Calcareous (plus giveaway)
We’re totally on a roll. I told you I had a lovely stack of early patterns to bring back, and today’s is Calcareous!
These sort of hit that sweet spot between cabling and ribbing. The cables keep the ribbing from getting boring (because I can’t be the only one who would go mad with boredom before I reached the end of a pair of plain ribbed socks). And the ribbing keeps the cables behaving nicely and makes sure the socks fit beautifully.
And there’s something rather tidy going on with the gusset there too. See how the decreases are snugged in there, hidden away in the larger stitch pattern? It’s kind of nifty! I was apparently having a ‘hide the gusset’ phase for a while there (Anemochory takes a similar approach).
I find the overall effect almost irresistibly dapper! They yarn totally helps with that too. It’s Top Draw Sock from an awesome company called Skein (yes they’re in Australia, yes this makes their yarn a tiny bit harder to come by, and yes it is totally worth the effort). I’ve got a second skein of their yarn to give away to introduce one you to their awesome goodness. Just leave a comment telling me how you feel about ribbing on socks to be entered to win. (Too boring to bear? So hideously comfy you struggle through anyways? You’re madly in love and don’t know why I hate ribbing? There’s no wrong answer, we’re just chatting!)
And while I can’t send yarn to everyone, I can give everyone a discount. Just use the code DAPPER to get a dollar the price between now and Friday. Just put Calcareous in your ravelry cart, click on the ‘use a coupon code’ button, and type in the code DAPPER. You’ll see the change in price reflected right away.
Comments left between now and the end of the day (eastern time) Friday, October 16, 2015 will be entered to win. I’ll pick a winner, contact them to get their addresses, and arrange to send yarn their way. Be sure to use a real email address so I can contact you if you’ve won (I won’t do anything with those email addresses besides notify the winner). If I do email you, I need to hear back from you within 72 hours or I will pick a new winner and contact them. Sorry, but I can only ship physical prizes to US addresses.
I love how much better ribbing makes socks fit, and how it makes them so much stretchier. However, like you, I tend to need a little something more to keep my interest.
Your question could not have been more timely. I just finished my third pair of socks ever and my second ribbed pair. I do like how they stretch and help with fit but I am ALREADY getting bored with them. I’ve been hesitant to substitute cables as I’ve heard they change the fit by pulling the stitches closer together and this of course means I need to be better about swatching. But I am determined to try and these beautiful socks will go in my queue. They might be a bit complicated for me right now and definitely won’t be social knitting but I love them!
I prefer cables over ribbing although ribbing is great for the stay-in-place factor
I love ribbing for the fit. I feel like they stay snug around my foot longer than ‘vanilla’ socks. That said, I like that this pattern take the functionality of the ribbing to a more interesting level! I like the idea of something to break up the monotony, since I usually need pattern repeats to break things up and give me mini-goals to reach.
Socks are my to take the edge off anxiety project while I’m waiting for something…so ribbing can be helpful with that. But cables would make it even harder to focus on anxiety…so, eh, what’s wrong with loving both of them? (I can now identify with numerous ill-fated ladies in relationship triangles…not a life experience I ever thought I’d have.=)
Whenever serious ribbing is required I think of Elizabeth Zimmerman’s instructions for making a turtleneck: “pick up around the neck and rib until you are sick of it”. Ribbing on socks works beautifully but is slower and boring. Anything which makes it more interesting is welcome to me.
Ribbing is tedious for sure. I also don’t like the color distortion in a multi-color yarn when doing plain ribbing.
These socks are so pretty, and they look like a great balance between the practical ribbing and the pretty (and fun to knot!) cables!
I can’t wait to cast on a pair. 🙂
I love the way socks fit with a little ribbing. One doesn’t have to go overboard into the boredom range, a little goes a long way. The only pair of cabled socks I’ve made gave me fits in that it was hard to calculate the right number of stitches to compensate for the draw-in on the cables.
I love knitting ribbed socks. I like the way they stay up, and I also like the repetitive activity of knitting ribbing. (Used to count flies for a living, so you can assume I’m the outlier here. 😉
I like the stretch and snap back effect of ribbing, with its ability to hug the bends and curves, but absolutely yes, it’s boring boring boring to knit. Something that accomplishes the rib effect without just being ribbing = perfect!
I love ribbing to help my socks stay up but cables make my heart beat faster. Also am crazy about Skein TDS, it’s what’s on my needles right now.
I love ribbing on socks, and I love the way you have done the ribbing on these socks! And I love the way you have integrated the ribbing with the cables on these socks! Beautiful!!!
I have actually not done a fully red sock, but I just finished some fingerless mitts that were pretty long. Honestly I kind of enjoyed it. It was nice to have something relaxing to do while watching TV and not having to watch a chart or Count rows. I love the socks. They look like they would be easy to knit up while watching TV
That should say ribbed, not red. It won’t let me fix it on my iPad!
I love these socks. I can take it or leave it when it comes to Ribbing. Depends on the design!
I love ribbing for the fit and it’s ‘forgiveness’ factor makes it great for gift socks when the recipient isn’t around to try them on at various stages.
But a whole sock of it can be mind numbingly boring, even for TV or social knitting, so variations, like these cables, are most welcome and take the sock out of vanilla flavour.
This looks like a great yarn and I really hope I win so I can check it out! Thanks for the opportunity!
Love the feel of ribbing, do not enjoy it after about the amount necessary for the cuff. Not. But it feels nice, so I keep my ears stiff and do it. Great pattern, thank you for the overhaul!
I’m not big on ribbing as a rule, but I was recently inspired to make ribbed socks to show off an awesome colorway.
For semi-solids, I do prefer just a bit of something going on like this cabling to break up the monotony.
Once I determined that whatever I’m doing….ribbing, cables, ripping out…I’m still playing with yarn and needles so I don’t complain. Plus I have many projects on needles to switch between when I get bored. Although that makes for many undone projects and lots of trying to remember what exactly I was doing! Thanks for offering freebies. B
Wow those socks are amazing, I will definitely be buying this pattern.
In the event that I win (ha ha), my e-mail address is: thekittyknitterATverizonDOTnet
I like the way ribbing feels on my legs and how it keeps it shape. Really a great giveaway really hope to win. I love your new pattern two gives you the feel of ribs with the style of cables.
I love how ribbing looks but it does get boring after a while which is why I like a little variety in my knitting. These socks are beautiful!!!
These are gorgeous socks, and very cleverly designed! And I would love to try Skein yarns, they’re so beautiful.
I’m wondering if lightning will strike twice. The “hide the guesset” thing you’ve got going on is amazing.
I will say I am not a fan of ribbing, I don’t like how it makes the sock look when not worn. If I must use it I like doing garter rib, that way you are just knitting every other round, the effect is pleasing, the fit is good, and the sock doesn’t look all deformed when in the drawer. 🙂
LOVE your new pattern…the socks are gorgeous! I definitely like ribbing in socks, not only for looks but IMO it makes the socks fit better and, therefore, more comfortable to wear.