I got two shots, which made the headache go away for nearly two days, but less severe headaches keep coming back. That hasn’t made we want to do more than what I have to do for work on Archie, who seems to have fared better than I. He has a new logic board, thermal module and thermal sensor wires. He is now staying nice and cool. I wish I could get new parts like that!
Last post, I showed the finished toes of the Gentleman’s Fancy Sock from Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. At first, I thought the Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Potluck in Blues/Purples I was using looked better in the skein than in the sock, but it grew on me. I’m quite pleased how well these turned out.
To make these for me and not a gentleman, I started at 72 stitches and decreased to 64, which I further decreased to 60 when working the gussets. I also did a slip-stitch heel flap instead of stockinette; I also did a wide toe, but I don’t know if that was part of the pattern or not (which is upstairs, and I’m lazy).
Half-way down the foot of the first sock, I realized I had changed the instep pattern to one knit row instead of two between the alternating sets of 2×2 rib. I couldn’t see a real difference, so I kept on going and did the second sock the same way. I also made sure I made these long enough before starting the toe: 1.5 inches from the total length not 2 inches, like many patterns suggest.
I liked this pattern stitch for an easy sock as it was more interesting than just 2×2 rib (doing 8 row sets of rib seemed to go faster than just measuring length), but I obviously didn’t need the pattern to keep going. I like having such a sock in progress: not too dull but not requiring a lot of mental power to stay on track. Once these were done, I didn’t feel like knitting the second Retro Rib Sock yet, so I looked for another such pattern. Luckily, Anne had just offered the Roger Sock for sale, and I knew it would look great in some BFL superwash sock yarn from Little Dog Designs. I really like the BFL yarn; it has a nice luster, and the dye job is great! The colorway is called Poseidon, and is richer than this photo suggests (it’s a billion degrees outside–I’m not going outside to photograph anything much less wool today–see lazy comment above–I am doing laundry in a 90+ degree garage).
Well, that’s enough computer time for today, as tomorrow I’ll be referencing a manuscript, which will try Archie’s and my patience to the limit. But I need to point out that M has been diligently blogging at Cocktails with M this summer! He’s had no comments. The Side Car is one of my favorite cocktails. Cheers!
But even with all the book craziness, I do have a FO: the Stansfield 27 socks are done! These are for my friend Nancy, who takes exquisite care of her hand knit socks, but also wears them regularly. She also notices fancy toes, stitch patterns, heel architecture, etc. So, she is definitely a good person to knit socks for.
The photo of the socks on my feet show the Raspberry color of the Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino the best. Charlene Schurch in More Sensational Knitted Socks includes this 10-stitch repeat pattern from Lesley Stanfield’s stitch dictionary. The only thing I changed was to change needle sizes from 2 to 1 part way down the leg for some pseudo-shaping, and I used the Star Toe of Three Points from any one of Nancy Bush’s sock books. That toe is a little longer than a standard toe, so I was able to end the pattern where I wanted, so it starts at the top and ends at the bottom of the sock at the same place, but I was still able to get a sock the right size for Nancy.
It is a nice stitch pattern to knit. Every other round is just knit, and it’s easy to count the garter ridges of the basketweave pattern. Here’s the pattern stitch up close.
So, now after a wash, I’ll be able to give them to Nancy for her birthday which was July 31st, and she’ll tuck them into a drawer until the end of October when it might get cool enough for her to wear them.
Well, August 27th was my second Blogiversary, and I plan to have a belated contest to celebrate, but I’m still working out the details. I the meantime, while I dither, knit on!
]]>Myself, I’m knitting a pretty cool sock, and I am very pleased to report that my Twisted Flower sock is looking just like the first sock of the pair, which was knit by Jean of Golden Purl.
I am actually a little farther along than this, but this was the last time the sock, daylight and my camera came together which was on Saturday. I’m still on the leg though. It isn’t hard to follow the directions or the chart, but my wrists don’t like the twisted stitches very much. So, I knit a couple rounds and then take a breather (a tweed breather, but that’s another post).
I’m knitting the 2-stitch twists and cables using a hybrid method that I’m sure others use, but I haven’t seen it. I’d knit the cables without a cable needle except for the fact that these are itty-bitty, teensy-weensy, tight little stitches on a whole mess of dpns (I’m using 5 instead of my usual 4, making the chart repeats easier). So, I’ve been doing the cross before working any stitches, like is done when cabling without a cable needle, but I am using a cable needle to keep from losing the aforementioned rather smallish, tightish stitches during the crossing transfers. Here’s an example:
Actual Right Twist Pattern Instructions: Sl 1 to cn and hold to back, k tbl, p1 from cn
What I do: Sl 1 to cn and hold to back, Sl 1 to right needle, transfer st from cn to left needle, transfer slipped st on right needle to left needle, k tbl, p1 (It’s longer to write but easier than knitting from the cable needle.)
The inability to knit many rounds of an evening is causing me some concern in terms of finishing this sock by the end of February. I may have to make the period after the 31st of January and before the first of April a big month of Febrarch, during which time I finish the Twisted Flower and knit a second pair of socks. I have the yarn for the second pair of socks, and it is very suitable for Project Spectrum 3: Fire. Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino is Raspberry:
Because I am really liking how the twisted stitches are looking on the Twisted Flower, of course, I want to knit this into a twisted stitch. But that is NOT THE IDEA for Febrarch. I am currently torn, but eying socks all over everyone’s Ravelry pages, so I hope to make a decision soon. In the meantime, I haven’t knit my round allotment on Twisted Flower yet this evening…
1. Whatâs your favorite sock yarn? (please note that the word âyarnâ is singular. Just pick one. I know itâs hard.)
With the caveat that I have not yet knit with two favorite sock yarns of the blogworld, namely Koigu and STR, Cherry Tree Hill Supersock is my top pick. It’s a pleasure to knit, has wonderful colors that in my hands do not pool in an ugly fashion, wears and washes very well, and produces a supremely comfortable fabric. Every time I get out a pair of my CTH socks to wear, I swear I can hear my toes do a little cheer. My sock yarn stash may have some CTH SS in several colors.
2. Whatâs your favorite type and brand of sock needle?
I use dpns. I started with clover bamboo, moved onto Crystal Palace Bamboo, which I like much better as they are much slicker. But then I tried Susan Bates aluminum dpns. Super slick! And I easily knit a little tighter with them, which is a plus for me. I do still use the CP bamboo, but the Susan Bates are my favorites. I’m a cheap date.
I have two sock patterns that are written for socks knit on two circular needles, and this has put me in a quandary. The only 16-inch circs I’ve tried (clover bamboo or Inox) have needle portions far too short for comfort. Any suggestions?
CTH SS Potluck in Watercolors. I may have squealed when I saw this.
3. Do you knit your socks toe up, cuff down, or sideways?
Cuff down. Even with a 350 yd skein, I can get socks with the length leg I want and still have over 20 g left over. Why on earth would I knit toe up? Really, I’m asking, why?
4. Do you knit both socks at once or just one at a time?
One at a time. It’s the dpn thing, and I am willing to sweater sleeves singly, so I don’t anticipate a change.
5. Whatâs your favorite toe and why?
I have pointy feet, so round toes or star toes work best for me. When I knit for others, I usually do a grafted, standard toe as it tends to look more “normal” to the uninitiated.
CTH SS in Birches. Methinks this might make some mighty nice Marina Piccola socks.
6. Favorite heel?
Heel flap and a standard round heel turn, although I do sometimes do a square heel. I really like to edge my heel flap with 2-3 garter stitches compared to the slipped stitch chain edge. The garter stitches make picking up stitches for the gussets so easy, and it looks flawless even when done in the wee hours during a bout of insomnia. Gotta like that.
7. Do you prefer plain or patterned socks?
I’ve knit a lot of socks. I’ve knit one pair of stockinette socks. I’ve knit one pair of lace socks (a gift). Cables and knit-purl patterns rule my world. I’m going to dive into the whole Austrian twisted stitch thing too.
8. Who do you knit the most socks for?
Mostly I knit for myself, but I tend to knit a pair a year for various relatives and my friend Nancy. I knit Nancy the Spaced Check Socks in Claudia’s Handpainted A Walk in the Woods this year. Last year I knit her some ribbed socks in CTH SS Peacock. Now she wants to learn how to knit socks! The power of the hand knit sock is strong.
9. Do you darn your socks? If not, what do you do with them?
I haven’t had to yet. I tend to wear socks only when wearing shoes, so I am not very hard on them. If I loved the yarn and the pattern, I might just darn them. We’ll have to wait and see.
10. Do you only wear handknit socks?
That is my goal, with the exception of white athletic socks with sneakers. I am almost there. Occasionally, I don’t have an appropriately colored pair that is clean and then I wear purchased socks. My feet aren’t real thrilled with this.
CTH SS solids in Amethyst. What’s not to love?
Bonus question: What pattern, if any, is your basic âI-just-need-a-pair-of-socksâ sock pattern based on? Do you keep it written down or memorized?
I no longer need a basic sock pattern if it’s a sock for me. The round heel I have memorized is Charlene Schurch’s. I often use Nancy Bush’s heel and toe directions from Vintage Socks. If I make things up as I go along, I now have learned to write down what I do in the first sock for the second. I can and have gone back to the first sock to figure it all out all over again, but writing is a wonderful skill and tool.
As for tagging two others, I think it only fair to tag the two people whose socks always make me say, “Wow! I have to knit that!” So Kristy and Christie, if you like, you are tagged. Has anyone noticed that there are a lot of women named K/C(h)risty/i(e) who knit socks?
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