Thursday, October 12, 2006

Woopee, I finished a pair of socks!






I don't really like this pair.

Why? ...You would ask.

Okay. It's because of short-row heels. It's my 2nd try at them and I still do not like short-row heels. Just doesn't fit my foot OR my heel correctly. Atho, this pattern was highly recommended ... The Easy Sock! Well it was easy to knit, but I don't like the way they fit my feet. I might have to give them to one of my granddaughters. I know you can't tell in this picture ... but believe me, the heel doesn't STAY where it should.

Well I guess I will give short-row heels only one more try. But that's only because my Blue Moon Sock Club has short-row heels in the Hippy Crunchie sock pattern they sent us and I'm committed to finishing them. I have only one sock done so far. So my next goal is the make the other one during Socktoberfest.

I have a feeling I'll stick to the heel flap after this tho!


Lolly Knitting Around has asked ...

1. When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

I started knitting socks 1 year 9 months ago. Yah, I know the date ... January 2005 during M.I.T.'s Independent Activities Period (IAP) in a class on stitching. I was the crochet advisor and someone else did knitting & we had knitting guests there as well. Since there was only one person there for crocheting advise, I wanted something else to keep me busy & interested. So our guest, Cynthia was teaching how to do "Toe up socks on Two circular needles." I knit my first pair of socks & I was hooked! That 1st pair don't fit well but it didn't stop me from knitting more. Now I have a whole sock drawer with only hand knit socks. I love 'em!

2. What was your first pair? How have they “held up” over time?

I guess I just answered this in question #1, LOL.

3. What would you have done differently?

Other than binding off looser ... nothing much. I considered these my "learning curve" socks.

4. What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

Fleece Artist Hand Painted Yarn, Socks that Rock from Blue Moon and Crazy Cotton ... I have more to try that's waiting for me in my sock yarn stash. The only yarn I did NOT like was Fixation.

5. Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

Believe it or not, I prefer the DPN's. I don't dislike the 2 circular needles tho and have never tried Magic Loop. But I never will crochet my socks. I don't think they would be as comfortable as knit. Nope, I won't even try.

6. Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)

Oh boy, I answered this one above also ... Flap fits & looks much better.

7. How many pairs have you made?

I haven't checked but my quess would be about 10 pair now. Wait ... I knit 3 other pairs for gifts also. And I have another pair on the needles already.

So it's off to knitting my mittens now ...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on finishing your socks! I agree about the short row heel - love the heel flap. Though once you have the hang of it, the heel flap can quite easily be substituted for any short row heel.

Unknown said...

Nice socks Rhonda! It's too bad you don't like the SR heel - you can't tell from the pic that they don't fit. I like the SR heel because it is so much faster but no question you have to get the hang of it. This bogsite has a really good pictorial of a yarn over short row: http://avocations.blogs.com/ShortRowHeels/index.htm and here is another site that has lots of sock info: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze8mnnp/toesheels.html. Check them out. I tell myself I will never do another heel flap but who knows. The book Simply Socks by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts is great too; she talks about the division of stitches for the heel (which may be why it doesn't fit - you may need more or less stitches into your heel). Anyway look at those and see what you think.

Dorothy said...

You could try a Sherman heel. It has virtually the same look and some say it is much easier to do.

Susan said...

Iv'e knitted one of these, and the fit seems to be really good. (I've lost one of my thin sock needles, I think it has been kitten napped by Grace! And waiting for another pack to arrive!)
It's called Jaywalker, and is really nice to knit. I've done it in Opal yarn.
http://magknits.com/Sept05/patterns/jaywalker.htm

Anonymous said...

found your blog via Yarnival - snooped around a bit - I'm really looking forward to the STR sock kits I've signed up for next year. Great job on those mittens too although it's rarely cold enough here for mittens that warm.