Fri 21 Nov 2008
It’s been quiet in the blogosphere lately. I know this, because I have managed to stay up to date on my blog reading despite spending almost no time doing it. It appears that I’m not the only one that is too busy to blog (or too busy to do anything worth blogging about…).
Not much has happened on the knitting front in the past few weeks. I want to have a sweater going, but I don’t want to start a sweater. This is something of a problem. My brain is just not prepared to think hard enough to figure out how many stitches to cast on. It’s been busy elsewhere, I’m afraid. I’m hoping it will come back soon.
In the meantime, I have been knitting the project that is closest to my chair. It’s amazing. Even when I don’t really feel like knitting, a project sitting in a basket beside my chair will leap into my hands and ask for attention. A surprising amount of knitting can get done this way while you’re not paying attention. It’s a little like a candy dish, with fewer calories.
I don’t love socks. I have tried. Several times. I really want to like socks, but I just haven’t fallen in love. I like having socks. I like looking at patterns for socks. In fact, I think I probably have more sock patterns saved than any other kind. And yet, every sock project languishes on my needles.
The fact that I don’t really have any other knitting nearby has forced me to finish the leaf socks that I started sometime in June (I think). Only now they’re not the leaf socks. Now they’re little mini-cable socks. I couldn’t find a leaf pattern that I wanted to use, and cross stitch cables require very little thought. This is good for those whose brains are on walkabout.
Every time I knit a pair of socks, I change the style, hoping to find the magic one that I just love to make. I did this pair in Cat Bordhi’s Riverbed architecture, where all the heel expansion is on the bottom of the foot.
I love the fit. I have very high arches, and it’s really nice to have a sock that actually hugs my foot rather than tenting around my arch. These will definitely be my new favorite socks to wear.
Really, I knit at least a three socks to get two. The toe wasn’t quite right on the first one, so I ripped back and started over. Three times. Then the heel was a little funny, so it got pulled back, too. I bound off too soon, and the sock ended up really short (I like ankle socks, but not ones that only barely cover my heel).
The second was a little better, except for the fact that they had to match. I seem to be having problems with this lately. The toe was good, except that it wasn’t the same shape as the first sock. I have no idea why. I counted the stitches, and the rows, and I swear they were the same. But something was different. So I re-knit. The heel was a little bit better, but it’s also not identical. (Yes, I know…2 circs helps with this, but I like dpn’s so much better.) I decided I didn’t care that much (it was only off by 2 rows). I learned my lesson and made the cuff longer, then went back and added some rows to the first one.
I didn’t love making them, but I do really like these socks. They fit perfectly, and it might even have been worth the fussing. I’m hoping that they don’t stretch with use; I used smaller needles this time to make the fabric a little bit firmer.
I really like the colors, and the merino bamboo blend is very nice (though more than a little splitty with my pointy sock needles). The color did pool, but not in a garish way, and I think the bamboo will help them hold their shape. They feel like they’ll wear well, and I now have another pair of socks to add to the collection.
Now, if I could just find a sweater to work on, or some spare brain cells to plan a new one…
I really like the colors as well!
Very nice!
Rachele
The socks are lovely and inspired me to add Cat's book to my holiday wish list. And you won't regret the mini-cables – my favorite hand knit socks have mini-cables, so classic.
I'm not so fond of socks either – and I need some! I'm not sure if it's the fact that there's two or that I have such gauge issues with the things!
It's good you found socks that fit though – I'm sure if you try this construction again it will go more smoothly.