I guess I spoke too soon Monday :) We’ve had nothing but snow, ice and rain since then and it’s so ugly out there today, I’m absolutely thrilled to have nowhere to go!
My needles finally arrived from Knitpicks yesterday (YAY!) and I was able to transfer the Manos shawl and finally get a good look at it…
This is a 60” circular and the shawl still can’t quite be stretched out to its full width. This, in my opinion, is a good thing with respect to the potential width of the piece. For my taste, bigger is always better :) I have joined the third ball of the Manos (sticking into the frame on the far left) which is a brown/brown-gold/brown-orange colorway. The second ball was a blue/brown combination and the first was reds ranging from blood to fuchsia. The fourth ball will be almost a rainbow combination and the last one is similar, though not exactly like the first.
If nothing else, it will be colorful!
I know I have projects on the needles that I should be working on (and am working on) but I find that my attention span has gone a begging. I can work on anything for a little while but sticking with one thing over a long period of time seems to be beyond me at the moment. So you will not be surprised when I tell you I succumbed to the lure of the stockinette sock :)
I spent yesterday morning reading about toe-up procedures because I like the idea. I like knowing that when I start the thing, I can knit until I’m out of yarn and not waste an inch :) I have tried this before but not for a long time. See, I figure the chance that I’ll finish these any time soon is small. So, if I’m going to do them, I might as well learn something while I’m at it.
I went to Tiptop Toes, Wendy Johnson’s article for Knitty which outline three different techniques for starting a toe-up sock.
The first two, while undoubtedly good, held a great deal of frustration potential (at least as far as my temperament and talents are concerned!) so I opted for the third - the “easy” method. And, to my surprise and pleasure, it was indeed, easy :) I did have to start it twice due to a case of fumble fingers, but that wasn’t the fault of the technique.
This is Knitpicks Landscape (discontinued line) merino sock yarn in New England Foliage. It’s being worked, magic loop style, on a size 1 (2.5 mm), 47” Addi turbo.
Hey Rob! I did it! You have only yourself to blame :)
I followed the directions in the article explicitly which stipulate increasing 4 stitches every other round with a knit-plain round between. This I did and this is what I got…
I don’t have, and don’t know anyone else who has a conical toe - but as funny as it looks, it seems to fit just fine and I imagine things will even out somewhat over the length of the foot. I’m guessing that once the heel has been turned, the tension on the stitches produced by the foot inside them will maneuver things into a more recognizable shape.
But I’m really curious. On a top-down sock, when you get to the toe shaping, you start by decreasing 4 stitches every other round (usually) until you have halved your stitch count. Then, every round is decreased until the number of stitches is halved again or until you have reached your desired toe depth and width. At this point the toe is closed.
Okay, say you’re planning a 64 stitch toe-up sock. Is there a reason I couldn’t start with 16 stitches, increase 4 stitches every round until I have 32 stitches and then increase 4 stitches every other round until I have my 64 stitches? This would broaden the toe more quickly and give it a more usual shape. For my 68 stitch sock, I would simply add an additional increase round before moving on to the body of the foot.
I may try this with the mate - or, I may try it separately before I go on too much further. If it seems to work out reasonably well, perhaps I’ll start over - just so things match :)
And a very happy Valentine’s day to everyone!
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what a beautiful toe! i think you’ve done a really good job on it. my first attempt had holes all over the place.
Your variations on a toe sound good to me - can’t hurt to try it!
Opal - Wow, thanks! From an expert sock-maker, that really means something. I got holes in my first toe-up toe too, but it was a long, long time ago, the socks were never finished and I’ve finally forgiven myself and decided it doesn’t count :)
I am going to try the increases differently though - mostly because I’m too curious not to!
Lynne - You know, I think I will :) This evening’s project has been decided!
Robbyn, that looks great! I suppose you can easily change the rate at which you increase. I also use the EOR formula you mention, varying, at times, how many I cast on—I have a broad foot at the toe rather than a pointy one :>. On my feet the socks look completely normal. I did actually give up on all three cast on methods Wendy mentions in favor of the magic cast on, also to be found in a Knitty article—http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html SUPER EASYPEASY!
Rob - I did run across the “magic” cast-on today and I will give it a try. Easy is right up my alley :)
I must say this process of discovery and the acuisition of learning is funfunfun!
I’ve done it the way you suggested, Robbyn, and it works just fine. I knit my cuff down toes that way, so, yeah, why not toe up?
Love the shawl, btw.. looking good!
Oh yeah, aren’t those sock toes cute?
The “magic” cast-on for toe-up socks from Knitty Spring06 is the one I’ve used a few time before, and its toe pointy-ness seems to round out nicely once the sock is on the foot. On my last pair I wanted to use a heel flap instead of the short row heel a la Priscilla Gibson Roberts for a change and found a template at Judy Gibson’s String and Air website. On the next pair I need to tweak the standard pattern some for my weird feet some, either that or go back to the short row heel.
EV - I worked that one out tonight and while there isn’t a dramatic difference, I think I like it better.
You;ll see in Friday’s post :)
Rob - God help me, they really are!
Anna - Thanks for mentioning that! I want a heel flap and was ready to go searching (when I get there because, you know, it’ll be a while yet…) and I don’t want a short row heel. I have Judy’s page bookmarked (don’t we all?) so I’ll go and check it out. Glad you brought it up!
My socks always have a pointy toe - its just the way I decrease at the end! It always looks just fine on the foot (esp for Tony, whose second toe is longer that the big toe) TMI? Thought so ;O)
Hi again—I also use a reverse gusset-and-flap heel on all my toe-up socks. and by the way, if you are concerned about floppiness in an all-stockinette sock, you can use the technique Dawn Adcock used in her Shapely socks by putting some ribbing (matching your heel stitch?) up the back of the ankle a ways. You can see a picture at http://www.dawnadcock.com/sockpatterns.htm
Nat - That’s good to know. I’m not upset or anything, you know, it’s just that these came out differently than I expected. I’m sure putting a foot in them makes all the difference in the world :)
Rob - Hay stranger - LOL! Now that’s an interesting idea - continuing the heel flap rib up the back of the sock a ways.
I wasn’t worried about slouchy - the idea is beginning to appeal to me - for a pair of house socks. But the fact is I generally try to use a stretchy pattern or ribbing to make sure the socks stay up.
At home, they don’t have to and I’m beginning to suspect that making that way deliberately, is part of the fun!
I hate pointy toes. I usually cast on way more stitches, and then do an every-other-round increase, but since I start with more, the toe is less pointy. I’d say go for it, if you want to change the rate of increase. I also usually increase 8 stitches the first time, and then 4 for the rest of them.
I think the person who invented the 16 stitch toe was someone with Morton’s Toe (2nd toe longer than the first one) and they went to their grave laughing that everyone in the world is making deformed socks. ;-)
And yes, I’m kidding, in case anyone here has Morton’s Toe and wants to take offense.
Marcy - Well, I guess I haven’t really decided yet as it will be how the sock looks on my foot (as opposed to in the drawer!) that determines my toe preference.
Hadn’t heard of Morton’s Toe - interesting.
I can’t help you out on this one. I have never done a toe up sock. I do intend to try sometime though. I will let you be my guinea pig lol.
Lisa - No problem :) I’m rather enjoying this little exploratory mission - god know what kind of wonders I might encounter! LOL!
Wow, you are a super knitter. I can’t believe how much you produce. All of it lovely! You make me feel sloth-like in my knitting adventures. LOL
No really you inspire me, especially in the dreary month.
Vicki
Vicki - You’re very kind. I’m a slow, scatter-brained knitter who can’t focus on one project long enough to finish it before starting half a dozen others :) And I’ve been having an especially vicious bout of startitis this month :)
But I do have fun!
