Thursday, July 28, 2011

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I did it! I made a sock. It's not perfect, there are holes and gaps and ridges and all that should not be there. I wish the sock was good enough to wear in public but I think they will make good bed socks. I will make a second one but I have a problem. I weighed the leftover yarn and the sock and I am 6 grams short!! Now what do I do?? I suppose I could rip it out and make a pair for my youngest daughter. I don't have any money to buy new sock yarn-even with coupons. I am curious to maybe try some sock yarn that is named stretchy. But I'm afraid my tension would be weird because I will feel I need to knit really tight to compensate for the stretchiness.

I really want to make another pair. I am proud of my holey, gappy, ridged sock. According to at least 3 yarn store workers, I chose a very hard pattern (that isn't well known) to try, in addition to my learning to make my first sock. That makes me feel good. One woman in her 20's and in college said she has been knitting since she was 6 and she still hasn't tried socks. I have been knitting since December. The only change I would make to the pattern is to try and give my toe at least 1 extra row of room. I am so used to slightly roomy toes that it bothers me a bit. But in the winter I don't think it will matter.

So now I am going to obsess about knitting more socks. I will be knitting socks on my vacation. I hope you like my sock. The pattern really wasn't that hard but the bumps in the patttern road slowed me down but I'm glad I had them so I could make sure I did it right. I do think this may be the only template I use. I do think I can use other patterns and knit lacy or ribbed socks etc. just keep the same template. But I do like just plain stockinette socks. With a size 4 needle you can hardly see the stockinette.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

More sock progress!




Here is a picture of the sock on my foot.


Here is a picture of the heel that is still opened and I will need to close with a 3 needle bind off. Another new skill to learn. Hope it's not to hard.

Let's see, where did I leave off. I had lost half of the stitches because I accidentally pulled the needle out. I needed to go to a yarn shop to get them back on. Then I kept knitting on the sock and it went around my heel. I knew that was wrong so I went for help again. Turns out I needed to do the decreases as written and not worry about how small the opening was getting. So this picture shows the decrease heel where the colored stitch markers are I will need to close the heel next, and the opening for the leg that I CUT! (I only had to cut 1 stitch and unravel to make the hole). I am so close to finishing. This second picture is the sock on my foot. It fit better than it did as I was trying it on as I was knitting it. I think cutting the leg opening makes a difference and relaxes the stitches.

The next post and picture will be of a finished yet mistake sprinkled sock! Stay tuned.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Scarf frustration


I have started this scarf 3 times now. The first time was on plastic circs. I got to row 9 and then I noticed I had did something different back like around row 5 and there was a line-similar to using two vastly different dye lots. So I ripped it out. Cast on #2, I decided I didn't want to follow the directions and knit it in the round but as a normal scarf. Forgot to read directions and I was supposed to knit for an inch before I follow the pattern. I knit 1 row then started the pattern. Ugh! Rip again. Then I decided to use straight needles. Great got all 57 stitches on and knit one row till I realized I was using size 4 needles (the size my sock is in)instead of 7's or 8's. Rip it out again.

I am trying to decide if I should bother anymore and put it away and find another pattern for this 70's acrylic fake mohair yarn. The color is a light pink and I can't see myself wearing it unless I create an outfit for it. And that requires me to lose weight. Anyone have any ideas??? The picture is from the pattern that was posted on Ravelry.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Hit a wall with my sock

I was going along just fine till I hit one part. The wording wasn't clear. I tried to get help on line from people who have knit these socks before buy no one could help me. So I went to a yarn shop and she took the time to read the directions and help me through it. I am anxious to get back at it but we are going to see the last Harry Potter movie (I can easily wait months for it to come out on video) so I won't be able to knit on it till Monday. I have a wedding to go to tomorrow. I need a few uninterupted hours to work through the next phase of this sock. I am causiouly optimistic again that I can finish this sock. Keep your fingers crossed. I'll keep you posted.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

So far so slightly frustrating


Here is a pic of my sock so far. The first picture I took I ended up ripping out because it was way to big and too many mistakes. I recast on (at least 4 times to get it right) and this is my progress. I think I was reading the pattern wrong and I altered how I was doing the increase rounds. It has made it better and doesn't grow as fast. I have a few holes which I do not know how they happened. I knitted on the wrong side somehow for a few rows, twice. The sock now has 2 horizontal ridges on it. Plus I have been dealing with side ladders. But....it's an easy knit so far. I am so causiously optimistic that I will end up with a sock when it is all said and done. If this works I will email the book author and give her a virtual bear hug!

I am at the point in my foot where my foot actually turns inward (my arch?). I try on the sock every few rows to check for tightness. It feels fine I guess. Problem is, the pattern only talks about increases due to a tight fit, not for a sock that is growing wide. I guess I would just take the increase directions and just decrease instead. Maybe I won't have a problem. So I keep knitting and praying.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

I realized something...

The book I am trying to make socks from, the author Cat Bordhi has taught the Turkish cast on. But she never says the name, she just teaches it. I realized this when I was reading a book of knitting stories and the author describes the cast on and says it's a Turkish cast on. I can't believe I know this cast on now. It really is simple-it's just harder with sock yarn and small needles. Another feather in my knitting hat. Funny thing is I can't do the long tail cast on. That is hard and one of the most common cast ons in patterns. I need to figure out of you can use the Turkish cast on with anything or is it just for things like socks. Here's a link to a tutorial of the Turkish cast on.

http://fluffyknitterdeb.blogspot.com/2005/10/knitting-made-easier-turkish-cast-on.html

Saturday, July 9, 2011

I have begun....


To learn to knit socks! Here is the beginning of the toe from the book "Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters" by Cat Borhdi. Many questions I have are, am I knitting to tight? What do I do if I make a mistake? How do I rip out on something like this? The method is on 1 circular needle and half the stitches are on the cable. I put a lifeline in but do not know if it will help. I am most confused on sock yarn and what is the best and what thickness I will want to knit with most. But I keep knitting. It's hard because it's hard on my hands and shoulders for some reason. I think the thin yarn makes it hard and the dark colors of the yarn makes it harder to see. I am almost to the point of getting it over all my toenails comfortably like the book says. I will take a picture when I get to that stage.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

MP3 holder


Look what I made! I used a pattern and just modified it to fit my MP3 player as mine is old and large compared to those most people have today. I am quite proud of it and will use it a ton! I love listening to my MP3 player as I knit work and excercise. It is also very comfortable.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Knitting in Public

As I am getting more and more into knitting, I am taking it with me when I go places. Today I spent a few hours sitting in a mall food court and knit while my daughter and her friends went shopping. I felt slightly uncomfortable as a older man seemed to be watching me or at least was facing my direction as he sat in a chair. I noticed I fumbled and bumbled and made mistakes as he sat there. I finally settled down and then relaxed when he left. I really was to interested in my knitting to be looking around to see who was watching me. But I am getting more comfortable knitting in public. I knitted while I waited for a parade to start, and I knitting at a pool.

I also realize that when I knit in public, I am out of the house and do not feel guilty knitting. I seem to enjoy it more. I had 2+ hours of guilt free knitting today, yesterday I had 2+ hours out knitting while I was at a pool and my girls were swimming. I'm looking forward to my next knitting in public non-guilty knitting time.

I am still working on my Rowan shawl. I am almost down with my second ball. I love working on this shawl. I love the needles, I love the yarn and I love the feel of the needles and the yarn together. It's an easy pattern as long as you pay attention.