Summer of Socks

At the Pool

Jen7 Comments

Jen of Knitting Sutra recently wrote about a pooling issue she is having with a pair of socks for her MIL. Jen doesn’t like pooling, not even a little, and is having a contest to search for a pool-defying pattern for the offending yarn. Go over and check it out. I’ll wait.

You back? Anyway, I read the post, having my own opinion about pooling in variegated yarns, decided not to enter the contest, and promptly forgot about it. That is, until I ran into this

while working on the jaywalkers for my FIL. Ordinarily, I could care less if the colors pool. In fact, I think it can be attractive. But this… Well, it ain’t pretty, that’s for sure.

As I re-read Jen’s post today, I remembered being amazed that there could be a debate in the knit community about something like color pooling and I thought, “Why not do a survey?” So, what’s your opinion? The survey is over there in the side bar if you want to cast your vote.

As for my FIL’s sock, I’m feeling rather stumped. Should I frog it and try to start over at another point in the yarn’s stripe pattern? Will that make a difference? Should I use a different stitch pattern? I don’t know. I’ve never thought about how to defeat color pooling because I always thought it was kind of neat. But now…. Any ideas?

Doozer

Picture if you will…

Jen4 Comments

You are a certain young boy-kitty. You’ve spent the day at the vet, caged and drugged, having a certain sensitive part of your anatomy removed. (Which is just as well since you didn’t quite know what to do with some strange feelings you’ve been having.) You arrive at home, sore, loopy, famished, and dying of thirst. You search for water, anxious to wet your throat and soothe your upset stomach. What about here?

No, you need something more wet, more watery, more challenging to your vast intellect and that showcases your clever water-finding skills. There, up on the table! The female hairless ape known as “mommy” has the very thing you are searching for in her strange mitts. You risk a dizzy jump and sidle up.

Ahh,

that’s much better.

Uncategorized

Master’s Monday 3: The story so far

Jen4 Comments

TKGA’s Master Knitter program requires candidates to knit up a series of swatches to demonstrate the knitter’s knowledge of basic techniques. Here are my three attempts at the seed stitch swatch:

The seed stitch swatch must have no holes in it when held up to the light. The middle swatch was my first. Not only is it full of holes, but it is also not a square. The bottom swatch was my second attempt. I pulled each stitch so tight that knitting it was not natural for me. Also, there were holes–not as many, but still. The top swatch was my third and best, but still, there were holes in it. I was feeling frustrated, but figured I’d send it the best one and perhaps the reviewing committee would have suggestions for me.

Then, this week Ravelry added a groups feature and, guess what, there is a group for people working on the KGA’s Master Knitter program! I joined. Many of the posters had the starter package, but hadn’t really done much of the knitting and the moderator suggested that knitters start out with the seed stitch swatch because

“if you start with the seed stitch you can keep going down in needles size … until you reach a swatch you are happy with. Then you can use that needle size for the rest of the swatches that need to match. No re-knitting of the earlier swatches needed.”

I had a major aha! moment. My problem was that I was knitting the seed stitch at a gauge that was just too big. Since the swatches must all be knitted with the same needles and in the same gauge, I decided to do something drastic. Here are all the swatches I’d knitted as of last night:

The offending seed stitch swatches are not pictured, and most of the swatches are beautiful. Here is what it looked like when I was done (frogging them all):

Oh my gosh, it looks just like Ramen noodles! Anyway, today I will soak the yarn in hot water to get the kinks out, then I will begin again. This time I’ll start out with the seed stitch swatch, on a smaller needle. Maybe a US 6?

Knitting

One Finished Jay

Jen4 Comments


Told you I’d post a photo! :-)

Knitting

One Jaywalker Down…

Jen

One Jaywalker to go. Pictures tomorrow.

off topic

How about a nice steamed pile-o-crap?

Jen1 Comment

Here is yet another reason to abandon China as a supplier of foodstuffs. Sheesh. (Thanks for the link Boing Boing!)

Knitting · links

Hah.

Jen3 Comments

Did you know that the Sweater Curse has its own Wiki?

Knitters use the term Sweater Curse or the Curse of the Love Sweater to describe a situation in which a knitter gives a hand-knit sweater to a significant other, who quickly breaks up with the knitter. In an alternative formulation, the relationship will end before the sweater is even completed.

Knitting · Summer of Socks

Houston, we have a problem

Jen4 Comments

I took yesterday off from knitting my Summer of Socks socks and instead read a fun Carl Hiaasen book. (Actually, I was already about halfway through the book, so I only read 1/2 the book yesterday.) I recommend anything by Hiaasen if you are in the mood for some fun, well-written light reading that does not involve muggles, firelizards, Aes Sedai, or any kind of spaceships.

Anyway, the reason I took the day off and read instead of knitted is because the jaywalker was on a timeout. The other night, I was knitting along, watching The Bourne Identity with Mr. Interrupted when I looked down and saw a hole. (When am I going to remember that I am supposed to be a knit blogger and that this is exactly the sort of thing I should be taking pictures of?) It was a massive hole surrounded by random, free-form decreases–I must have been tired. It was a mess, and I had to put the Jaywalker on a timeout while I thought about how to fix it.

I really did not want to rip back the sock, even a few rounds because, while I am capable of picking up the stitches, I find it incredibly tedious and didn’t feel like doing it. So this morning I started out by dropping the FUBAR stitches (it was three rounds’ worth).

Then, I took out my crochet hook and extra size zero needles and I started knitting up the dropped stitches.

I had to do a triple decrease instead of a double when I got to the top, but I think it’ll be OK. The intended recipient of these socks won’t notice.

I’m feeling a little tickled with myself, even though I’m positive I’m not the first knitter to fix a mistake this way. Now I can keep on knitting. At least until July 21st when I will probably end up reading instead of knitting.

random

RIP

Jen5 Comments

Oh Amex Card, I’m so sorry I lost you yesterday while we were running errands. I thought I’d tucked you back in my bag, but I guess you tumbled out onto the ground. I’m terribly sorry I had to cancel you but I’m so glad that you are not out there somewhere, being forced to make huge purchases against your will. I miss you and will always remember the wonderful times we had together–the late night online yarn purchases, the Indian food, the Target runs. Rest in peace my dear Amex card. I’ll remember your security number always.