Mandi Knits   » Knitting, spinning, crafts, and being a geek.

Isn’t this pattern lovely? Look at those beautiful stitches. Too bad I screwed up this first sock after I’d gotten all the way to the bind off. Ugh.

I posted about it earlier on The Neighborhood Knit Shop’s sock club blog. The last instruction on the pattern was to “BO loosely”. I did a normal bind off, as loosely as I possibly could. Having never done toe-up socks before, I didn’t realize this bind off was still going to be far too tight to allow the sock to stretch enough to go onto a foot.

I was incredibly frustrated to find that out the hard way. I am going to have to rip back and reknit a few rows of the cuff (as I’d already cut the yarn much too short to redo the castoff in a new method) to rejoin the yarn. I’m planning to do Elizabeth Zimmerman’s sewn bind off instead this time. Hopefully that will create a much better, stretchy bind off.

The socks for my husband are slowly progressing. The heels were turned, the gussets have been picked up, and now I’m knitting the feet. His feet are about a size 12 so it’s been slow going. I’m just glad that I’m knitting these two at a time so that when they’re done, I don’t have the dread of a second sock looking me in the face.

My only fear is that I might run out of yarn. (Eep!) I’m really hoping that’s not the case. Keep your fingers crossed, ya’ll.

I was thinking tonight, after having received some e-mails asking for help with sock knitting questions, that I might do a video series on knitting socks. Is that something anyone would be interested in?

What I’m thinking about is choosing a very basic sock pattern (a free one) and recording a short series of videos (perhaps a new video every week or 2) and each week go over how to knit a different section of the sock. That way you’d have the week or whatever between each video to complete what you just learned and be ready for the next instructions. It would be kind of like a knit-along, but with video help.

Of course, the only trouble is, before I can do that I need to find the cord to charge my video camera. It’s been MIA since I took it with me up to Pennsylvania to record our wedding. Hmph.

So… you remember that whole smugness I had about knitting two socks at a time on two circular needles being so easy?

Well, technically I’ll still argue it’s surprisingly easy. However, I managed to screw mine up a bit last night, proving that though “easy”, they do require a certain amount of attention and focus.

I made the mistake of trying to turn the heels and pick up gusset stitches while chatting with the ladies at our LYS’s sock club last night. Not a good idea. I apparently wasn’t really paying attention to what I was doing.

At first glance you might not see the problem here (particularly if you’ve not knit using this technique). However, if you take a look at where the yarn is coming off each sock, you’ll find the problem. The socks are essentially mirror images of each other, and they should be the same, with the gussets picked up on the same side and the yarn coming off that side. I’ve knit myself into a bit of a corner so now I need to rip back and fix it.

One of the tricks to this technique, I’m finding, is that you need to pay attention to where your yarn is (particularly when you cast on, and when you work on a single sock at a time to do the heels). It’s not difficult. You just need to make sure you follow directions properly, which clearly I did not.

Needless to say, I’m a little perturbed with this project at the moment, mostly because it’s my own darn fault. Thankfully though, it’s entirely fixable … when I have the patience to do so.

Last night, I did not have that patience.

So instead, I decided to cast on my new sock for sock club! (Pfft, who am I fooling? I would have done it anyway. I couldn’t resist.)

The yarn is Schaefer Anne. I have one other skein of Anne in my stash but I have yet to work with it. It’s a blend of 60% merino wool, 25% mohair, and 15% nylon. It is fabulously soft. I have to admit, I’m enjoying working with a fiber that has some mohair in it — it’s a fun change of pace. I’m not sure of the colorway name (”Blue Jeans” maybe?) but I believe it was an exclusive for our sock club. (Can someone from the club correct me if I’m wrong? — I thought that’s what I heard someone say.)

The pattern we’re using is the Anne Lacey Cuff Socks designed by Rebecca Hatcher. It’s a toe-up pattern which is relatively new for me. I’ve only ever knit one practice baby sock toe-up before, and I struggled with it a bit.

While at the LYS last night, I grabbed a 32″ Addi Turbo needle in size 2 and when I got home, I cast on and started knitting. After just a few rows, I realized size 2’s weren’t going to do the trick at all. (And come to find out, I read on Ravelry today that size 2 Addis are really closer to a 2.5 and that their 1’s are more like 1.5’s — did y’all know that? I sure didn’t.)

So I tore out what I’d done, which thankfully wasn’t too much. I reexamined the pattern and saw that it calls for a size 1 needle. (Where was my brain last night?!) Unfortunately, I realized I didn’t have any long size 1 cable needles. I had size 1 DPNs, but I really had wanted to do magic loop because that’s what the pattern was written for, and I was anticipating having enough problems doing toe-up that I didn’t want to complicate my (knitting) life further.

That’s when I remembered that when I’d ordered needles from Knit Picks to do the 2 socks on 2 circs, I’d ordered both 1’s and 2’s. The 2’s are otherwise occupied at the moment, but I still had the 1’s stashed in my bag! Wahoo! So while they weren’t really long enough to do magic loop (16″ and 24″), I decided I’d try using two circulars instead. I didn’t, however, decide to do two at a time in this case. The book I have doesn’t explain how to do toe-up using this technique and after my fiasco earlier in the night, I wasn’t feeling like taking a risk. Heh.

So I cast on again using the size 1’s. Much better! I now have a lovely little toe. It’s so snuggly and soft.

I think I may actually give up my beloved DPNs for sock knitting at some point. I’m starting to really like the 2 circulars. For some reason, magic loop didn’t really appeal to me when I first tried it. Either way, I’m glad I’ve tried all 3 needle type/technique options. Now I need to work on getting comfortable with toe-up socks. And then move on to all the different heels and toes…

My first FO of 2008 is complete: a pair of socks made from Noro sock yarn. The colorway I picked was S95.

My ultimate take on the Noro sock yarn is that while I love this particular pair of socks, I’ll probably not knit this yarn again.

The color is undoubtably beautiful. Like other Noro yarns, the gradation between the colors is really the selling point. However, there’s just too many negatives (IMHO) to make it worth working with this yarn again.

One complaint I have is that there were under-spun sections of yarn that created thick sections and lumps in otherwise tightly knitted fabric. Another issue is the scratchy feel of the yarn. My friend Erica described it as feeling “like a dish scrubber” and I really don’t think she was exaggerating. On your feet, it really isn’t scratchy at all and I’m sure it will soften with wearing and washing, however while you’re knitting it, it’s very abrasive on your fingers. My cuticles became pretty sore by the time I was finishing up the second sock.

Even those issues I could get past if it weren’t for the ladders! I’ve never had this much of a problem with laddering before! It seems to be because this yarn has virtually no stretch to it.

Since I finished the Noro socks, I had more time to work on the socks I’m knitting for my husband. I mentioned these in my previous entry: I’m knitting them using the technique from Knitting Circles around Socks: Knit Two at a Time Using Circular Needles. I really feel like I’m getting the hang of the technique. I’m having less problems keeping my yarn from tangling, which was my main issue when I started.

I think I’m going to knit another inch or two before I start the heel flap. The only thing I’m a little concerned about is picking up the stitches to knit the gusset — it seems like things might get a bit tight on the needles. But we’ll see. I have faith in this book, as the directions have been great so far. This may become my new favorite technique for sock knitting.

Tuesday night is sock club at my LYS too. I’m excited because we’re going to be starting with a new pattern and new yarn. I can’t wait to see what we’ll be working on!

Seriously. I’m never this lucky. I don’t mean to gloat, and please don’t hate me…

Yes. Five skeins of Wollmeise sock yarn. Isn’t it beautiful?! The colorways from left to right are: Iris Sibirica, Blue Suzanne, Löwenzahn, Poison Nr. 5, and Campari Orange. A couple already have gift-recipients (not for the yarn itself, but for finished socks made from the yarn). Surprisingly I’m most in love with the Löwenzahn (the bright green in the middle) so I think the socks made from that will be my own special treat for myself.

On top of the lovely yarn, I also managed to get a spot in The Loopy Ewe sock club for ‘08. I can’t wait! I’ve never joined any of the many popular sock clubs (e.g. Socks that Rock, Yarn Pirate, etc.) out there before, so I’m really excited. I guess the first shipment will be mailed out the second week of March, so I have a while to wait. I think I have more than enough sock yarn to keep me busy in the mean time.

I think the only way my day could get better is if Lime & Violet post a new episode of their podcast tonight. Hehe. I’m having L&V withdrawals.

To (theoretically) speed up my sock knitting (or at least combat second sock syndrome), I’m finally learning to knit socks two at a time. I’m using the book Knitting Circles Around Socks: Knit Two at a Time on Circular Needles by Antje Gillingham which is excellent. The pictures and descriptions are extremely easy to follow. Even a beginner at sock knitting would be able to knit socks with this book, I think.

The pattern I’m using is actually one of my favorite stand-bys: the 8 Stitches Per Inch Sock from Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd. The yarn is Schaefer Heather in the “Coretta Scott King” colorway (navy blue and brown). The socks (assuming they turn out successfully) are for my husband who has actually been bugging me to knit him a pair!

Most of the time I knit socks on DPNs. I’ve done a couple pairs using the Magic Loop technique as well. I know some people knit single socks two at a time on two circulars. I’ve not tried that before, but I jumped right in knitting two at a time on two circs, and it’s surprisingly easy apart from keeping the 2 balls of yarn from getting wrapped around each other as you turn your work. I’m still not sure whether it will replace my beloved DPNs though…

I was so excited this morning when I checked my RSS feed reader and saw that my drop stitch scarf was mentioned on Lime & Violet’s blog yesterday. (*Squee!* - I’m such a L&V fangirl!)

I wish I had a more updated photo of this project (I’ll have to take one tonight). I’m about 40% done with the scarf now and I’m fairly certain it’s going to become my favorite scarf ever. I used Christine Vogel’s Drop Stitch Scarf pattern, which is easy and quick to knit. The yarn I’m using is a single hank of Schaefer Helene. It was my big splurge at the Schaefer trunk show at my LYS a few months ago. The yarn is just drool-worthy: it’s 50% merino wool and 50% silk. It’s incredibly soft and has a lovely sheen to it. It drapes beautifully. I really can’t say enough good things about this yarn. I only wish I’d bought more of it (because I really wanted to use it to make a Clapotis).

In sock-knitting news…

My Noro socks are half done. I finished the first one a couple days ago and cast on the second one last night while watching the Ghost Hunters marathon on SciFi. I got the cuff done and got a few rows into the leg.

The colors of this sock are just… yum! I only wish the yarn was softer. I’ve been hearing mixed reviews as to whether it softens up after washing. I guess I’ll find out soon. I’ve also heard that it felts badly from standard wear. I can’t say that I’m likely to knit another pair of socks out of this yarn (so many other sock yarns… so little time), but I still think they’re great despite these “faults” that I’m hearing about.

My husband has also been asking me for a pair of socks (*gasp*).

On one hand, I’m dreading knitting them because he has pretty big (size 12) feet, but on the other hand I’m extremely flattered that he is actually “bugging” me to making him a pair. It’s kind of neat when someone you care about obviously appreciates the things you make, ya know?

I picked out a nice blue and brown colorway of Schaefer Heather from my stash for his socks. I’ve cast on and frogged three times so far. The first two times I was having problems getting gauge and the third time, the pattern I was attempting wasn’t working out (either I cast on the wrong number of stitches or something is wrong with the pattern itself).

Needless to say, I was frustrated enough that I put this aside and decided to finish the Noro socks first. I think this is maybe the knitting-gods way of telling me to finish what I start before casting on new projects. Hmph.

ETA– Here’s an updated picture of that scarf, as promised: