FINALLY a project that was supposed to take me 17 days is finished*. OK, I missed the deadline, and the point, but in the manner of a runner who is finishing the London Marathon on Tuesday, I appreciate the cheers of those of you who’ve hung around to see me over the finish line.
I was drawn to these socks because of the unusual structure. I seem to go for unusual structure over pretty patterns so far in socks (with the exception of Pomatomas – and I gave them away) mainly because they seem like the kind of thing I’m more likely to wear. And, as I think I’ve mentioned, I liked the idea of a pattern which claims to have an “origami moment”.
This is the first time I’ve knitted full size toe-up socks (I did mini ones at Yarnissima’s workshop at iKnit in September) and honestly – I really properly need to pay more attention during the toe section. I had to wrip back several rows several times. The actual reason each time is lost to history, but it’s clear I wasn’t properly paying attention. I nearly had a wripping back drama on the second sock as well, as I mis-remembered where I’d got to and it was only the fact that I’d marked the pattern that saved me un-necessary grief…
At the point of the origami moment, I had to dig out middle of ball because didn’t read ahead before knitting & see that one needed a length for kitchenering the origami moment (you’d think with a self-professed difficult pattern I’d read ahead. apparently not). Luckily I was able to do so without great difficulty, but for a moment there I thought I was going to have to find a way of not making an uncomfortable lump in my heel area.
The second sock went well, it was started quickly, without the traditional 3-month “oh do I *have* to knit another one” hiatus, and other than thinking I’d have to wrip out, not paying proper attention while knitting at disneyland paris, and on the gusset decreases having decreased one more stitch than was necessary a row too early, it was all smooth sailing.
When it came to the cast off I had a challenge. I didn’t want it to be too tight as am aware of that as a risk, so went for Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind off (instructions on Knitty). It’s accurately named – indeed, when not stretched around my leg, it looks a bit frilly. In light of the frilliness, and a concern that lack of elasticity might mean Nora Batty effect, I tried a normal, but loose bind off for the other sock & while not so tight I can’t get the sock on, it has no elasticity and is a bit touch & go getting it over my ankle. It looks OK off the leg, though (stretchy on the left, normal on the right):
So given that it’s important for a sock to be comfortable & look good on your foot, not in your drawers, I have re-attached thread & done the stretchy bind-off on the second sock. I’ve since found out about the Russian Bind off which is apparently very good. I may have to knit more socks just to check that this is true…
They fit nice and they’re dead warm. Which is what I was after, after all!
skew socks, from Knitty in King Cole Zig Zag from Knit Wise, Ormskirk
* just realised that confusion may reign re. ravelympics & the 17 days mention, especially among the political appointees who are made to monitor this blog. The Ravelympics are held in time with the actual olympics, and the basic idea is to knit something that it’s a challenge for you to complete in the time between the olympic flame being lit and the end of the games. I chose these socks, but failed to get appropriate yarn in time for the start, and then everything happened with Mum. So I started on 24th February, and finished on 4th April. 39 days. Over twice the alloted time, but nonetheless a personal best.