So, the four of us who dyed our yarn started knitting socks last week. We're using the basic cabled sock pattern by brainylady. I'll be writing up my own instructions for the heel flap type of heel and toe shaping. I haven't decided which type of toe shaping we'll use. I don't think I've yet found a favorite method of toe shaping. We're all knitting two socks at a time on two circular needles. This is my favorite method of knitting socks. I don't trust myself to knit one sock at a time because, even if the second sock gets knit (and it often doesn't) I have a hard time making sure that both socks are the same. I often make decisions as I go and don't often write them down. My gauge can vary as well which makes for one loose sock and one tight sock. I really dont' like mismatched socks. Well, I don't care if they look mismatched they just can't feel mismatched. Ya know what I mean?
I find that casting on and knitting the first few round of two socks on two circs is the hardest part of knititng socks with this method. It seemed that my sock knitting friends agreed with me. Tina kept threatening to poke a needle through her eye to relieve the stress of trying to figure out the mess of spaghetti that was two circular needles, two balls of yarn, and two tails hanging from her sock beginnings. Krista kept ending up with her working yarns at opposite ends of her needles until we figured out she was using the wrong end of the circ to cast on the second sock stitches. Lorie, while she proudly demonstrated her masterful caston skills, kept getting the yarns twisted and tangled around and between the circs. Since she was working from two ends of one ball we ended up cutting the yarn (and thereby created two additional ends to weave in later, yech!) and untangling. I did that for her. When we got together to knit again two days later I found out that when I reattached the yarn I had left a knot between the two ends of the yarn. She's working around it for now. If the knot becomes too cumbersome I'll have to cut it again, making two more ends :( I'll weave in the ends for her.
Okay, so the learning might be a little difficult. I'm regretting not starting them with a single, worsted weight, tiny ornament sized sock. If things don't improve dramatically the next time we knit I'm going to suggest that we put the socks aside and make a demo sock.
Our knitting session was so intense that I didn't get any pictures of their socks. I'll do that next time. I do have a couple of pictures of my socks. The colors aren't very accurate as I took the pictures on my desk with artificial light and a flash. I don't like the way they look in the pictures. While I like them better in real life they aren't my favoritest socks ever.
 | This is a more accurate depiction of the colors of my yarn. |
 | Socks in progress before starting the heel flap. |
 | Close up of the cables. |
I have two projects to share today. I'll start with the oldest. Way back in 2008 I dyed some sock yarn with some friends of mine. I had a couple of failed attempts at finding a stitch pattern that would work well with the colors. I finally found something that worked. I finished the socks quite a while ago. I forgot that the base yarn wasn't machine washable and ended up shrinking the socks. They fit A now so she got a new pair of handmade socks.
