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I’ve had my eye on these nerdy socks for a while but have never gotten around to knitting them. I actually used the chart in a colorwork scarf I’m knitting that is a collection of all my favorite things, so I’m excited to finally get around to the socks.
I’m experimenting a bit with these. I like to knit colorwork socks on 9” circs, but they aren’t the most comfortable needles. I decided to try out the ChaioGoo Twist Lace Short Combo needles that are like a single set of interchangeable needles with the option to choose from 2” or 3” tips. I’m using one of each, with the 3” tip for my right hand and it is making it a bit more comfortable, but doesn’t compare to my 5” dpns! I’m also experimenting with a tension ring on my left hand to see if it makes my gauge more even. Results are still TBD…
WIP Pics
Project Details
Pattern: Star Trek Socks by Laura Hohman (free to download on Ravelry)
Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll in Treasure & Black
Materials & Items in my Photos
- ChiaoGoo Twist Lace Short Combo Circular Needles in US 1.5: I have the 2” tip on one end and the 3” tip on another, to make it a little easier to hold than traditional 9” circular needles
- ChiaoGoo Red Lace Circular 24-Inch Needles in US 1.5 (Red Cable in Pics) & Knit Picks Fixed Circs in US 1.5 (Purple Cable in Pics) <– note, my metal KP fixed circs are the old nickel-plated line. They now make the tips in steel, and the cables are green.
- Small point protectors — a must when working on small diameter circular needles!
- I’m using a tension ring on this project – I don’t always use one, but it is handy. Mine is a handmade copper ring that I bought from an artist on the street in Portland, ME. You can find a lot of cheap & adorable tension rings on Amazon, or if you’d like a nice handcrafted copper ring, I like this one on Etsy as an alternative to the one I have.
- If you like the stitch marker that looks like the Starfleet insignia… it’s actually supposed to be a mod-shaped retro Christmas bauble that was a bonus in my 2025 yarn advent calendar from PK Yarn. It was made by HapBee Creative Studio.
Notes & Such
- I chose to knit the 72-stitch sock, but I don’t love how the star motifs line up. I think the chart for the 64-stitch sock would line up more seamlessly, so I’d recommend that one for anyone knitting these socks.
- I ended up not doing the star motif on the foot of the sock because it didn’t feel like it lined up right with the leg. (But I think it would have matched the chart for the 64-stitch sock well.) I got bored with the black yarn, so I decided to do the toe in gold. I’m not positive I love that design choice, but I’m not ripping back.
- As I mentioned at the top of this post, I knitted the first sock on the 9” combo circs with one 2” and one 3” tip. It was much more comfortable to hold than standard 9-inchers, so I’m happy with that purchase. I’ve been curious about the results of colorwork sock knitted on those vs. socks knitted on longer circs using magic loop (and inside out, which I think makes the floats more even at the halfway points when you switch needles). I decided to experiment with this pair, so I’m knitting the second sock using that method. It’s definitely more comfortable for my knitting style to work with the longer tips on the standard circular needles, but I’m curious to see which look & fit I like best.
