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March 30, 2007
Things that make me happy
This!
It is a rare event to be so elated by a mere heel.
The presence of this entity is significant because it means that I'm finally completely satisfied with the foot of the Hidden Passion sock. The instep spells an unmistakable "XO", the length should work well for grandma, and the sole does not pucker. Crown it with a heel, I say!
Furthermore, I love the heel itself. Remember the grid-like goodness of the eye of partridge heel? Remember my ambivalence about the square heel? Well, it ends up that combining the two results in a lovely textured fabric without a hint of flimsiness. Plus, being worked upside down (or toe-up, if you will) places the heel decreases at the back of the foot, where my slipper-wearing grandma cannot do them any harm.
Jaya is a genius, I tell you. I never thought I'd be so captivated by an upside-down heel flap... heel.
Posted by Kathy at 04:31 PM | Comments (29)March 28, 2007
Easy way out
That's more like it!
Wheew! As I calculated, I got a nice flat fabric when I joined 2 rows of sole for every 3 rows of instep!
I didn't get any holes or gaps along the side because I picked up every selvedge chain stitch. It's just that one-third of the picked up stitches were never developed into rows, and simply got decreased away with the next picked up stitch.
I considered using different needles... Potentially I could have gotten a very satisfactory result by knitting the top and bottom of the sock using two different needle sizes.
However, changing needles is a guessing game. Gauge, on the other hand, is math.
Do I know for sure that going down a needle size would sufficiently reduce the puckering? Maybe the answer is to go down two needle sizes? But what if the resulting fabric is too dense? What if I should knit the top using bigger needles instead?
And so on, and so on, and so on.
In contrast, I measured the gauge in shadow knitting, the gauge in stockinette, punched some numbers into the calculator, and knew, knew for sure that I would get a flat fabric if I joined them 3:2.
I know it may have seemed like I was over complicating matters, but in reality, I absolutely took the easy way out: math trumps guessing once again :).
On the plus side, having knit the foot of this sock three full times by now, I think I finally got the sizing down. On to the heel! But not before I sneak in a few rounds on the divine Uptown Boot socks - my reward for getting this right, finally :).
Posted by Kathy at 11:07 PM | Comments (33)March 27, 2007
Issue: gauge
No matter how many times we try to ignore, outsmart, and bypass gauge, it always finds a way to come back and bite us in the ass.
Here's the issue: the instep and the sole of the Hidden Passion socks are attached in an obvious way: one row of instep for one row of sole. In fact, it doesn't even matter that they're knit separately. Even if I were knitting the sock in the round, I would (naturally) have one row of instep for every one row of sole.
However, my stockinette gauge and shadow knitting gauge are very different! In the shadow knitting portion, I'm getting roughly 15 rows per inch. In the stockinette portion, only 11 rows per inch. As a result, attaching the instep and sole at a 1:1 ratio causes pretty dramatic puckering.
Admittedly once the sock is on the foot it looks much better. Who was it that said, "knitting hides a multitude of sins"? A little stretch, and a little give, and presto! You could never get away with this using woven fabric.
But it's me who's writing this. Me! You know me - I have a serious problem, a tick of some sort, an itch that cannot be scratched, a compulsion. If I can think of a better way to do something, hell and high water can't stop me.
The math is simple - in order for the fabric to be smooth and pucker-free, I need to knit approximately 2 rows of stockinette per 3 rows of shadow knitting. With a little fudging and futzing, I'll figure out how and where I'm going to skip some of the chain stitches.
Believe it or not, this gauge issue is not nearly as complicated as guessing the length of my grandma's instep. Frogging: it's not an inconvenience, it's a way of life.
Posted by Kathy at 10:03 AM | Comments (31)March 26, 2007
Autumn
Remember when I welcomed autumn by knitting the most spring-like socks imaginable? As the warm weather creeps up on us and we're forced to say goodbye to ski season, it's entirely reasonable that I reach for yarn reminiscent of fall. Right?
This yarn is not one of my regulars, but I'm already a huge fan: Fleece Artist merino sock yarn (from the kit), in russet. Although I can't pinpoint what's different about the dyeing process, the way the dyes penetrate the fibers reminds me of Manos del Uruguay. Amazing.
The lucky pattern (truly, lucky) is another one from Favorite Socks
Everything is working harmoniously and knitting up beautifully. I feel total calm whenever I pick up this project.
The Hidden Passion socks, on the other hand, are causing me a bit of a headache. I've been in touch with Jaya Srikrishnan, the designer, and Anne Merrow, the editor, and it appears that there are a couple of mistakes in the chart. Once the corrections are processed, we can expect to see them here. Just to let you know, the Merino Lace socks also have a mistake in the charts. There's more to talk about than just the chart, but first I need to brace myself for starting over again. Until then, I'll be enjoying the colors of fall.
Posted by Kathy at 10:46 AM | Comments (66)March 24, 2007
Eye Candy Saturday: special edition
Without a doubt, my amaryllis aspired to be a giant sequoia in its former life:
At the moment, it is 29" high, and displays 4 blossoms, each one 7.5" in diameter. Two more blossoms will be added shortly.
With all this foliage, the stalk needed some extra support. But where could I find a sturdy stick to do the job?
I taped together two long knitting needles end-to-end. Yet another use for our abundant stashes.
March 22, 2007
Detective
I have such Eye Candy Friday for you - it's beautiful, and it's indirectly related to knitting... but it will have to wait. I have more important things to talk about! Maybe I'll post a special Eye Candy Saturday (though for the sake of avoiding asphyxiation, let us not hold our breaths).
Instead, look at this gorgeous construction!
I'm rather methodical when it comes to complicated maneuvers like knitting the sole of a sock and attaching it to the instep as you go. What I'm loving about the Hidden Passion sock pattern is that the designer tells you exactly how to do it. Exactly. how. to. do. it. What to slip, what to knit together, where the yarn goes. No guessing allowed. Love it!
What I'm not loving is how big these are coming out.
It may be hard to tell from the photo, but these are a bit too wide, and a whole lot too long. It's kind of tricky to estimate when to start the toe having the instep as the only guide. It's twice as tricky if you're knitting for someone whose shoe size is drastically different than yours. Me: US 7. Grandma: US 10.5; little lady, big feets (if you've asked to see pictures of the fam in knitted gear, do click on that link).
But here's something that I think is more obvious:
Hello! Who are you? Please go away.
I'm not experienced in reading shadow knitting charts, so I've been following along blindly and not questioning the stitches too much. Lo and behold, something didn't look quite right, and when I took the time to investigate the chart, I think I've found some mistakes.
I e-mailed Jaya, the designer, and she assured me that the charts were fine in her original submission (I didn't doubt that). I scanned the one in the book and e-mailed it to her for comparison - we'll see what she thinks.
The good news is that I was going to start over anyway because of the sizing. These potential mistakes make it that much easier to rip, rip, rip!
Posted by Kathy at 11:01 PM | Comments (39)March 20, 2007
(!), (?), and (ha!)
Would you be shocked if I told you that that is the humble beginnings of a sock? Is this not the strangest sock-in-progress picture you've ever seen?
Of all the socks I mentioned in my review of Favorite Socks
Why? If shadow knitting wasn't enough, these socks are also unique with respect to construction. Since there's striping across the instep, but none at the sole, either the instep has to be worked flat, or seamless intarsia in the round must be used.
Leaving intarsia in the round to Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' Eastern European Footlets in the same book, the designer Jaya Srikrishnan took the following approach:
(1) Cast-on the instep stitches; (2) work the shadow knitting motif flat to the toe; (3) short-row toe; (4) work the sole of the sock flat, attaching it to the instep along the way; (5) knit traditional heel-flap heel, upside down (!); (6) pick up stitches along cast-on and join in the round, work gussets; (7) complete top of sock in the round, as usual.
Clever, isn't it? You know I'm all about the clever :). The only deviation so far is the initial cast-on: the designer suggests the knitted cast-on, but I've done the provisional. Both me and my grandma are blessed (?) with high arches and high insteps, and I can't imagine a true cast-on being comfortable at the foot's widest point.
As for my other shadow knitting project... on the one hand, it's looking quite intriguing. On the other, something about it isn't jiving with me. I think I'd be wise to set it aside for a little while, let it ferment and marinate in my brain. Clear insight will surely follow (ha!).
Posted by Kathy at 06:36 PM | Comments (55)March 19, 2007
Fit for feet
Pattern: Canal du Midi from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, denim (14ns), 2 skeins, purchased from my favorite LL supplier.
Needles: set of five US 0 dpns (these ones).
Is it just me, or does everything Nancy Bush touch turn to gold?!? These Canal du Midi socks didn't look particularly noteworthy in the book
The subtle variegations of Lorna's Laces "solid" colorways keep me coming back time after time. Even though skeins from the same dye lot were used to knit each sock, see how the lower one is striping ever so slightly? Just like the Gentleman's Fancy Socks I knit a while back.
So. The Square Heel. I don't think it's for me. At first I couldn't figure out exactly where it should sit on my foot. Note to self: if you find yourself tugging the heel of a sock backward and forward for half an hour, in an attempt to determine which position is "more comfortable," the heel style in question isn't for you.
All the tugging and pushing and squirming and questioning led me to the conclusion that the heel should be "all the way back." After I finished the socks, something still wasn't quite right... the fit was off, everything was too loose. Finally, I came to my senses, nudged the heel forward a bit, and decided it looked much better. "Nudging the heel forward a bit" resulted in socks fit for a giant, but that's a small point that's already been corrected (with a bit of cursing, of course).
Even though the fit has been corrected, I'm deeply concerned that the two columns of decrease stitches are structurally very weak, and have the misfortune of residing in the most stressed area! Once they go, the entire heel will follow - the gussets wrap around to the bottom of the foot! I briefly contemplated weaving in some reinforcement thread (like here), but decided against it - if it so happens that this square heel fits my grandma's feet perfectly, I'll reinforce every single one from now on. But until I know that's the case, I'll save my time and energy for other projects :).
Posted by Kathy at 01:09 PM | Comments (63)March 16, 2007
On our way to 700
The 600th and 650th Jaywalkers to be added into the gallery have been recorded!
Wendy submitted the 600th Jaywalker, Baby Jays from April's popular pattern! She received Shannon Okey's Spin to Knit
NotScarlett had the 650th submission, and for her prize chose Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in cranberry. Excellent choice indeed! Congratulations!
I'd also like to announce the creation of a gallery for completed Roza's Socks! Send them in - you know the drill. As always, if you have any other Grumpy FOs to show off, I'd love to add them. I've recently been seeing a lot of gorgeous Shifting Sands Scarves, for instance, and I know everyone would love to see them all in one spot!
Posted by Kathy at 11:59 AM | Comments (17)March 13, 2007
Catalyst
Most often my catalyst is a pattern - "look at that! I want to make that!" - followed by an expedition through the stash, a trip to the yarn store, and a Google search to rival all Google searches.
But sometimes the yarn provides the necessary spark to get things going. Though my personal stash isn't large, I am in no way, shape, or form against stashing - if the yarn speaks to me, it comes home with me! And then the yarn may linger for months, years, but if the admiration hasn't faded, the right project will make itself known.
(and if it has faded, there's always DeStash)
Such was the case with Berroco Touché: I noted this yarn the very first time I touched it. And I kept noting it every time I'd see it again. And when elann had it on sale not too long ago, I held out like a trooper, fighting temptation for days, reasoning I had no pattern in mind...
And then I came to my senses.
And got 24 skeins.
And I felt no guilt about it then, nor do I feel any guilt about it now. For those of you familiar with KnitPicks Shine, Touché has a very similar composition, but I like it better (maybe because it seems spun more tightly).
Although I got enough to make one adult sweater out of each color, I knew I wanted the two side-by-side as soon as my yarn arrived. It was just a matter of waiting until the right project made itself known.
Now, of course, you understand exactly why Shadow Knitting
So, how about it? A little throw or blanket, combining the orange and the fuchsia, placing them side by side? It so happens that shadow knitting is not much different from garter stitch - the fabric doesn't curl - and so the technique produces a functional flat fabric.
I'm starting with a simple border, as outlined in the Classic Cross Pillow pattern (same book
The border grows, slowly but unobtrusively - great for watching TV or chatting on the phone. In the meantime, I cannot help but admire the seriously tidy edges:
When a designer has taken the time to work out exactly how yarns should be twisted and stitches should be slipped, it shows. Love it!
Posted by Kathy at 09:02 PM | Comments (38)March 12, 2007
Imperfection. Shadow knitting.
Imperfection
Even our proudest accomplishments are not exempt from imperfections.
One hundred and sixty-three (163!) repeats of the border surround the main triangle of the Mountainash shawl. Mind. numbing. Was there any doubt that I'd mess up a little here and there?
If I caught those mistakes in time, I would have certainly fixed them. "In time" meaning no more than 3 or 4 inches after I've knit past them. But I noticed these two buggers when I was pinning out the shawl for blocking. Oh well. I can live with them. I have to live with them.
The wearability of traditional shawls is always a hot topic. Honestly, I'm not sure where Mountainash will (can?) fit into my jeans-and-tee wardrobe. Tell me, is this sacrilege?
Shadow knitting
So, what's next? As I finish up the Canal du Midi socks, it looks like March and April will be all about shadow knitting! Seeing the Hidden Passion Socks in my newly acquired Favorite Socks totally triggered some long-forgotten shadow knitting gene. I am very excited to start these using Lorna's Laces in blackberry and lilac.
And while flipping through Shadow Knitting
No, I'm not knitting that boxy coat! Stay tuned for what I have in mind!
Posted by Kathy at 12:53 PM | Comments (61)March 09, 2007
I have reached the summit of the Mountain...
...and I did not perish!
Mountainash: a project of desire, love, frustration, boredom, longing, and determination. In that order.
His first appearance nearly a year ago was met with much enthusiasm, both from me and my readers. I saw a challenge: a Shetland-style shawl, the pattern for which was written in a language completely foreign to me. You became spectators of a true knitting battle: Grumperina versus Mountainash, Determination versus Language Barrier, Persistence versus Boredom.
Many more posts followed, and some progress was made... and then summer came. Glorious, beautiful summer! How could I stay indoors and stare at charts when the heat and humidity were so gentle, the sun so radiant? Boredom put her foot down on July 25th.
Mountainash and all his paraphernalia went into hibernation for about four months. Once in a while I'd consider knitting a few rows, but the time wasn't right yet. In December I wrapped up a bunch of projects and had a few weeks of waiting while the yarn for my grandma's beret and the Komi hat arrived. I didn't want to start anything new in the meantime, and that's when I picked up Mountainash again.
I didn't blog about this clandestine spurt of productivity because, frankly, the bits that were left were rather boring. The stitches for the main part kept shrinking, and the border was a serious test of my persistence. Besides, I felt that saying "I'm working on Mountainash" out loud would be a hex and the whole thing would tumble into another four-month hibernation.
And now it is done, and you have come for some details.
Pattern: Mountainash shawl, New Style of Heirloom Knitting. The book was a most generous gift from Siow Chin.
Yarn: Lacey Lamb in color 202. I used about a skein and a third, 80 grams, 1100 yards. At one point this yarn was distributed by Jade Sapphire, but I don't think they're carrying it anymore. You can still get it at many shops.
Needles: Most of the shawl was knit using 2.75 mm (US 2) Inox Express circs, and most of the border, 2.75 mm dpns. Smaller needles were specified for the center top of the shawl, so I used a 2.50 mm KnitPicks circ and 2.50 mm Inox aluminum dpns.
Finished dimensions: This one came out a monster: 74" across the top, 35" from top edge to point.
This is where I would typically list my modifications. I'm sure the difficulty of this task doesn't escape you, considering I only have hints and guesses about the actual instructions. I know for sure that I assembled Mountainash in a completely different order than the pattern specifies. And that's about all I know.
This inadvertent change had me most worried about attaching the border. Fortunately, I had completed my Melon Shawl prior to tackling the border of Mountainash, and had no hesitations about "afterthought border attachment" when the time came.
One of the most special things about this project was the yarn I used, Lacey Lamb. This 3-ply cobweb weight 100% lambswool is the definition of sproingy. The knit fabric felt like a very fine sponge, trapping lots of air between all those plies and strands. The shawl was minuscule before blocking: 47" across the top, 22" to the point. Enough stretch was stored in the fiber to nearly double it in size during blocking! The only downside I noted while working with this yarn is that it split somewhat easily - nothing a good pair of knitting needles can't circumvent.
As for my thoughts about using a pattern written in Japanese... let me put it to you this way: knitting Misty Morning was ten times more complicated, and that one is in English! I made sense of some of the instructions using this chart, deciphering the characters for 'stitch' and 'row' and 'needle', and for the stitch symbols I used this chart. Most importantly, as Cara recently mentioned, "the charts aren't in Japanese, they're in KNIT."
It doesn't hurt that the charts were virtually error-free. There was the one mistake in the beginning, and I found another simple one in row 237 of the main triangle: that k3tog should be a k4tog. But considering there's a total of 249 rows in that main part, by the time you get to #237, I think you'd be able to figure it out on your own :).
Posted by Kathy at 12:08 AM | Comments (136)March 08, 2007
Clandestine
Behind the scenes I've been a busy little bee.
The magnitude of this accomplishment is underscored by the corner which runneth over: so big is this beast, I had to use the armrest of my couch.
Full FO report to follow.
Posted by Kathy at 08:39 AM | Comments (69)March 06, 2007
Periwinkle beret
Remember this periwinkle beret I knit for my grandma?
Now you can make your own!
About the beret This quintessential beret embodies all the classic features - ribbed brim, a body of medium fullness, subtle crown decreases, and a small nub at the top. Its finished size is 11" (28 cm) in diameter, laid flat. This will fit most adults.
About the pattern This one is as easy as they come! Techniques used: tubular cast-on (explicit directions included), knitting in the round, increases and decreases.
I think the Periwinkle Beret would be a great project for the first 'knitting in the round' experience. Simple construction is only enhanced by a light price tag - one skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport is all you need!
YARN
Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport [100% superwash wool; 200 yd (183 m)/2.6 oz (74 g)]: 49 ns (periwinkle), 1 skein.
NEEDLES
Set of five US 1 (2.25 mm) dpns; set of five US 2 (2.75 mm) dpns; 24" US 2 (2.75 mm) circ.
NOTIONS
Stitch marker; tapestry needle; smooth waste yarn for tubular cast-on.
GAUGE
28 sts and 40 rnds = 4" (10 cm) in St st knit circularly on larger needles.
About the file
Two-page pdf file, 1.5 MB in size. Includes knitting instructions in 12-point font, and two full-color photographs. This file can be opened using Adobe Reader.
I always provide support for my patterns, but since you're paying for this one, I will not settle for anything less than your full happiness and satisfaction. I will contact you if there are any mistakes or updates, and you can always e-mail me for help.
To purchase through Ravelry, payment via PayPal Click on the button below to buy a copy of this pattern through Raverly, payment via PayPal. You will receive a link for an instant download. (I believe you do not need a Ravelry account or a PayPal account to complete this purchase - let me know if you have any trouble!)
Posted by Kathy at 09:02 PM | Comments (19)
March 05, 2007
All zippered up
Four zippers, a massive colorcard, a letter to ZipperStop, and five lengths of grosgrain ribbon from j. caroline creative is all it took for me to finally finish my Brilliant Retro.
This time around I left the iron out of it all together!
And on the inside... a dash of color!
Now I can finally claim that this is the most wearable sweater I've ever knit, since I can actually wear it. I love the lack of gapping so much, I wonder if I'll knit a buttoned cardigan for myself ever again?
I think the reason I had a difficult time picking a good zipper match is because it's hard to visualize plastic zipper teeth using a piece of fabric as a guide. The plastic is shiny and solid, and the zipper backing is woven - light hits these two materials differently! Zipperstop matched my swatch flawlessly, but let me tell you this much - I would have never chosen this zipper based on the little fabric swatch in the colorcard. It looks way too dark and too violet on its own. Colorcards are great, but the human eye is the clear winner here.
Posted by Kathy at 10:37 PM | Comments (89)March 02, 2007
Instead of eye candy, sock pattern candy!
Before you ask, "Timeless designs from Interweave? Don't I already have all of these patterns?" allow me to answer - probably some, but definitely not all.
First, I counted six pairs which are brand spankin' new for this book! Second, several pairs are reprinted from late 90s and early 00s (he) when I, for one, was not a knitter. Third, sure, I have the patterns for the Retro Rib Socks, Padded Footlets, Cable Rib Socks, Go With the Flow Socks, and Waving Lace Socks (the ones on the cover) somewhere, but I need a personal assistant if I have any hope of collecting them all in one spot in less than 5 days.
On the technical front, the book contains Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' Dream Socks article, one of the best guides for knitting socks with short-row heels and toes. There's also a re-print of Wayne Pfeffer's Two-Yarn Resoleable Socks from the summer 2000 issue of Spin-Off, which interests me (and my grandmother, who refuses to throw away anything I've knit for her, no matter how many holes) greatly. There are several Nancy Bush patterns, three of which feature stranded colorwork as only Nancy does it :). Last, there's a cute pair of footlets with seamless intarsia in the round! Sign. me. up!
Here are some more socks which grabbed my attention (click on pictures for bigger):
A pair of socks in a merino/linen blend, and a pair in Cascade Fixation.
A gorgeous pair by Nancy Bush, using the eye of partridge heel just like my Happy Green socks, and a pair which is similar to the green socks themselves!
A shadow knitting pair! Oooo, boy! My foray into shadow knitting has been brief, but memorable. Just the other day I was eyeing my copy of Vivian Hoxbro's Shadow Knitting
These three pairs have my grandma's name written all over them, especially that green pair.
Some more interesting patterns, all new to me.
Bottom line, I haven't been this excited about a book since Victorian Lace Today!
Posted by Kathy at 11:32 AM | Comments (63)March 01, 2007
Clearly, I'm color-challenged.
The first two mistakes are forgivable, since I was picking colors straight from the ZipperStop website. Unless their camera/scanner, their monitor, and my monitor were all totally in synch, there was a slim chance indeed that I'd match my cobalt Brilliant Retro. And so it was.
The third mistake is more puzzling, since I had the massive colorcard in front of me. Granted my top choices were out of stock, but still... once I knew what was available, I consciously selected what I considered "a close match." Yeah, right!
The only choice remaining was to send Zipperstop a swatch of my fabric and let them decide. They called me this morning with the good news - they found a match, and it's on its way to me! I'm hoping they are much less color-challenged than I am.
On the other hand, I had no difficulty at all choosing nice grosgrain ribbons from j. caroline creative. I'm waiting on the zipper to make the final decision, but that lavender/purple dot number is very cute.
Before I toss the unfortunate zipper, I want to share with you one last close-up:
Nuked Zipper, a Grumperina original.
Sigh...
Posted by Kathy at 10:55 AM | Comments (30)
