Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Wrap and Sock

I've been making good progress on both the Lattice Lace Wrap and the socks I keep in my purse.

I'm up to eight repeats on the Lattice Lace Wrap. I'm thinking ahead to blocking it. I think I will get my blocking wires out and run the wires through the stitches inside the garter edges.

While I was knitting it the other day I was thinking about why I used garter edges a lot. I figured it out. I know that what is obvious to some may take a little time to click in my head. The garter stitch, by nature, has a shorter row height than stockinette. If you used the same needles to make them, garter stitches and stockinettes stitch should use the same amount of yarn in each stitch but the garter stitch bends the tops of the stitches over. Therefore, it makes a shorter but thicker fabric. The tendancy for garter stitch to have shorter rows prevents the edges from flaring out and ruffling. That's why I like the garter edges. The bottom and top (the short sides) of this wrap will benefit from the thicker fabric that garter stitch makes. It will give it a little more weight than the main body of the wrap. The side (long) edges can stretch to accomodate the extra height of the stockinette center but they won't flare out and ruffle. The garter edges keeps everything nice and tidy and in its place.


8 repeats of the Lattice Lace Wrap

The beads add some weight and drape to this wrap too. The beads on the edges are pretty easy to see in this picture. If you click on the picture to see a larger image you will be able to easily see the beads in the main field of the design.

I'm still working on the project page for this wrap. I will post the project page after I finish knitting and blocking my wrap so I can include a picture of the finished item.

I've been getting a lot of time in on my travel project too. A, J and K have all been taking swimming lessons. Last week A moved up from lessons to swim clinic so I have more than double the knitting time on Mondays and Wednesdays. This schedule is working out really well for me because A does her homework while J and K are taking lessons. J does his homework during A's swim clinic. I get to help them (when needed) one at a time and by the time we get home at 6:30 all the homework is done. I also get more knitting time! It's a win-win all around!

I'm knitting these socks from the toe up on two size 1 circs. The yarn is Froehlich Wolle Special Blauband. The stitch pattern came from one or another of my stitch dictionaries.


The bottom of the foot is plain stockinette. The top and the future leg of the
sock is a 3 stitch rib alternating with a 7 stitch moss diamond pattern.

When I first started this sock I was disappointed at how the colors of the yarn made the stitch pattern hard to discern. Now I think that is a bonus feature! I've been doing most of the knitting at the pool (see discussion above.) The viewing area at the pool is pretty dark. I've made LOTS of big mistakes in the stitch pattern. But thanks to the camoflaging nature of this yarn you may be able to see the mistakes if you look but they don't jump out.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your wrap is looking just gorgeous! Your logic about the benefits of a garter stitch border is right on, I'll be sure to think about it on my next scarf/wrap project!

Anonymous said...

Your wrap is looking beautiful!! I can't wait to see it in person!
The socks are looking great too.....

luvs2knit said...

Your lace wrap is beautiful!! I hate knitting lace but I love the end result of it. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

Anonymous said...

The wrap is really coming along beautifully, and I love the sock color. Mistakes, there are no mistakes!

So spill on your MDS&W experience...