Thanks for weighing in with your comments about the Wollmeise sock yarn. Some of you agreed that you found it a little splitty and that it tended to kink up on itself, and some of you didn’t have that experience. I think this might have something to do with how we knit. I tend not to look at the stitches while I knit, so if I’m knitting with a yarn of many plies, it sort of makes sense that there’s a bigger chance of my splitting the yarn. For the Wollmeise, I compensated by looking at my knitting a lot more often, and I was able to correct all the splits that occurred.
And the Frog Warts Socks, they are done.
I really love them, and I have no regrets about the yarn — it’s so pretty knitted up, don’t you think? It’s just a little more high maintenance than some sock yarns. But there is room in my life for a high maintenance yarn from time to time if I get end results like this.
Sorta like people — some are high maintenance and some are low maintenance. C’est la vie. 
Jamie asked in the comments:
I would be interested in what your favorite sock yarns are (say, top five). There are so many special, “boutique” yarns out there, I don’t know where to start.
So many sock yarns!
When I first started knitting socks a few years ago I was drawn to the self-striping sock yarns because they seemed so cool. I was a huge fan of Opal self-striping yarn. I still am very fond of Opal — it makes great guy socks, I think, because it wears so well. And I actually just bought a skein of Opal handpainted a week or so ago.
This is color #21 and was called something like “Chocolate Banana Split.”
Lately I’ve been sampling sock yarns from a whole lot of different dyers. So far in the Summer of Socks I’ve knitted with yarns from The Knittery, All Things Heather, Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Lime & Violet, Sock Pixie, Classic Elite, Dream in Color, and Fiesta. And I’ve loved them all.
But I have to admit, my current sock yarn crush is Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn. In fact, I started a sock in this:
Colorway “Cool Fire.” So yummy . . .
So . . . what are your current sock yarn crushes?
Lucy has visions of sock yarns dancing in her head!
Oh yeah, and Claudia’s, Seacoast, Wonka, Apple Pie and Piece of Vermont.
I am lovin’ that Opal!
) IN LUV!
Right now I am infatuated with Jitterbug! Just posted the Raspberry colorway!
Wow, you are just blazing thorugh socks like a tour de France winner. How many pairs does this make so far? Could you maybe put them up on your knitting page under a special “Summer of Socks” catagory? That would make them really easy to browse! Thanks!
Dear Wendy, you are going to have to knit faster, otherwise you will never get near the number I’ve submitted for your Summer of Socks. Faster, faster!!!
I have the Opal in that same color too, but my current favorite is the Spunky Eclectic Super Nova sitting on my dresser waiting for its turn to be knit. Its soft and squishy, and nice and thick so it will knit up fast into warm socks. This is good when you are a slow knitter who lives where it gets cold in the winter.
My current socks are Regia Silk knit at 11 spi on US0/2mm. The fabric has a surprising amount of stretch even at that gauge. The yarn has enough give that it feels very comfortable to knit those little stitches even with my history of tendonitis.
I get a little splitting, but I’m prone to it. The split will unply the yarn a bit but it seems to sort itself out once it’s part of the fabric. Probably just not enough room between the tiny stitches for anyone to be at all out of line.
So, this is my current favorite. Until I try the next yarn.
Colinette Jitterbug for me! Or STR mediumweight – but I’m knitting the current sock for the 4th time because I really can’t get my gauge straight with it!
Hope you’re feeling more cheerful now Wendy. That Wollmeise is beautiful but I really like Collinette Jitterbug – knits up quite quickly and makes really comfy socks which I have been wearing lots lately as it is winter here.
Well, I haven’t really knit a pair of proper socks yet but all of a sudden I have cravings (maybe I’ve been reading your blog too much) and I’ve been lusting after this yarn here: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/The-Natural-Dye-Studio
However I want to make some jaywalkers and I that yarn’s not the right gauge, there’s a shop here in London that sells Lorna’s Laces though, I’ll have to check it out! I just moved to London from NZ and we couldn’t get aaaany of that stuff back home (there’s some Opal self-patterning, and St Ives available I think and that’s it) so it’s like a whole new world of yarn now…
STR Lightweight remains my all-time favorite, but two of my current sock projects are in Wollmeise and only one in STR.
For the squishy factor I’d have to agree with the Smooshy – I love it! And I love that it’s a bit beefier as sock yarns go and the yardage is amazing. Plus it’s more versatile because the colorway doesn’t fight with the pattern.
I love Cider Moon Blizzard for the colors and since Cherry Tree Hill, Fleece Artist, Koigu, Claudia’s Handpaint, Cider Moon Blizzard and many of the Indie dyers use louet as their base yarn, it’s all about the color.
A yarn that is new to me but WONDERFUL is Wooly Boully. This is hands down the softest yarn I’ve ever touched! She has two lines, softie and meanie. The meanie is what I have and it even has nylon in it and still it is soft soft soft …beautiful color too!
I REALLY don’t like striping yarn. Once in a while it’s ok especially in a chevron or wavy stitch but I prefer a more variegated look. Having said that I think my next sock may be a toe up Marigold with opal petticoat. So much for no stripes
How are you feeling, Wendy? any improvement?
Sock yarn crushes – good question. Right now I’m loving the Louet Gems I’m working with. I love the feel and how it knits. I used some Bearfoot Mountain colors last year that was fun. I liked the Panda Wool I just finished with, but I don’t think I’ll run out and get more right away. I love seeing what other people like!
I just ordered some new things from Loopy Ewe yesterday – I am trying some superwash bluefaced leicester from Gypsy Knits and something from Apple Laine that sounds like Bearfoot with some silk thrown in. I can’t wait to get hold of these. I have a crush on them before they even arrive.
I love your socks! I have a hank of Wollmeise that I haven’t knit up yet – seeing your socks has inspired me! I too like the Panda Cotton, especially for my kids socks. And I really want to learn how to make toe up socks – the instructions just don’t seem to make sense to me.
Well I guess I need to try Smooshy….but I am in total love with Colinette Jitter Bug right now! I end up smiling a Mona Lisa smile when I work on it…It feels so wonderful and the colors are smashing! (working on Sahara right now…yummmy colors)
My current love affair is with Interlacements Tiny Toes–so squishy and soft and knits up like a dream (my current socks on the needle are in the Submarine colorway). But I have to say, I do love Lorna’s Laces, Koigu, Claudia handpainted and Cherry Tree Hill. Oh, and Mountain Colors, too!
I hope you are feeling better, Wendy! I love your newest socks-and all these great comments/yarn reviews, too!
I love the frogwarts socks. They are really pretty. I agree with many people. I like Dream in Color the best, then Cider Moon.
My yarn crushes…I have two right now:
Sunshine yarns (on etsy) in Tree Frog (I’m kinda just in love with her yarn in general) and Cider Moon Flurries in Pandora Rose. These yarns have been sitting at the foot of the bed so that I can easily pet them on a regular basis.
Opal will always be my favorite, I think, because it wears so well. But my special crush is Socks that Rock. I know these socks won’t last like my Opal ones do… but they’re so soft, and the colors are SO lovely.
Hope you’re feeling better!
Love your Frog Warts Socks (great name … kudos to KORC).
Because I have a bit of sock fetish (had it before I started knitting socks), I like almost every sock yarn I try. My Opals I love because they’re very comfy & have worn well. IMO, you can’t beat the feel of Koigu socks. Regia wears well & is great for days when it’s too warm for all wool socks. STR make nice socks too.
Currently I’m working w/Colinette Jitterbug & really like it. The knitted fabric feels wonderful & the yarn does not split while working with it. Thanks to you, my next socks will be from Fiesta Boomerang. I love the feel of that yarn … I can tell they will be a favorite pair to put on when it’s very cold. Soon, Dream in Color will be joining my stash … can’t wait to meet & feel it. OK, how weird does that sound?
Colinette Jitterbug is a current favorite but I’ve wanted to try Blue Moon’s Foo Foo, and 24 Karat. I’m really excited about trying new sock yarns.
Boingy, Smooshy, crispy, Squooshy, squishy, smooshy, splitty, Smoooooooooshy, yummy, soft, soft and springy, soft and squishy: a great bunch of adjectives! I love Frog Warts!
Yep, I love the Smooshy too. I am also lovin’ Fleece Artist Sea Wool. Great colors, great fell, a bit of sheen, yum.
My current sock yarn crush has to be the fingering weight yarn dyed by http://pigeonroofstudios.etsy.com — I have slowed down on my sock yarn buying immeasurably (being actually pretty much satisfied w/ my sock yarn stash as it is), but Krista’s colors and dye sense is just… enough to drop me off the wagon
My favorite sock yarns at the moment? Blue Moon, Dream in Color, and these lovely hand-painteds that I’ve gotten from a vendor on ebay (sorry dear, the name escapes me at the moment!). Of course, I don’t knit socks, I use them for hats and for scarves and they make such wonderfully uniquely-colored gifts!
i love DiC! making a 2×2 ribbed sock toe up in the cool fire colorway, but in the classy weight (worsted) It’s soooooo sooooft
Sock yarn crush? Usually what you’re knitting! Well, okay, I’m in love with CTH & Koigu. I like STR. Am thoroughly enjoying Fleece Artist Sea Wool…But…I also adore Zen Yarn Garden.
Which is good, as I’m in her Art Walk Sock Club and the first month’s yarn just mailed!
(can’t wait to see it)
((((hugs))))
Lucy is only dreaming of yarn if it smells like tuna fish or catnip.
How could I forget Posh Yarn’s “Lucia” or “Emily”? They are wonderful yarns. The cashmere/merino mix is heavenly on your feet.
Also Claudia Handpainted and Shaeffer Anne, as others have mentioned.
The list goes on and on!
So many sock yarns – so little time! They’re all just so PURTY! I’m on my second pair of socks from Pand cotton and it just feels so good to knit with. I agree the colors aren’t great but for single colored socks it is just a pleasure to work with. I also just finished that cute little Breeze anklet over on Knitty with the Knitpicks Risatta yarn and it was wonderful! Again, solid colors but sooo soft. And I’m always a sucker for Claudia’s Handpainted. I buy the skeins just to look at them!
Wendy, you must be feeling better, you are starting to crank out the socks. My current favorite sock yarn is the Collinette Jitterbug (questionable spelling). Knit on.
I must confess that my current sock yarn crush is my own handspun. I’m lovin’ it!
Love the dream in color! I haven’t knit with it yet, but it looks exactly how I like my variegation.
My current favorite sock yarns are CTH and J. Knits, although I’m really excited to try out Fleece Artist Sea Wool and JuJu Knits, too. They both feel great in the hank. I’m really loving your summer of socks! It’s giving me so many great ideas.
I just started my first pair of socks using the Wollmeise. I haven’t found it to be really splitty, although it does like to get kinked up quite a bit (although that may be how I wound it). I am using size 0 bamboo DPNs but am going to switch to alum b/c the bamboo ones simply have too much give.
I love your socks, and can’t wait to finish mine.
I’ve joined the Smooshy craze. I had added a couple skeins of Smooshy to my sock stash (which is separate from my “anything but sock” stash), and after reading so many positive comments about the yarn, I pulled out the Visual Purple and spent the weekend on a sock. I used Addi Turbo 2.5mm needles and a variation on the Waving Lace socks in IK’s Favorite Socks book.
Yummm. I really like STR and Schafer Anne, but I think Smooshy is definitely scrumptious to work with.