Sunny Side (toes) Up!
 | My Fortune Cookie told me: |
How appropriate! Sandcastle? Parsnip? Submarine? Yellow things! How did Miss Fortune know? The fortune cookie that came with my Hunan Pork tonight said "You are vigorous in words and in action". You be the judge:
Various forces have motivated me to step outside of my comfort zone and try something NEW! After months of reading my Secret Pal Abigail's blog, I decided that it was high time I learn how to knit a sock from the toe up. It was not easy. At first it was downright nasty. I started. I frogged. Numerous times. At last success:
I felt like I was knitting Sputnik with all those needles working on such a small piece.
Look at that finely wrought toe! Thanks to Charlene Schurch and my own stubborn perserverance. 
The lace pattern is called "Small Capitals" from Sensational Knitted Socks. A very appropriate pattern considering that I grew up in a small capital: Augusta. 
I chose the "Easy Toe" method as opposed to the "Round-Toe Cast On", because I prefer the way it looks. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, and I'm using size 2 needles. I am so in love with the color, which is more like scrambled eggs than sunny side-up. Note, however, how dreadful it looks on my skin!!
It took a couple of tries before I knit the sole to the right length before starting the heel flap. Unlike some of the other directions in this book, I did not find those for this method as easy to follow. Instead of the provisional cast-on in the book, which involved crocheting over a knitting needle, I worked a crochet chain and picked up the stitches -much easier! The instuctions for the sole said to "knit to the desired length minus the heel measurement". A color-coded sample sock in the book showed this point to be at mid-arch. On my first try, I realized that the actual heel turn was beyond the sole of the heel and that I needed to knit to the ankle bone to end at the heel. I ended up measuring the length of the finished flap and subtracted that number from the sole length before trying again.
I feel pretty good about the final result, but I think that the heel flap instructions, which said to slip the last stitch of each row with yarn in front, produced uneven edges. This won't be my preferred method of sock construction, but will be very useful when I'm not sure if I have enough yarn. Now that I've cut my teeth on toe up construction, I'm interested in trying the afterthought heel. One thing at a time.
Speaking of that...
All of this yellow sock knitting has caused me to neglect CPH. I did start my first sleeve and am about halfway to the armhole. This is my least favorite part. I know that I "could" knit both sleeves at the same time, but I'm not patient or coordinated enough to deal with 2 skeins of yarn at once. I am the boss of my own knitting!! Speaking of bossy knitting, have you ever knit a cabled sweater only to discover that you crossed a cable waaaay in the beginning. If so, you MUST check out januaryone! It will make you shake and quiver and gasp! That girl kicks yarn butt!
I know that I do not need any more yarn or knitting patterns, however, my LYS is trying to put me in debt. How can I resist 25% off retail for all yarn? 
Especially when presented with a cute little pattern book:
Even worse: there's a Book Two with pullover patterns that call for worsted weight....
If only I didn't have to sleep or work or pay bills....
BTW: I just found out that there are MORE Sensational Knitted Socks!!! Oh dear.
1 comment:
Hi. You were always a very good writer, but this blog is fascinating and engaging. You know how much I love knitting, right? I can just hear your voice as I read it.
Post a Comment