The Aloha socks aren't exactly forthcoming with the Aloha spirit. After many false starts (including a prolonged tinking session where I somehow lost a stitch for every row I tinked), I have decided to put them on the back burner for now.
After looking through the Barbara Walkers, I decided I needed a simpler lace pattern for my first lace project. I also needed a project I could complete in less than a week.
Then, today at the library I picked up a copy of Socks, Socks, Socks and found lots of great patterns for lace socks, including a Gull-Wing lace already invented. Amazing. I also have some cotton-blend sportweight in a nice sky blue. So I've decided to make some Sky socks for mom.
(Ok, the sportweight is really "baby" yarn, and the sky blue could possibly be construed as baby blue, but I'm on a tight schedule. Please work with me here!)
Being me, I couldn't leave well enough alone and had to rework the pattern to fit with my gauge (size 4 needles, people! FOUR!). But I got that all written out today, and i think it might actually work. I am adding a purl stitch to the beginning of the pattern repeat and doing 5 repeats around. I even wrote out the variance for the top of the foot and the back of the heel. The top of the foot will have two repeats across, and the heel will have one down the center.
Sockapalooza buddy has been contacted! I have her color and style preferences (and WAY too much Kool-Aid), and I can't wait to get started!
Showing posts with label Aloha Socks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aloha Socks. Show all posts
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Alohahahaha - Hawaii Laughs at Me
Well, maybe not the entire state.
But these socks? Definitely. Let's review our progress thus far...
Cast on 64 st on size 1 (US) dpns, knit in k2p2 rib for 1 inch.
Make one extra stitch (on purpose). Start pattern, a repeat of 12+1 (because 13 divides evenly into 65, right? Stop laughing. It gets better.)
Complete one full pattern row repeat (14 pattern rows). Realize that a stripe of plain stockinette stitch is forming at the end of the rounds. Ponder.
Decide that since it is a 12+1 repeat, that I will just add the "+1" to the beginning of each pattern repeat to avoid the stripe. Rewrite pattern notes to reflect this brilliant breakthrough.
Decide to not frog yet, but try to work out the pattern for the back of the heel and top of the foot. Move 32 stitches to one needle and start each row with the beginning of the pattern repeat instead of with the "prep" stitches that the official pattern calls for at the beginning of each row. Fail to produce satisfactory heel pattern. Figure it will work out once I have the cuff done and am more familiar with the pattern.
Frog back to ribbing. Re-pick up 65 stitches on tiny (for me) needles.
Fail to realize that if the heel flap experiment failed, adding the "+1" to the beginning of each pattern repeat is not going to work either.
Knit two rows. Realize the above.
Tink back to ribbing.
Really study pattern. Realize what "12+1" repeat means.* Start knitting pattern as written. Again. Flash of insight as I realize that "end last repeat K4" means that instead of the "k7" instruction at the end of the repeat, I will K4 on the last repeat. (Isn't that what it just said? Duh.)
Realize I have 4 extra stitches, which accounts for the previous stockinette stripe. Decide to work the last 8 stitches as k2tog. Ha! Got rid of those pesky extra stitches.
Work second round. Realize I have miscounted somewhere; I do not have enough stitches to complete the last pattern repeat.
Frog the entire sock in fit of temper.
Re-cast on 60 stitches. Work 1 row stockinette. (For socks, I always work the first row after cast on in stockinette because I would go stark, raving bonkers trying to k2p2 rib that first wonky row.) Work second row stockinette unintentionally.
Quietly set sock aside and eat many, many snacks.
Mom will be here in 8 days. I have zero socks for her. I am NOT a fast knitter.
On the positive side, I learned how lace repeats work.
*Newbie Note: A 12+1 repeat means there are 12 stitches in the repeating part of the pattern, plus one extra stitch somewhere in the row to make it even. So instead of 65 stitches (13x5), I needed 61 stitches (12x5=60, 60+1=61). I still didn't quite get it for a while. Read on.
But these socks? Definitely. Let's review our progress thus far...
Cast on 64 st on size 1 (US) dpns, knit in k2p2 rib for 1 inch.
Make one extra stitch (on purpose). Start pattern, a repeat of 12+1 (because 13 divides evenly into 65, right? Stop laughing. It gets better.)
Complete one full pattern row repeat (14 pattern rows). Realize that a stripe of plain stockinette stitch is forming at the end of the rounds. Ponder.
Decide that since it is a 12+1 repeat, that I will just add the "+1" to the beginning of each pattern repeat to avoid the stripe. Rewrite pattern notes to reflect this brilliant breakthrough.
Decide to not frog yet, but try to work out the pattern for the back of the heel and top of the foot. Move 32 stitches to one needle and start each row with the beginning of the pattern repeat instead of with the "prep" stitches that the official pattern calls for at the beginning of each row. Fail to produce satisfactory heel pattern. Figure it will work out once I have the cuff done and am more familiar with the pattern.
Frog back to ribbing. Re-pick up 65 stitches on tiny (for me) needles.
Fail to realize that if the heel flap experiment failed, adding the "+1" to the beginning of each pattern repeat is not going to work either.
Knit two rows. Realize the above.
Tink back to ribbing.
Really study pattern. Realize what "12+1" repeat means.* Start knitting pattern as written. Again. Flash of insight as I realize that "end last repeat K4" means that instead of the "k7" instruction at the end of the repeat, I will K4 on the last repeat. (Isn't that what it just said? Duh.)
Realize I have 4 extra stitches, which accounts for the previous stockinette stripe. Decide to work the last 8 stitches as k2tog. Ha! Got rid of those pesky extra stitches.
Work second round. Realize I have miscounted somewhere; I do not have enough stitches to complete the last pattern repeat.
Frog the entire sock in fit of temper.
Re-cast on 60 stitches. Work 1 row stockinette. (For socks, I always work the first row after cast on in stockinette because I would go stark, raving bonkers trying to k2p2 rib that first wonky row.) Work second row stockinette unintentionally.
Quietly set sock aside and eat many, many snacks.
Mom will be here in 8 days. I have zero socks for her. I am NOT a fast knitter.
On the positive side, I learned how lace repeats work.
*Newbie Note: A 12+1 repeat means there are 12 stitches in the repeating part of the pattern, plus one extra stitch somewhere in the row to make it even. So instead of 65 stitches (13x5), I needed 61 stitches (12x5=60, 60+1=61). I still didn't quite get it for a while. Read on.
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