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*all weights must be considered approximate. I weigh the yarn on 2 scales. Periodically, these scales are checked for accuracy against the one at the post office. But since all of this is done by me personally and not by an outside agency, the weights must be considered approximate. I do my best to make them consistent and will always tell you what I have been able to knit with the amount of yarn being sold in any put-up.
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COTTON/SPANDEX RUN-ALONG
a skinny little yarn with a big impact Cotton/spandex run-along is an inexpensive way to get socks that are comparable to those made with very pricey sock yarns. Run any suitable weight of yarn along with one or 2 strands of this skinny cotton/lycra blend. Treat the two strands as one. It knits very easily without a noticable change from the usual performance of the machine. Washing activates the lycra and socks with fabulous memory are achieved. If running with 100% wool yarn, hand wash in hot water to protect the wool from felting and still activate the lycra. One of the colors above should blend with most yarns. Use the free pattern below for your first attempts. It is sized and fully tested for the 60 clot cylinder. Machines and tastes do vary but this is a good starting point at the very least. It may work well with other sizes but that is yet untested. I'd welcome input from any of you who choose to try it and add information. Another great use for this yarn is to make a standard sweater design clingier. Added to cuffs and hems, it will increase their memory. The cotton/spandex run-along is sold wound onto recycled cones of approx.* 4 oz./$6.00 plus shipping. This makes several pairs of socks if used as run-along. I knitted 6 pairs (3 ladies' 6 and 3 mens' 10) from one cone and still had a little yarn left. Paypal buttons are below. You may pay by check or money order if you prefer. tell me your color choice in the "notes" section of the paypal transaction. Shipping is $6.00 within the continental US for 1 cone and $10 for 2-4 cones. If you need a larger order, e-mail and I'll find the best postal rate for you. one cone cotton/spandex run-along indluding shipping 2 cones cotton/spandex run-along including shipping 3 cones cotton/spandex run-along including shipping 4 cones cotton/spandex run-along including shipping |
 KEY TO THE SOCKS ABOVE All of these socks were knitted with the same number of rounds: 20 for the hem [a length of 10 after hanging the hem], 50 for the leg and 50 for the foot. These are sized to fit a size 6 foot using the pattern below and they all do fit! All except sock #1 have been washed in hot water and air dried. Sock 1 at the far left is made with 1 strand of Jagger 2/8 wool run with 1 strand of grey cotton spandex. This sock is shown before washing. Compare it to sock 3 which is its mate but has already been washed. Sock 2 is the same Jagger wool without a strand of spandex. While it fits fine, this is the kind of sock that starts to feel looser as the day wears on. Sock 3 is like sock 1: 1 strand 2/8 wool plus 1 strand of cotton/spandex but it has been washed. Note how the spandex is activated by washing! Sock 4 is 1 strand Yeoman's Panama (cotton/acrylic blend) plus 1 strand cream cotton/spandex. Sock 5 is 1 strand Regia self-patterning wool & cotton sock yarn plus 1 strand taupe cotton/spandex. Note that the pattern comes through nice and clearly in spite of the addition of the run-along yarn. Sock 6 is 2 thin strands of pure cotton and 2 of cream cotton spandex. It pulls in enough to fit a much smaller foot due to the extra strand of spandex and lesser amount or main yarn. Sock 7 is 1 strand each of brown, grey and taupe cotton/spandex, knitted at the same tension as the other socks. It knitted easily and came off of the machine looking long and skinny but look at it now! Some experimenting is needed to size socks made with multiple strands of cotton/spandex but it is certainly do-able and they are wonderfully stretchy. Socks 3, 4, and 5 are the comfiest. There is just enough spandex to give them great memory without seeming tight. The cotton/spandex run-along has affected each yarn a little differently but all feel very nice. Amazingly, socks 6 and 7 actually do fit the size 6 foot just fine and could be knitted longer if desired. It would be possible to fit very small feet using the yarn combinations shown in socks 6 and 7. The extra lycra pulls in a great deal but retains its flexibility. |
HANDLING THE YARN
This is easier to knit and more forgiving than pure cotton yarn but not as easy as wool, in my opinion. The lycra content is not high--just enough to improve memory. If using a csm, set the machine to knit a fairly tight stitch. While knitting and before washing, the fabric looks a bit open and the yarn may seem a bit string-like. After washing in hot water, the cotton lofts and softens and the lycra activates, making the fabric softer and denser. The cones are actually recycled plastic bottles. These normally knit off beautifully but knitting very fast, may cause them to dance around. If you knit fast, stuff a rag in the bottom of each cone to give it a little more weight.
A single strand of the yarn will knit on fine gauge machines [3.6mm], standard machines[4.5 mm] at small stitch sizes and csms with high needle count cylinders.
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SUMMER SOCK YARN
This light gray cotton yarn with just a little lycra is great for summer socks and for anyone who doesn’t enjoy wearing wool. . 2 strands run together are similar to a standard fingering or sock yarn gauge and will knit nicely on standard gauge and Passap 5mm knitting machines as well as csms with 54, 60, and 72 needle cylinders. The yarn is sold wound into mini-cones as shown. One order is 2 cones of at least 2.5 oz. each*. It is put up in this way so you can run 2 strands together and will make a pair of socks using the free pattern on this page with a 60 slot cylinder in any size shown. [mathematical calculations suggest that up to a size 14 may be knitted but I have not actually made any size 14 socks and cannot guarantee that.] If you want longer tops or extra large sizes, more yarn may be needed.
2 mini-cones for $8.00 plus $6.00 shipping 4 mini-cones for $16.00 plus $10.00 shipping 6 mini-cones for $24.00 plus $10.00 shipping 8 mini-cones for $32.00 plus $10.00 shipping 10 mini-cones for $40.00 plus $10.00 shipping If you need a larger order, e-mail with specifics. I’ll get the best postage deal I can for you. |
Knitted with Zephyr wool/silk blend and published in News and Views
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felted coat made with 2/8 Maine Line wool
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JAGGER YARNS
I now offer you the full line of Jagger yarns. The Maine Line yarn by Jagger is excellent for felting and is what I have used for my last several projects as it is a reliable felter, comes in many colors and is reasonably priced. One strand of 2/8 works in the patterns I developed for circular sock machines. 2 strands run together substitute for sport weight yarn where every other needle is used on the standard gauge or every needle on the mid-gauge. 3 strands run together approximate the weight of worsted and can be substituted in patterns for the bulky using worsted weight yarn. Naturally, you'll always want to make a swatch and felt it to be certain you are getting a gauge close to that in the pattern. Not only may the yarn cause variation, but your washing machine and detergent may do so as well. 1 strand of 2/8 works well on the circular sock machine or standard gauge machine to make warm,comfy, moderately priced socks. Socks 1-3 above are knitted with Maine Line 2/8. Some have a strand of cotton/lycra run-along added which makes them even nicer. To order Jagger yarns, click the link below to visit the Jagger info site. From the home page, you can access descriptions and color charts for every yarn they regularly make. The site refers to these as "stock". Then e-mail me at kathrynd answerlady at hotmail dot com for current pricing and shipping info. Once we agree on what you need, you may pay via paypal or by check. The e-mail address is written strangely to make it spam resistant. Return it to its normal format to contact me. click here to see Jagger's Main Line colors |
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SIMPLY SUPER SOCKS a free pattern for circular sock machines (c)2008 Kathryn Doubrley www.theanswerlady.com
You may share this pattern as long as the copyright info remains attached. You may make and sell socks using it. This pattern is for any yarn of 2/8 (fingering) or very similar weight plus a strand of the cotton/lycra run-along for sale above. It results in a smooth all-stockinette sock that feels very comfortable for all-day wear. The pattern has been thoroughly tested on a 60 slot cylinder. Machines and tastes do vary but this is a good starting point at the very least. It may work well with other cylinder sizes but that is yet untested. I'd welcome input from any of you who choose to try it and add information. Begin on waste yarn. Adjust the tension so that the main yarns are knitting at about as tight a tension as they will comfortably knit. Change to main yarn and knit 20 rounds. Remove weights and hang the first row of main yarn to form a hem. Put weights back on. Knit any length of sock top you like. I always knit the same number of top rounds as used for the foot in the size being knitted. This results in a nice proportion. Place 1/2 of the needles in hold. Short row in for 12 rows and out for 12, removing or adding one stitch per row by lifting a needle next to the other held stitches on the side where the yarn carrier ends up. Do this after knitting the row. Knit rounds for foot from chart below. Knit toe as heel. Remove on waste yarn and graft toe closed. Wash and dry sock. For those with ribbers, a ribbed top may be substituted for the hem and the stockinette sock top if preferred. For sizes not shown in chart, add or subtract about 3 rounds per size. STANDARD GAUGE FLAT-BED KNITTING MACHINES AND PASSAP 5MM MACHINES CAN USE THIS PATTERN ALSO To do so, cast on 60 stitches in ribbing or stockinette and knit a ribbed top or hang a hem. The flatbed machines knit a little tighter than the 60 slot circular machine so adjust your stitch size so that the fabric knits nicely, probably around stitch size 5-7. After knitting the hem, lift 1/2 of the stitches on a stitch holder or sock comb (see the tools page--there are some nice ones available there) and rotate the fabric, replacing the stitches on the ribber (other bed for Passaps). Set your machine to knit circular (CX/CX) knit as described above. You will have to seam the portion of the sock that was knitted flat as well as grafting the toe. Remember that your row counter will show twice the number of ROUNDS that are knitted because the counter is recording rows knitted on each bed separately. |
| ladies' shoe sizes | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||
| men's/kids shoe sizes | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| # foot rounds | 50 | 53 | 56 | 59 | 62 | 65 | 68 | 71 | 74 |