I said in my last post that I wouldn't post again until I had actual news, but any news has been thoroughly thwarted by my complete lack of knitting anything for the last two weeks.
I tried to do my 2-at-a-time sock heels again, trying to use the directions from Knitting Circles Around Socks, and Sensational Knitted Socks, and that totally didn't work. So, I've made a copy of the directions from Knitting Circles and have been meaning to try again, but was somewhat disheartened.
Technically, I have another project I could be working on (my Chroma Striped Scarf), but that hasn't motivated me either. I tend to go through phases with my various activities, and I think I'm just out of a knitting phase right now. Hopefully the ball will get rolling again soon, though, because I really don't want these socks to take 4 months, as my socks tends to do.
March 23, 2012
March 5, 2012
A glimmer of hope
I'm sure y'all are sick of my sock posts by now, and I promise to quit blogging about them until something actually happens (and I can post a picture!), but I do have a small bit of news.
First, I went out and bought 2-at-a-time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes, hoping that it would help me with my heel issues. It didn't, but not because it was unclear--it was because how she casts on, and her starting position, in the book are different than the method I used.
In the meantime, I'd posted a plea on the Magic Loop Ravelry group boards, asking for some help. I only got two responses--one suggesting a series of videos by Liat Gat of Knit Freedom (most of which cost money, as its sort of an e-book with video tutorials), and the second suggesting Knitting Circles around Socks by Antje Gillingham (even though its for two circular needles, rather than magic loop). I already own this book, and hallelujuah, the instructions for the heel flap are CLEAR AS DAYLIGHT, THANK GOD.
I was able to pull back my work to the end of my cuff, so hopefully I can cruise through the heel flaps again (on the correct needle this time) and continue on with my life. I also have decided to forgo using Sensational Knitted Socks* as a guide (heel-wise, at least) and am going to create my own thing using the instructions in Knitting Circles and Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. That can't possibly go wrong, right?
*Just to be clear, I love Sensational Knitted Socks and it worked really well for me when I did my socks on DPNs; just not this magic loop two at a time craziness!
In the meantime, I'd posted a plea on the Magic Loop Ravelry group boards, asking for some help. I only got two responses--one suggesting a series of videos by Liat Gat of Knit Freedom (most of which cost money, as its sort of an e-book with video tutorials), and the second suggesting Knitting Circles around Socks by Antje Gillingham (even though its for two circular needles, rather than magic loop). I already own this book, and hallelujuah, the instructions for the heel flap are CLEAR AS DAYLIGHT, THANK GOD.
I was able to pull back my work to the end of my cuff, so hopefully I can cruise through the heel flaps again (on the correct needle this time) and continue on with my life. I also have decided to forgo using Sensational Knitted Socks* as a guide (heel-wise, at least) and am going to create my own thing using the instructions in Knitting Circles and Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. That can't possibly go wrong, right?
*Just to be clear, I love Sensational Knitted Socks and it worked really well for me when I did my socks on DPNs; just not this magic loop two at a time craziness!
March 2, 2012
EXTREME SAD FACE
Y'all. I tried to get my sock heels done, I really did. I turned the heel of the first sock, no problems. Picked up the gusset stitches on one side...and realized (to my great horror) that there was no way for me to get to the second sock heel.
I have a hunch (though I can't find any confirmation anywhere) that my problem is due to the fact that I did my heel flap on the back needle. There aren't any tutorials anywhere I can find that explicitly state which needle you're *supposed* to do the heel flap on (and I wasn't sure it mattered), but thinking about it, if the flaps were on the front needle, I would be able to move on to the second sock heel, easy peasy (if I'm thinking about it right).
Sadly, I didn't figure all this out until after I'd removed the socks from the circular, picked up gusset stitches on both socks, and knit a round or two (thinking I could just do the turns on DPNs and then put them back). It was only then I realized another horrible problem: my DPNs are wood, and I knit MUCH tighter on them. BOO HISS.
So, my plan is to rip back, all the way to the cuff and start the flaps and everything over again. I'm still not sure how to address the problem I have of following the heel/gusset instructions in Sensational Knitted Socks, where she has you rearrange stitches (can't really do that on the circular, especially for Sock 1), but maybe it will come to me. Wish me luck!
I have a hunch (though I can't find any confirmation anywhere) that my problem is due to the fact that I did my heel flap on the back needle. There aren't any tutorials anywhere I can find that explicitly state which needle you're *supposed* to do the heel flap on (and I wasn't sure it mattered), but thinking about it, if the flaps were on the front needle, I would be able to move on to the second sock heel, easy peasy (if I'm thinking about it right).
Sadly, I didn't figure all this out until after I'd removed the socks from the circular, picked up gusset stitches on both socks, and knit a round or two (thinking I could just do the turns on DPNs and then put them back). It was only then I realized another horrible problem: my DPNs are wood, and I knit MUCH tighter on them. BOO HISS.
So, my plan is to rip back, all the way to the cuff and start the flaps and everything over again. I'm still not sure how to address the problem I have of following the heel/gusset instructions in Sensational Knitted Socks, where she has you rearrange stitches (can't really do that on the circular, especially for Sock 1), but maybe it will come to me. Wish me luck!
February 28, 2012
On to the heel turn...
Slightly late, but I just wanted to check in and report that I managed to finish my leg cuffs and, as of last night, the heel flaps for my magic loop 2-at-a-time socks! This evening I'm hoping to start the tricky part: the heel turn and gusset for each sock. Should be interesting.
February 23, 2012
Da de dum
I was hoping last weekend to have finished my sock legs and be working on the heels, but that didn't happen. I did knit, but not as much as I should have/wanted to, which is funny since I was home the entire time. It's interesting how easy it is to distract oneself!
Also not helping my knitting progress is the fact that my once weekly knit nights at Starbucks haven't been happening--people have just been too crazy busy. And sitting here, I just realized the one at the yarn shop is tonight, but I already made plans--d'oh!
I don't have much else to report at the moment--my queue has been quiet and my yarn obsession dampened by lack of funding (heh). Hopefully the end of February will turn itself around and prompt more exciting posts.
Also not helping my knitting progress is the fact that my once weekly knit nights at Starbucks haven't been happening--people have just been too crazy busy. And sitting here, I just realized the one at the yarn shop is tonight, but I already made plans--d'oh!
I don't have much else to report at the moment--my queue has been quiet and my yarn obsession dampened by lack of funding (heh). Hopefully the end of February will turn itself around and prompt more exciting posts.
February 18, 2012
Plugging along
I had a goal for myself to try and post at least twice a week, and totally failed at that goal as soon as I made it. Figures.
In happier news, I'm plugging right along on my socks!
Check me out! I'm loving this magic loop two-at-a-time thing. I'm still nervous about the heels, but I have several more inches to go on the leg of the socks before I have to really worry about it.
One of my concerns is due to the fact that I'm following the instructions for heels in the 4-stitch pattern section of the book Sensational Knitted Socks. The instructions have you unknit the last purl stitch, and then shift things around to center the pattern. I can't do that via magic loop (unless I take them off and do them on DPNs to do the heels, but I don't want to do that). For these socks, it doesn't matter and I'll skip that particular step because my mom wants the plain stockinette feet. In the future though, I may have to start out with my pattern already centered, which could be interesting (at least, that's how my friend Sam helped me figure it out).
If anyone has any suggestions/advice for this problem on future socks, I'd love to know!
In happier news, I'm plugging right along on my socks!
Please ignore the cat fur. *sigh*
Check me out! I'm loving this magic loop two-at-a-time thing. I'm still nervous about the heels, but I have several more inches to go on the leg of the socks before I have to really worry about it.
One of my concerns is due to the fact that I'm following the instructions for heels in the 4-stitch pattern section of the book Sensational Knitted Socks. The instructions have you unknit the last purl stitch, and then shift things around to center the pattern. I can't do that via magic loop (unless I take them off and do them on DPNs to do the heels, but I don't want to do that). For these socks, it doesn't matter and I'll skip that particular step because my mom wants the plain stockinette feet. In the future though, I may have to start out with my pattern already centered, which could be interesting (at least, that's how my friend Sam helped me figure it out).
If anyone has any suggestions/advice for this problem on future socks, I'd love to know!
February 11, 2012
Simple socks
I'm getting ready to start a new pair of socks (for my mom, as usual) and I've decided to embark on a bit of an adventure with them.
Not long ago, I managed my first toe-up magic loop sock in the form of the Skew Socks. I don't have a problem with dpns, but something about magic loop made it so much more pleasant; maybe it was less fiddly?
At any rate, while my mom liked the Skews and thought they were funky, she is partial to the first pair of socks I knit for her (which was the first pair of socks I knit EVER). They're very simple: a 2x2 ribbed leg, heel flap, and plain stockinette foot. I feel like her love for them has more to do with the Mini Mochi I knit them with than the pattern, but she insisted that the new socks should be the same (also Mochi, but plain too).
I had a feeling that I would never be inspired to work on them, as I like to incorporate a new technique in most of my projects (not only grow as a knitter, but to also stave off boredom). Then I had a brain wave: I could knit them cuff down, with magic loop (which would be sort of new). And it would be so much more pleasant.
Then I had a totally crazy idea: what about two-at-a-time? I spent awhile watching videos and reading tutorials and I think I can manage it. I'm still a little unclear about the heel/gusset part, but I have faith in myself.
So here's hoping I not only finish these socks in less than 3 months, but that it goes smoothly! Wish me luck.
Not long ago, I managed my first toe-up magic loop sock in the form of the Skew Socks. I don't have a problem with dpns, but something about magic loop made it so much more pleasant; maybe it was less fiddly?
At any rate, while my mom liked the Skews and thought they were funky, she is partial to the first pair of socks I knit for her (which was the first pair of socks I knit EVER). They're very simple: a 2x2 ribbed leg, heel flap, and plain stockinette foot. I feel like her love for them has more to do with the Mini Mochi I knit them with than the pattern, but she insisted that the new socks should be the same (also Mochi, but plain too).
I had a feeling that I would never be inspired to work on them, as I like to incorporate a new technique in most of my projects (not only grow as a knitter, but to also stave off boredom). Then I had a brain wave: I could knit them cuff down, with magic loop (which would be sort of new). And it would be so much more pleasant.
Then I had a totally crazy idea: what about two-at-a-time? I spent awhile watching videos and reading tutorials and I think I can manage it. I'm still a little unclear about the heel/gusset part, but I have faith in myself.
So here's hoping I not only finish these socks in less than 3 months, but that it goes smoothly! Wish me luck.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)