Monday, March 9, 2009

Sockcess


My DH, otherwise known as P.A. (no, he's not my Personal Assistant..............but there's time!) well, he arrived home from his most recent trip (did I mention that he travels ALL the time?), anyway, he finally got home just in time to witness the completion of my Two-At-A-Time socks.

He thought they looked wierd (huh?) but then clarified his statement by adding that it was the technique that looked wierd, not the result. The result has the entire house coveting my feet, especially as snow has hit us once again. Just as it seemed that the crocuses might get a clean run through March, they're now subject to a winter blizzard.

My feet are toasty warm though!


I have to say that it was fantastic to finish both socks at the same time. For a moment I felt like there was something missing, then I realised.....no Second Sock Syndrome! No sinking of the soul (or should I say sole ;-) at the realisation that the project is only half finished; no struggling to get that second one done; no mismatched pairs. It was worth the slower progress just to have that sense of completion at the end.


While I was in a productive mood, I also finished the Magic Loop socks. I enjoyed using this technique, but in future I think I'll knit them with the instep stitches on one side of the loop and the sole stitches on the other. I didn't like making my toe decreases in profile. It worked perfectly well, but I preferred doing it at the beginning and end of each row as I did with the Two-At-A-Time technique.


There are so many different ways to knit socks these days, thanks to the tremendous advances in circular needle technology over the past few years. I'm really rather enjoying discovering which method suits me.


For more information on sock knitting techniques, check out the following books:

"The Magic Loop" by Bev Galeskas (based on Sarah Hauschka's invention)
"2-at-a-time Socks" by Melissa Morgan-Oakes

Take a look online at "Knit Wiki" for details about Magic Loop.

Video at "Knitting Help" and YouTube.

Look at "TechKnitting" for the theory of knitting seamless tubes.

5 comments:

Rudee said...

They look wonderful. I have to try magic loop. I didn't care for 2 circs, preferring instead to use my bamboo dpns. I'll keep an open mind. Lord knows I have enough addi circulars lying around.

Unknown said...

Wow - 2 new pairs! The darker pair is a perfect mtch stripe wise - fabulous!

Jane said...

So glad of these with snow on the ground again here.
Kimmie - I had to be very careful to wind on one ball of yarn to make sure that I started the second sock at the exact same place in the colourway as I started the first! Result - matching stripes.

Expat mum said...

Ah here you are! You're missed. I'm a knitter too but socks, well, I don't have the patience.

AliBlahBlah said...

Hello! I hope this will inspire me to get my arse in gear and pick up my knitting needles again. I used to love knitting socks, although two at a time blows my mind. Gorgeous colour choices.

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