Last year, I signed up for the Sock(topus) Sock Club. It’s the first sock club I’ve joined, and I have been looking forward to experimenting with new yarns and patterns. The first package came a couple of weeks ago, complete with some deliciously minty feet-pampering products.
The pattern is Om Shanti Bed Socks, and the yarn, Chameleon Colorworks Evolution, is fabulously girlie and pink. You may recall that I’m a bit anal when it comes to variegated yarns – I get bothered by the unpredictability of how the colours knit up. However, I do like variegated socks when they are contrasted with plain heels and toes, so I cast these on with white toes.
Steps forward, back, forward
All was going well at first. I decided to knit both socks at once on two circular needles to avoid second sock syndrome, but after a while I realised that one sock was significantly bigger than the other. It turns out that one skein of yarn was actually quite a bit thicker than the other. But, all is now well. Alice from S0cktopus has graciously sent me another skein of thinner yarn, so now I can start the second sock again.
A milestone
I mentioned a while ago that I was following the Couch to 5k running programme. Well, on Saturday I reached a milestone that I am really proud of – I ran for twenty minutes without stopping! To put this in perspective, in December I could not run for more than one minute, and even that made me feel like my lungs would burst. Yay me!
A leap of faith
I have joined Iknit London‘s team to run a 5k Race for Life in Battersea Park in May. It feels pretty scary to commit to doing something like this, but I’m sure that by then I will be able to run at least 5k. At least, I hope so!

Good foy you girl!! You’ve made great progress with the running. Now I shall watch with interest to see if you can shove the control freak tendencies aside with this variegated yarn. 😀 It’s looking great so far – no dodgy pooling there!
Congrats on your milestone!
Those look like wonderfully snuggly socks – and great work on the running
Its amazing how fast you’ve come along in your running – for sure you’ll be at 5K shape on time for the event and you’ll have nice pink socks to put on your tired tootsies.
First: I love the socks! they looki amazing- how do you knit two pairs on round needles?
Congratulations to the milestone! how wonderful!!! what a great achievement and i am sure you will be able to run the 5k. yeay! you go girl!!!!
My daughter & her husband did the couch to 5K while pushing the stroller and they both finished their first 5K. And now my DIL is trying it. I’m sure it will work for you, too. I’ll sit and watch, thanks. The socks are very cute and girlie!
I’m so inspired by your couch-to-5k progress. I’ve always been the world’s worst runner (memories of school cross-country runs haunt me still!) and yet I think it would be the perfect exercise for me. I made a couple of attempts last year but was a bit put off by my complete inability to run for more than 45 seconds. Did it take you long to see an improvement?
I love the socks. I’m also a bit iffy about variegated yarn but I think the pattern really works with it here.
Love the yarn, how odd they skeins were different weights! So impressed by your running!
That is great on the running – I would definitely not be able to do one minute, so to do 20 by now is great!
Lucky you did both socks at once (and also that you started them straight away, unlike me with sock club stuff) – how odd that they were different weights. Looks like a great club though – what a good idea to send foot pampering stuff.
Good for you! It seems to me like you’ve taken 2 leaps of faith: the sock club and the 5k run. I am impressed on both counts!
Good luck! You can do it
It’s fun to be scared at times! The yarn is pretty too. And how nice of the lady to send you a new skein.
oh they are cute – and the idea of sending foot pampering stuff is really a very good one. I’ve let my feet become so dried out over summer – the last time I tried on socks it was not a very nice feeling. I might have to get something nice to use.
Good work on the running. I keep thinking about doing this…..
Now that’s not something I thought would happen…two skeins with different thicknesses causing one sock to be bigger than the other. Good thing you were knitting them both at once and could figure that out early on. I applaud your decision to add solid white toes and heels…they are looking good that way!
Congrats on running 20 minutes straight. It certainly is an accomplishment you should be proud of. The 5K shouldn’t give you any problems now!
I love the look of those socks, the colors are just so my taste
reminds me somewhat of an icelolly back when I was a kid, you know the kinds with the vanilla icecream inside!
Well done on the running, I’ve never liked it and probably couldn’t do more than a minute either.
I am confident you’ll stop counting the minutes and run far more than you ever thought your body could go. Good luck.
Good for you on the running!
The socks are really pretty so far!
Gorgeous socks! Well done you on the running! The race for life is an excellent cause. I hope you will be letting us sponser you?
Your socks look great! Good luck with your training and race.
Yay you!! 20 minutes is great – you’ll be ready for your 5k in no time. And those socks look so snuggly!
What a great package. And congratulations on your fitness milestone! That is fabulous progress.
Congratulations!! Good for you ~ that’s wonderful.
Congrats on your milestone – that’s great!
Love the yarn – and the socks are really cute…