A Whole Lotta Sock Talk

Socks! The perfect project: fits in your purse, short-term commitment, and - truly - one thing that almost everyone will wear. These feel SO. GOOD. (And they're actually for me for once - yippee!)



And I never seem to get over the thrill of watching a whole freakin' sock, shaped and complete, miraculously emerging from a network of pointy needles. AMAZING!!



Even more so with the short row heel because you don't have to stop - ever - and pick up anything, you get to justkeepknitting! Whee!

Speaking of short rows, since I'm one of those people who tends to end up with a bit of short-row holey-ness, I tried following misocrafty's tutorial for short rows without holes. If you haven't seen it, this technique requires you to pick up the wrap(s), knit the now-unwrapped stitch, and then pass the wrap(s)over that stitch rather than "knitting the stitch together with its wrap(s)."

Here's what I found:

(a) One side of my heel (knit pickups) is much nicer-looking than the other (purl pickups),
(b) the wrap pickups are indeed a little tighter, but in exchange I seem to have ended up with three tiny holes up at the top join (ie where you first start knitting around the whole foot after the heel turn) instead of the single, slightly larger hole I usually get, and
(c) I'm quite sure that both (a)and (b)are totally my fault :)

I will definitely try this technique again as the knit side really does look fantastic. I just have to work out the purl problem - I have a feeling it has to do with the angle of approach when I pick up that wrap. Anyway, it's a great tutorial, and have I mentioned that I LOVE my socks?

The heat is on now, as the family has begun to pressure me to decide whose socks come next. As we all know, in the kids' minds this is interpreted as concrete, legally binding evidence of "who you like best." *sigh* Maybe I'll get two sets of dps going, each with one sock for one kid! LOL - And maybe a third for dh?

There's also the belated felted bag, which has been cast aside as I selfishly (HA!) finish my socks, plus the heavenly Malabrigo IHS which could actually be worn now that winter has finally arrived, and Frisky really does need a new sweater. And somewhere, a lonely dissertation proposal lies gathering dust...