Sock It To Me!

Current Sock in Progress


I thought I'd update you on the sock odyssey. I have worked in several methods, including magic loop, double pointed needles, flat knitting on two needles and two circulars, the latter of which is my preference. After watching Cat Bordhi's videos on You Tube, I finally got the mechanics down and it really is going well. I also saw someone's video of how to join circular knitting which was very helpful. Such a small thing, but I never could find it addressed in any glossaries, so I had made up my own, which worked, but this is better. I'm still learning gauge. I hate checking gauge like everyone else. In fact, I have pretty much ignored it in a lot of my needlework with little ill effect, and none that could not be absorbed by ease or stitching, but socks are different! If you don't use the right needle for the thread or what the pattern calls for, you are SCREWED! And I have several half-finished socks to prove it.

The dilemma then becomes not having the proper needles. I prefer the long cabled circulars simply for their versatility, and the fact that you can let the lengths hang out of your way when you aren't knitting on their stitches, but they're not as easy to find! And whoa, are they expensive! I keep repeating the mantra "The right tools for the job, the right tools for the job!" But if I ever hope to recoup my expenses, I'll be knitting socks for the rest of my life for everyone in Houston!

I am finally getting the groove of knitting ribbing. Don't get excited, I still haven't knit an entire sock! But I do feel comfortable with it now. It's like when I was learning to knit continental style...at first it just felt so awkward and I kept wanting to revert to throwing, but I forced myself to keep at it and on the plane ride to Rabecca's, it just clicked. Now it feels completely natural and fluid. And I just knit an inch of rib on a sock for Cary and made no mistakes!

I have some trepidation about fit, as I've read there is a lot of fiddling with patterns to fit men's ginormous feet. And Cary's foot is VERY WIDE. The up side is I may get a lot of castaways!

Why am I enjoying this? I think it's the challenge. And it is quite challenging.