Mostly Matching or Practically Perfect?
Dear Stuntmother,
Today's title refers to our visit to NYC last Saturday...we stood in line at the TKTS booth and got half-price tickets to Mary Poppins on Broadway. It was absolutely (if you'll excuse the obvious) supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. The dramatic themes are somewhat different from those in the film and some songs were excised and others written, and the whole production was magical and rousing and fun. We've all been dancing around since, singing "Practically Perfect" and "Spoonful of Sugar" and the above-mentioned word which William can almost spell now. Family fun.
So, anyway...
As you know, I knitted 24 pairs of socks in 2007, yet have knitted only a grand total of two pairs in the first third of 2008. The sock mojo left me...but I think now it's back.
Pattern: My first time writing a pattern from total scratch, though they were totally inspired by these on Ravelry. I started them in early January, before this pattern was available for purchase. I futzed around a lot with the numbers, to make a sock that would fit me with a cable I liked, running up one side only. The pair took so long that I had to continually inspect the first one, to detect exactly how I had made it. Although I think this cable is called the Wheatear Cable in the calendar of stitches, I think of it as the Whale's Tail Cable, since I completed a good part of the second sock at SeaWorld, watching William ride the Baby Shamu rollercoaster over and over again.
It's toe-up using Magic Loop, Judy's Magic cast-on increasing to 64 stitches, a mini-gusset to 68 sts, and a Sherman heel. I used a variety of methods to increase for my biggish calves. I started the foot on a small US #1 (2.25 mm), then switched to the larger US #1 (2.50 mm). I spaced the cable twists a little further apart as the sock grew upwards, and I snuck in two extra purl stitches on either side of the cable near the top.
Yarn: Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn, color #S184. How did I like it? Well, maybe the yarn is why it took me 3+ months to knit a pair of socks. It's just like regular Kureyon: rustic and sticky. It sticks to wooden needles and sticks to itself horribly. I always spend tons of time untangling the center-pull ball with Noro yarns. However, I like how it knits up, and the colors are undeniably stunning. As you can see, I started each toe at the same portion of the long color repeat, but there wasn't enough to make the tops match exactly. I had to splice in an unmatching portion to finish the cuffs. Granted, that part will be underneath my pants, but I know it's there. Mary Poppins would have made a second ball appear to finish them perfectly.
Next...
Pattern: Top-down K2P2 ribbed socks from Vogue Knitting's Ultimate Sock Book.
Yarn: Vesper Sock Yarn in Venus in Furs (my fabulous birthday gift from you, Stuntmother!) Very generous yardage...tons left.
Needles: Addi Turbo US# 1 (2.5 mm) Magic Loop
Time to Knit: 2 weeks--that's more like it!
Comments: Perfectly Striping = Perfectly Gratifying.
Again, I started at the same point in the stripage, and they are precise twins. Despite the heel flap and turn, the wide stripes didn't change much at the instep, which tickles me to no end. This yarn looks like it'll hold up well, and it was a pleasure with which to knit.
There's another pair of socks on the needles...
Spit-Spot!
Love,
Eyeknit
Today's title refers to our visit to NYC last Saturday...we stood in line at the TKTS booth and got half-price tickets to Mary Poppins on Broadway. It was absolutely (if you'll excuse the obvious) supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. The dramatic themes are somewhat different from those in the film and some songs were excised and others written, and the whole production was magical and rousing and fun. We've all been dancing around since, singing "Practically Perfect" and "Spoonful of Sugar" and the above-mentioned word which William can almost spell now. Family fun.
So, anyway...
As you know, I knitted 24 pairs of socks in 2007, yet have knitted only a grand total of two pairs in the first third of 2008. The sock mojo left me...but I think now it's back.
Pattern: My first time writing a pattern from total scratch, though they were totally inspired by these on Ravelry. I started them in early January, before this pattern was available for purchase. I futzed around a lot with the numbers, to make a sock that would fit me with a cable I liked, running up one side only. The pair took so long that I had to continually inspect the first one, to detect exactly how I had made it. Although I think this cable is called the Wheatear Cable in the calendar of stitches, I think of it as the Whale's Tail Cable, since I completed a good part of the second sock at SeaWorld, watching William ride the Baby Shamu rollercoaster over and over again.
It's toe-up using Magic Loop, Judy's Magic cast-on increasing to 64 stitches, a mini-gusset to 68 sts, and a Sherman heel. I used a variety of methods to increase for my biggish calves. I started the foot on a small US #1 (2.25 mm), then switched to the larger US #1 (2.50 mm). I spaced the cable twists a little further apart as the sock grew upwards, and I snuck in two extra purl stitches on either side of the cable near the top.
Yarn: Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn, color #S184. How did I like it? Well, maybe the yarn is why it took me 3+ months to knit a pair of socks. It's just like regular Kureyon: rustic and sticky. It sticks to wooden needles and sticks to itself horribly. I always spend tons of time untangling the center-pull ball with Noro yarns. However, I like how it knits up, and the colors are undeniably stunning. As you can see, I started each toe at the same portion of the long color repeat, but there wasn't enough to make the tops match exactly. I had to splice in an unmatching portion to finish the cuffs. Granted, that part will be underneath my pants, but I know it's there. Mary Poppins would have made a second ball appear to finish them perfectly.
Next...
Pattern: Top-down K2P2 ribbed socks from Vogue Knitting's Ultimate Sock Book.
Yarn: Vesper Sock Yarn in Venus in Furs (my fabulous birthday gift from you, Stuntmother!) Very generous yardage...tons left.
Needles: Addi Turbo US# 1 (2.5 mm) Magic Loop
Time to Knit: 2 weeks--that's more like it!
Comments: Perfectly Striping = Perfectly Gratifying.
Again, I started at the same point in the stripage, and they are precise twins. Despite the heel flap and turn, the wide stripes didn't change much at the instep, which tickles me to no end. This yarn looks like it'll hold up well, and it was a pleasure with which to knit.
There's another pair of socks on the needles...Spit-Spot!
Love,
Eyeknit
posted by eyeknit at 10:36 AM
2 Comments:
Gorgeous socks, lady, as usual! I admire your tenacity with that Noro sock yarn - I gave up after about 20 yards. No amount of spoonfuls of sugar could make that medicine go down!
I have had my doubts about the Noro sock yarn -- not the colors but the feel of knitting with it. I dare say however, after seeing your socks, I might brave the Noro stickiness for those colors ...
Post a Comment
<< Home