One more WIP (the one I didn’t tell you about!)
Posted on | February 6, 2008 | 9 Comments
First, a quick website update – I’m in process of updating my blogroll and moving it to it’s own page (it’s sorely out of date!). In addition, I’ve added a few sections to the sidebar for links to current favorite knits, posts, etc. so check them out! I think the blogroll can become a bit redundant for regular readers, but this is a way to share what I’m enjoying at the moment. I plan to update these every week or so – Let me know what you think.
Now the knitting!
When I last gave a WIP update, there was a gift knit in process that I had leave off the list as the recipient frequents my blog (not from embarrassment at my growing number of WIPs, though otherwise that certainly could have been the reason! It has been confirmed that although I may enjoy having a few different projects for some variety, 7 or 8 are FAR too many). But now the deadline of gift-giving is past and though I did not finish on time, I was able to share one sock with the recipient and check for fit – it does, and I am close to finishing, and so now I can confess it here to you all!
The pattern is Rivendell, by Janel Laidman (Ravelry Link), and these are for my Sis. I’ll save most of the details for the FO post which I’ll bribe her to model for.
I am loving knitting these socks, loving the color, loving the stitch pattern. The one thing I wasn’t loving was the un-lovely ladders on the foot of the first sock. I have never had ladders like this with DPN’s – my technique (if you can call it that!) of giving the yarn a good tug for the first stitch or two of each needle usually remedies this in stockinette; but no matter what I did, the reverse stockinette just wanted to spread at the joins.
On the second sock I attempted to close the gap – and settled on wrapping the yarn clockwise for the first stitch instead of counter clockwise, then purling the next stitch as normal. This produces a twisted stitch if purled as normal through the front leg on the next round, so on each following round I inserted the working needle through the back leg of stitch (still the right leg, it just presents at the back of the needle due to the clockwise wrapping on the previous round). A trip through my old IK issues tells me that this is the way that combination knitters form their purl stitches (I never knew that!) Are there any combination knitters reading? Are there advantages/disadvantages? I’m curious! I know I’ve seen some good resources, I’ll have to hunt them down. Anyway, this was supposed to be brief! Working the stitches this way at the start of each needle drastically improved the laddering on the second foot – though it’s still not perfect, I’m hoping any remaining visual evidence will block out. I’m nearly done, so we will see soon enough!
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Now playing: Chuck Ragan – Its’s What You Will
via FoxyTunes
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9 Responses to “One more WIP (the one I didn’t tell you about!)”
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mel
I knit, I spin, I hike, I love,
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February 6th, 2008 @ 7:33 pm
I like the new sidebar idea!
The only time I’ve had bad ladders was in a mitten that was knit in reverse stockinette — it seems to bring out the worst laddering with dpns. Glad you found a strategy that helped! I think what I did was knit one stitch extra per dpn on each round, so that the loose stitches didn’t line up. But those mittens got felted, so it didn’t matter much, anyway.
February 6th, 2008 @ 7:50 pm
Wow! That sock is beautiful!! I’ve never seen the Rivendell pattern before. I must go check out the Ravelry link.
I took my blog roll off of my blog a while ago because I just couldn’t keep up with it, and there was always guilt associated with that. I suppose I should give it another try. Putting it it’s own page is a good idea.
February 6th, 2008 @ 11:42 pm
Love the new sidebar links…always nice to be directed to interesting things to read and look at! Love the socks too…how did you manage to not have your toe poking out the top?
February 8th, 2008 @ 11:58 am
I’ll add on that I really like the side bar addition…another great idea for your blog…when I saw it, I went immediately to the poem and just felt some peace seep it. Thanks so much for providing the direction to that.
Those socks are really beautiful! I love the design and the color. Alas I can offer no suggestions (I am working on FINALLY finishing up my first pair of socks now though!), but I can’t wait to see the finished pair.
February 8th, 2008 @ 5:58 pm
Omigosh! The socks look great! You rock so much. I hate that I’ll miss this Thursday – if you’re going to the meeting, please tell folks “hi” for me. :-D Thanks for the nice comment on my site… I’m thinking about putting up a picture of the not-so-nice looking short rows so folks can compare it to the new and improved way. Should be fun! Oh, and there’s a hat I need to add as well…. must go knit more (after walking the Beast). See you soon! Happy Valentine’s! *hug*
February 11th, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
Yeah, that’s what I do too for knitting in the round. I knit through the back loop of the relevant stitch and it does seem to help a bit. The socks are gorgeous. Gorgeous color, gorgeous stitch pattern. I love the delicacy of single twisted stitches (don’t know if that’s the right way to put it).
Good idea on putting some links to specific posts on the sidebar too, though I’m glad you’re not doing away with your blog roll entirely. I’ve found a couple of nice reads through you :)
February 12th, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
Lovely socks–so complex and simple all at the same time. They definitely deserve to be worn with skirts.
February 15th, 2008 @ 1:01 am
I love those socks, and that color, swoon!
I knit 99% of socks on DPN’s, and I always have to rotate the needles to avoid ladders (at the end of a needle, knit a stitch or two from the next one). But then again, I always get ladders when I magic loop, so I’m hopeless!
February 18th, 2008 @ 10:58 am
Now those are socks that rock. Janel actually taught me how to drop spindle a few years ago – she lives a couple of miles away. I’m assuming that since you know about her you’ve used her fiber (Chameleon Colorworks). If not, do! It’s lovely. I am having serious sock envy….