
Artsy, pretty, funky, cool...gah gah.
Posted by: isel at April 20, 2006 02:22 PM
Really cute socks!
Posted by: anne at April 20, 2006 02:22 PM
The keys look almost pop culture in the red and pink combo. Very cool. The needle switching idea sounds alright, but I think the yarn might not be thick enough to be knit on 3s. I swatched some of my STR on 3s and the fabric was a bit holey and stringy. Maybe it'll work for you though. In any case, those socks look so happy. :) I love socks that feel like "your little happy secret" under a pair of jeans.
Good luck getting to everything tonight.
Posted by: Danielle at April 20, 2006 02:26 PM
Those are SO COOL! The idea of using slip stitch patterns for socks opens so many possibilities, too. Keep up that creative inspiration, even if it means forgoing hygiene.
Posted by: Jenna at April 20, 2006 02:27 PM
OMG, can you imagine a whole bunch of little girls wearing little blue & white Greek-y socks to Greek school? It's killing me! Adore them in pink. ; )
Posted by: Vicki at April 20, 2006 02:30 PM
μεγάλες κάλτσες
Posted by: ann at April 20, 2006 02:31 PM
Sounds like a perfect day to me!
And I love the socks! Very cute!
Posted by: Leah at April 20, 2006 02:48 PM
Christos Anesti to both you and Giorgi! You win good luck if you are the one standing with the remaining uncracked egg. Awesome socks. Yes, they'd look great in blue and white.
Posted by: Manise at April 20, 2006 03:09 PM
Oh! I love them! Just beautiful! =)
Posted by: Bethe at April 20, 2006 03:16 PM
Those socks are beautiful! The colors really work well with the pattern.
Posted by: Silver Arrow at April 20, 2006 03:21 PM
you are a sock goddess! and my inspiration...
Posted by: michelle at April 20, 2006 03:41 PM
Lovely!
Posted by: Chris at April 20, 2006 04:04 PM
I LOVE that pattern, reminds me of the greek eternal chain thingy (my technical term...)
It will be one goregous sock that is for sure!
Posted by: stinkerbell at April 20, 2006 04:10 PM
What a great idea! I cannot wait to see what you come up with for the foot. The colors look amazing together.
Posted by: Sarah at April 20, 2006 04:15 PM
They are fabulous. Way better than the bills.
Posted by: Theresa at April 20, 2006 04:38 PM
Oh, I love them!
Posted by: Aija at April 20, 2006 06:13 PM
Wow, that's a cool design! Love it.
Posted by: brooke at April 20, 2006 06:40 PM
That's an awesome pattern and I love those colors together.
Posted by: Kelly at April 20, 2006 06:48 PM
Beautiful socks! You're a woman on fire!!! Hey, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of camera do you use and what is your macro lense? I use a Nikon D70 and, maybe I'm just a wired person, but I get so much shake when I get really close up...
Posted by: vicki at April 20, 2006 10:22 PM
Interesting. I didn't know the onion skin/egg thing is a Greek tradition, too. My family has always made some eggs with onion skins (we look weird, in the store, picking out alot of onion skins and only one or two onions!). Cool.
The sock looks wonderful!
Posted by: Angelia at April 20, 2006 11:00 PM
I love those!!!
Posted by: ivete at April 20, 2006 11:03 PM
Those are gorgeous! So yummy-just my colors.
Posted by: Kimberly at April 21, 2006 12:46 AM
These have to be the most funk-a-licious/coolest/prettiest socks I have ever seen! They look great!
Posted by: Rebecca at April 21, 2006 01:03 AM
If I were a sock I would totally have sex with that sock.
Posted by: Juniper at April 21, 2006 04:55 AM
Pah! Who needs personal hygiene when you've got such great socks!
Posted by: Abi at April 21, 2006 05:00 AM
Socks look great. And the whole Greek thing with the eggs? Cajuns have that as part of their Easter tradition as well. They call it Paquing (Paques being Easter in French). And while I've actually won several times I never won anything but a round of applause. I feel so cheated.
Posted by: amanda at April 21, 2006 09:21 AM
Those are super!
Posted by: Scribbles & Bits at April 21, 2006 09:29 AM
they look awesome! ann is a retard.
Posted by: Bookish Wendy at April 21, 2006 11:22 AM
Pretty, pretty! Love the colors together and the pattern is cool.
Posted by: Melanie at April 21, 2006 11:49 AM
Those are way hot socks. I think, just from that picture alone, that I've decided finally. When and if I get my hands on socks that rock, I'm ABSOLUTELY going to get two different colorways and get some stranding on. Those are wicked cute.
Posted by: KathyB at April 21, 2006 01:15 PM
love, love, LOVE the lovey colored greek socks! can't wait to see them finished!
Posted by: teabee at April 21, 2006 02:28 PM
ohhhhhhhhhhhh how flipping fantastic are those???
I'm in LOVE with those socks!!!!!
I NEED THAT BOOK!
Can't wait to see the finished sock!
Posted by: Kelly at April 21, 2006 10:29 PM
Just beautiful, Cara!! I love the patterning, and of course the red and pink combo :)
Posted by: Lolly at April 23, 2006 07:11 AM
Well, I'm Russian Orthidox which is exactly the same thing (except we use Russian instead of Greek), so my Easter is today. I'm loveing your sock. It looks totally awesome! Can't wait to see the finished pair...and you know, you're seeming to like all your non-Jaywalker socks much better off, so just get that sock peacock you posted about a while ago. :)
Posted by: emily at April 24, 2006 12:46 AM
Wow. All that I can say is wow! I wouldn't fret over those socks if I were you (ahahahaha!)
Posted by: colleen at April 25, 2006 07:21 PM