I would never have thought of knitting socks but I can't help admiring my first effort. I have tried knitting in the round before and always the piece I was knitting turned out twisted and uneven with ladder like stripes of loose stitches running up the length. But the more I looked at other peoples blogs and websites it seemed that knitting a good pair of socks was practically a prerequisite of being a knitting blogger, a wooly graduation piece. And who could fail to be inspired by this photograph? A kind twitter friend told me about the wonderful on line shop for all things socky p2tog from where I bought two balls of self striping Opal sock yarn new double pointed needles and received a free pattern too.
Blogging about my knitting has made me think more before embarking on a new project. I wondered why I always got the ladder effect of loose stitches when I used DPNS. Perhaps everyone knows this but it occurred to me if I knitted one stitch off the following needle all the way round so that the stitches constantly changed paces on the needles I would avoid this unevenness. It worked. I was completely astonished to find that from the very beginning I loved knitting my socks.
What also kept me knitting 'just one more round' was the yarn. Self striping yarn means just that, as you knit, up comes a new colour and all you want to do is knit more to see how the stripes will turn out.
I took my socks to my first ever knitting group and one of the other members supervised me turning my first heel. Needing stitch markers I made my own. I'm completely won over, even the men in my household are impressed (they may be receiving socks as presents one day).
The pattern came with very helpful instructions on adjusting the size of your socks, I knit a little tightly, and needed to make the the socks larger (following instructions stitches are added in multiples of four) and longer. I still had enough yarn in one 100gm ball.
Right of passaged completed.
7 comments:
you have done a brilliant job! Knitting socks seemed to me like a major thing and the thought of knitting the heal just petrified me. Once I did it I realised that it was not as difficult as I had thought. I haven't knitted any fancy pattern yet, but you are right, when you finish them it really feels like a major accomplishment!
Well done on knitting your first pair of socks. I bet now you are wondering what you made a fuss over. I love knitting socks (in fact at the moment it is mainly the only knitting I do) I have also blogged about it. You might also consider knitting them on two short circular needles which also avoids the ladder effect that you are mentioning, which I have also had on my socks when first starting. Also if you are knitting on DPN's it helps if you just pull the first stitch and second stitch a little tighter and this tends to avoid making a little ladder. Just a few suggestions for you, but well done and keep up the good work.
You beat me to it........my second sock still sits on the needles, but in my defense I have crochet quite a few squares for the Queensland flood appeal.
Love the colourway, gorgeous socks.
florrie x
Hello, thank you so much for visiting my blog.
I always look at the linen in the charity shops, I was tempted by a tablecloth but I wasn't quite sure, it was only £3.00 should have just brought it....it may still be there.
I love your socks they are fab, self striping wool is the best and you just have to keep going to see what comes next, I'd like to try socks but I'm a little afraid of the heel bit...they may just end up as ankle warmers.
Emma x
Fantastic, beautiful socks and such cheerful spring colours. To a non-knitter such immaculate stitching is like magic: nearer art than clothing!
woohoo, welcome to the world of socks. Your first pair looks fantastic.
If you fancy a lacy pair, 'Monkeys' a free pattern by CookieA is a great starter and even easier is the 'No Purl Monkeys' based on monkeys but easier.
I see a sock addiction starting.
I love reading all your comments - thank you! Tracey I have checked out 'Monkeys' and saved the pattern for next time. Thank you also for the tips (Tanya) and the lovely compliment (Lizzie!)
xx
c
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