Last night I decided to finish my ‘round’ (really the second halves of two socks) even though it was late. I wanted to have less than ten rounds of colorwork to go.
Hubris. I was tired and didn’t count properly and missed two stitches of the Opal (the lighter color). So this morning I’m ‘tinking’ (tink is knit backward) to my mistake point to fix it. I could have done duplicate stitch afterwards, but that wouldn’t feel the same to me. But un-floating all of these floats is a very good motivator to be more careful & alert from now on!
I actually started these socks a year ago this month. I got the feet, heels, and part of the cuff done, and then I started my ‘project’—my first colorwork. I grabbed an open right’s beginner’s cross-stitch (or maybe shrink bead) pattern, cut four balls of yarn, and got to work. (Experienced knitters are facepalming, here.)
I got nine rows in, dragging the Yarn B (Opal 6-strand) back to the beginning (while faithfully catching the floats going the correct way) before I stopped in pure, unadulterated frustration. I knew I was doing it wrong, and I could see the right way. But nine rows of 2mm needles, while Yarn A is Bearfoot (a yarn with 25% mohair!)… the impending frogging was intimidating. I put it off. For 11 months. I’m a bit ashamed.
The frogging wasn’t even that bad, nor was getting it back on the needles. The colorwork is two rows higher than before. Somehow I doubt it will be noticed.
Making socks is when I’m glad I wear an EU 36. 😉
I took the balls and Russian joined the ones from each sock (waste not, want not), and on a fresh round started the colorwork again, this time carrying the Opal around the entire sock, picking up the alternating strands as I went. This actually went faster, the outside work looked neater, and the inside! Well. I’m not worried about catching my toes anymore, and that was a major concern previously. I am a bit worried about tension, that I may not have left enough looseness to the strands, but I’ve been trying since the beginning, so that’s either 1) worry-worting, or 2) something to practice.
Yes, the inside of the sock, I am unashamed.
Those 27 rows of doubled yarn will keep that part of my leg much more warm! That’s a good bit of the point of colorwork.
I’m currently ‘catching’ strands simply by hooking them behind each other. I know that there are more involved, intricate ways, but this is doing the job well, and is quick and simple. Maybe the other versions don’t allow the strands to tighten up? That’s something I’ll have to look into for next time.
For now, does anyone have an idea of what the final design is?
I’ve been out of the loop for a while, and that’s for rather good reason. The very next time someone tells me I should use my fiber arts to set up an Etsy shop, I’m going to point them to this blog to show them why it’s a terrible idea. Health issues and home-run businesses do not tend to mix well.
Rowing in the blue
Lost Yarn Chicken!
But back to what we’re here for. As you can see, I lost my game of Yarn Chicken and had to go grab another skein that was spun single. It’s a titch thicker than the original yarn, but since it was for the crown I wasn’t too worried about it. If there’s anywhere you want to be warmer and thicker…
Rowed out + stitch marker
Moving to DPNs one stitch at a time
As you can see, the gauge held pretty close. I was chuffed.
Then came the decreases, and with them, the eventual move to double-pointed needles (DPNs). My DPNs are square, aluminum, and generally awesome. The shape makes them less tiring, and they’re nicely pointed with a lace shoulder. I know some people prefer their work on 3 needles, but I’m a 4 needle, knit with the fifth type.
Then wash in Euclan (because it’s a gift and who wants to wear something that has slid through your fingers, really?), and block to show off the cables.
So many pins!
This is actually the second stage of blocking, I did the first flat, but I forgot to take pictures. 😦 You can see how I hold the cable in place with the pins, then open up the purl detail with pins on the border…
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All in all, I’m really happy with how the hat came out. I had fun playing with cables combined with short rows in a non-threatening project—seriously, if cables are a thing you’re scared of, this a great pattern, dropping down to fix cables here is easy—and it’s an interesting enough knit to keep you from being bored. There’s not enough moss stitch to get irritating, but you still get the cred for doing it, and it looks amazing.
Now back to the socks that have taken over my life. You should see a post tomorrow!
This shawl gets worked on in spurts. I’ll get several segments done in a day, then the bag is left to rest for a few weeks or more with no attention, and that’s okay.
This is my travel shawl, the mostly mindless garter shawl I bring along when I know that I might be waiting a while at some appointment or waiting with one of those infernal tickets at the DMV, especially when someone has given up and left, and they call the number over & over… (I had to make a minor change to my license recently, I was glad to have the knitting!).
It also gets me the oddest looks.
So don’t expect to see this pop up often, but when it does, massive work will probably be done.
I’ve been working on this for a bit over a month, but in my defense I started in a larger size on bigger needles, and not only did it not match gauge, but halfway through the pattern I could tell I was going to be playing yarn chicken at the end—and losing.
The pattern is the delightful Urban Aran Hat by Robbie Laughlin. It’s half-chart, half-written, and for the most part pretty clear. (If you’re new to charts, or even if you aren’t—this is charted like free lace. It confused me until someone pointed that out, and then it was clear sailing.)
I’m only on row 15 of this go-round, 5 rounds past the ribbing and well into the moss stitch. I just shifted the cable over for the first time. (You may have noticed I bracketed the cable section in very plain stitch markers. I have some brain damage, and it’s easier to block those off so I don’t ever mess up the count. That set will always be the cable stitch row. If you have trouble with this for any reason, feel no shame and mark it off!) That means less moss stitch, not that it’s too wearing knitting continental (although I worry about losing track).
Life & Fiber 