swimming against current
.
Related posts:
28Mar2009 post (shoe shot, 1 photo).
07Feb2009 post (finished pair, 11 photos).
19Jan2009 post (beginnings, 11 photos).
Practice Pair of Socks #1, Sock #1
It must look like I am making "backwards" progress in the needle usage department. I've received a lot of comments and suggestions about using 2 circular needles or 1 circular needle (magic loop) to knit socks, instead of using DPNs. I know these are popular methods for knitting in the round.
The funny thing is that I had started out all my in-the-round knitting using circular needles. I learned how to knit hats in the round using circs. I had knitted fingerless mitts (Persephone Mitts and Regina Mitts) using sock weight yarn and 2.75 mm circular needles -- hey, that's practically half a sock! :-) Everything was fine, but most of my circs are 30" or longer and I found that the long dangling cords would drive me nuts. (And definitely looks weird, which is why this happened at Starbucks) Anyhow, this is why I eventually picked up some short pointy sticks to try out.
I'm hoping to perfect the use of my new pointy sticks and then move on to magic looping. I'm still searching for the missing DPN and I can't believe that I only had the DPN set for 4 days before I lost one. I'm thinking I need a BIG tomato needle cushion for me to stick my idle DPNs into so they don't get sucked into a black hole.
My first sock knitting experience is moving right along. I've managed to finish the foot and toe decrease. This portion was a cinch. Meezermeowmy had pointed out something that would prevent laddering. The thing is that it was exactly what I was doing, EXCEPT that I would shift the back (left) end of the left needle OVER the next needle while I was knitting from it, and then return it to the UNDER position after I was done. Other than this, all my other needles were in the correct Escher-like position -- left tip UNDER, right tip OVER. I don't know why I started to shift the left tip of my left needle OVER when I worked with it, I guess I found it more comfortable to knit that way. Well, I've stopped this extraneous needle shift and my laddering is much reduced. Cool. Thanks Barbara!
I tried on the sock to see how it fit. The foot seems long enough. The sock is on the loose side overall. It is neither hugging snug nor slouchy loose, though I imagine the cuff won't stay up for long. I am not very good with that gauge thing. Was I supposed to swatch? Perhaps I need to knit tighter. I'll try that on this sock's mate. I was a little sloppy in that gusset. There is a gaping hole! I'll try to do a better job on the 2nd sock.
Do you know how difficult it is to try to take a photo of one's own foot?
Copyright © Smariek Knits 2005-2009. All full copyright rights are reserved by Smariek Knits.
Posts
9 stitch(es):
Try taking a photo of your foot when you are obese like me... yeah it's even harder. LOL.
KnitPicks has short circs, I find it harder to use a short one then the long corded ones, I like having the extra room.
I use pointy sticks too but I am always afraid to set the work down for fear the sticks will fall out and the sock will be ruined.
Very nice first sock!! All the details come with practice. Dpn's are my personal choice...bamboo cuz they hold the yarn but that's just my choice.
Nice first sock. My first sock was too loose and a bit too long. But I get better with each sock I make. And I love wearing the socks!
What gauge are you getting on this sock? You can't really knit tighter, what you need is a smaller needle. Knitting looser or tighter is make believe. Unless you want to grunt over each stitch.
Otherwise you sock looks beautiful.
Good job! That was quick!
Marie, your sock looks great! I can't use DPs myself. When I discovered Magic Loop, my life changed - really. I use it for everything. Everyone has to use whatever methods works best.
I *know* how hard it is to take a picture of one's own foot; I just did that today, too! Contortionists, we are.
You're doing great on your socks. I don't usually do a gauge swatch for socks, but try it on at about 2 inches. That *is* my swatch!
THey're looking good! Holes at the corner of the gusset is normal. If you pick up an extra stitch and then decrease it the next round, I think that's the fix. It's been so long it seems since I've done a whole sock, LOL. Generally, socks are knit with no ease, so they stretch just a little when you put them on. Some people like them looser though. It's not so much a gauge issue as it is a measuring issue :)
The sock looks great. My first pair was done with worsted on size 5 dpns. Ladders and holes. But practice makes perfect. I now exclusively use sock yarn and size 1 or 2 needles. It is 2 years later and I am making my second pair via magic loop on 1 40" circ--I will never go back to dpns for socks. The ladders go away with practice. I pull the first 2 stitces tight every time I switch needles. Best of luck.
Post a Comment