Don’t you just adore frosty autumn leaves. I do. Autumn is one of my favourite seasons. I went through a phase where I really enjoyed knitting patterns that swirled around my leg. I chose to end the lacy swirling pattern at the ankle as I find a smooth foot more comfortable for wearing. The Swirl Socks were finished and photographed last Autumn.
I have had bad experiences with second sock syndrome in the past and still have a few single socks on the backburner. Sometimes the reason a second sock isn’t made is because something wasn’t quite right. Perhaps, the wrong choice of yarn for the pattern chosen, or I wasn’t happy with the colour chosen.
The main reason for my problems with second sock syndrome was that I would finish a sock, love how it looked and then find a new pattern or buy a new sock yarn that I really wanted to try. The first sock would be put into a box, with its pattern, needles and yarn. Then I’d start the new sock.
How I overcame second sock syndrome was by knitting both socks at the same time. By the time I’ve finished the first sock, the second sock in the pair only needs the toe to be completed. It is easy to remain motivated to knit a toe! I know there are several ways to knit two socks at the same time, but to be honest, I find using two sets of double pointed needles and dividing the yarn into two balls works best for me. I like tweaking a heel or a pattern when I am working on it and it is easy to repeat what I have just done, when I have just finished doing it, rather than a month or even 6 months or longer, later.
Knitting the Swirl Socks
I love the swirling pattern on the legs of these socks. I started by casting on 56 stitches. Then I used knit one, purl one rib for the cuff.
After finishing the rib make one stitch, so there are 57 stitches on the needle. The extra stitch causes the repeat of the pattern to move across by one stitch.
The swirl pattern is very simple.
- Round 1: knit
- Round 2: *k2tog, YO, k5; repeat from * to end of round. The pattern moves on by one stitch each time round 2 is worked. So the starting point for the next round will change.
I continued knitting the swirl pattern until the leg was long enough.
I used the Strong Heel for my Swirl Socks as I love how it looks with self striping yarn.
The paired decrease toes are one of my favourite styles to use. I love how these toes look in the finished socks.
The Swirl Socks are elegant and beautiful. I used Lang Jawoll Magic Stripes sock yarn in colourway 840026. With the swirl socks, the stripes are the dominant design feature and the sock structure is less obvious at first glance, which is exactly what I wanted.
The swirl socks are very comfortable the Lang Jawoll Magic sock yarn has worn and washed exceptionally well over the past year.
Missing Friends
It is always a little unnerving when going through photographs that were taken a while ago when I come across a furry person who is no longer with us. This was our very elderly cat Tiggy who we lost in the following Spring, he was nearly 20 years old. After so long with him in our lives, we still miss him very much.
Hi Nicolette. I am having trouble with the swirl socks. I divided the 56 cast on stitches with 14 stitches on 4 needles. It does not swirl. The yarn overs are lining up in a straight line. They are not moving over one. I am wondering if it should be cast on 60 stitches (most of your patterns use 60) with 15 stitches on 4 needles. This would give me one more stitch at the end of the first needle when I start the swirl pattern. Any help would be appreciated. I am new to knitting socks. The Strong Heel has been a god send for me.
I also lost a little furry friend named Tiggy four years ago. She very much resembled your Tiggy.
Hi Karlene, sorry for the confusion. I went back to look at my written notes. After I finished knitting the rib, I increased by one stitch at the beginning of the round on needle 1, so I had 57 stitches on the needles. This meant that the pattern moves across by one stitch on each patterning round which causes the swirl. Thank you for contacting me to ask. Sorry for the mistake which I have fixed on the post.
Our Tiggy had such a strong personality. You really miss them when they aren’t around anymore. I’m sure you feel the same way about your Tiggy.
Thank you Nicolette for setting me straight. I did not add that extra stitch to make 57 stitches. I have a tendency to breeze right through the directions. I am not unhappy about the way it looks with the 56 stitches. I am making ankle socks, so there is only 2-3 inches in height before I start the heel.
Thanks again
Karlene
You are welcome, thank you for asking. Much appreciated.
Eu adoro os seus artigos e, também, sou louca por meias!!
Obrigada por compartilhar o que você sabe!!
Abraços!!
Elza Guerra