Intertwined

It's been a bit since I last posted. In that time Christmas and it's associated social events have passed, as have a slew of January birthdays. Also, I've been busy designing, testing and preparing a few sock designs for publication on Ravelry. I just couldn't ignore the rush of inspiration that seemed to crest just as the other areas in my life also got busy. I'm planning to resume my study in socks series shortly (how's that for alliteration?).

In the meantime, here's a glimpse at part of what's been occupying my time in the past weeks:

Intertwined Socks:

This is a variation of the standard lattice pattern, with the intersecting parts of the cable wrapping around each other. For me, this pattern evokes images of the fresh green shoots of spring plants growing and wrapping around each other, as well as the many ways we as people are intertwined with those around us creating friendships, families and memories.

The pattern instructions are provided for two sizes, womens medium and large. Two sets of charts and written instructions are provided, one for each size. The intertwining lattice pattern is repeated on the front and back of the socks.

The cables in this pattern are simple 1/1 cables. You may wish to cable without a cable needle for a faster knitting experience. The technique of cabling without a cable needle is described in the Knitty Winter 2007 issue, located here: http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter07/FEATwin07TT.html
 
Two sizes are provided. The Women’s Medium (CO 64 sts) is designed to fit a US size 7-9 foot with an 8” circumference. The Women’s Large (CO 76 sts) will fit womens sizes 9-11, with a 9.5” circumference .

The yardage requirements given are generously based on the test knitted samples.
Note: Some test knits of size Large done on 2.25mm needles required approx 515 yards (470 m) of yarn to do the recommended # of repeats. If working a size Large, you may want to consider doing only 2-2.5 repeats of the pattern on the leg, depending on your needle size, gauge and the total yardage of your yarn.

The pattern instructions reference the sole and instep stitches rather than specifying needles, allowing you to use your preferred method (4 or 5 needles, magic loop, 2 circular needles). Each pattern repeat is approximately 2” long. If you wish to add length to the leg of the sock, add the appropriate number of pattern repeats and adjust your yardage requirements appropriately.

 

A Study in Sock - The basics

A Study in Socks - the  previous Introduction was here.

If you're not new to sock knitting, you can go grab a cup of your favorite beverage and go do some knitting - you probably know all this. Or hang around and keep me honest. Jump in if I've forgotten anything.

If you're new to sock knitting, grab a cup of your favorite beverage and read on. These are the basics about sock knitting.

We'll talk about 3 things:
1. The parts of a sock
2. The direction of knitting
3. Adjusting sock sizes

Parts of a Sock

Swirl Socks pattern.

First - let's decipher some of the jargon. It'll be hard to decipher patterns if you don't know the language they're written in.

Cuff - This part of the sock is usually done in some kind of ribbed pattern, which provides the stretch and cling to help keep your socks from falling down. Common ribbing used on the cuff is 2x2 ribbing or a 1x1 twisted rib (where the knit stitch is knit through the back of the loop). The cuff is usually 1-2" long, although it looks shorter when stretched on your leg.

Leg - Well, it's the part that covers your leg. This is where the pattern usually begins. I say usually, because sometimes you might want to just continue the ribbing all the way down the foot for a nice stretchy and simple sock. Yes, technically ribbing is a pattern too. The point is - this is where you can be creative.

Heel flap - This part is not knit in the round. It's knit back and forth, creating a small rectangle that covers the heel of your foot. Some knitters reinforce the heel flap with nylon reinforcing thread to help prevent the heel from wearing out, but it's not mandatory to do this.

Heel/Heel turn - "Turning the heel" creates the part that cradles the sides and bottom of your heel - transitioning from knitting the leg to knitting the foot of the sock. The heel turn is usually done with short rows.

Gusset - The gusset is a triangular piece knit on each side of the sock that connects the the leg of the sock to the heel of the sock. The gusset is created by picking up stitches along the heel flap and starts forming the shape of the foot of the sock.

Instep - Divided into the top of the foot and the sole of the foot. The pattern of the sock continues along the top of the instep and the sole is usually done in stocking stitch.

Toe - There's an infinite variety of ways to knit the toe of the foot. And opinions vary as to how wide the actual end of the toe should be - some prefer a narrow toe, others a wider one. The toe stitches are grafted (sewn) together using the Kitchener stitch.

Direction of Knitting

Socks can be knit either cuff down or toe up. You'll find knitters who strongly prefer one method over another as well as those who don't mind doing either. It's a matter of personal preference. For me, I prefer cuff down, simply because I have memorized a basic formula for doing the heel flap, heel and gusset stitches. I'm not as proficient (yet) with toe-up socks.

Top/Cuff Down - With this method, you start at the cuff and work your way down to the toe. The challenge with this method, is that you must 'guess' how much yarn will be required for each sock. What I usually do is weigh my sock yarn before I start knitting. Then I allocate 25% for each sock leg and 25% for each foot. Using this method, I've always had yarn left over when knitting for my size 8.5 (US, Ladies) foot.

Toe Up - With this method, you start at the toe and work your way up past the heel to the cuff of the sock. The heel turn and heel methods used for toe-up socks vary from the top-down method. The benefit of knitting toe up socks is that you can split your ball of sock yarn in half (by weight) and use up every last bit of yarn, no guessing required.

Sizes

There are a few ways to create different sizes of socks. If you're lucky, the pattern you're following will have instructions for different sizes, making it easy for you. But it's good to know a few ways to adjust the size yourself, if need be.

Different needle sizes - This is the easiest way to increase or decrease the width of your sock, by going up or down one or more needle sizes. Most frequently, this method is used on the sock cuff - going up a needle size to produce a wider cuff around the calf. Using this method, you don't have to change the pattern instructions. Just be sure that you're satisfied with the fabric you're creating with the different gauge. If you go up to too large a needle size, the fabric might be too 'loose' and airy for the pattern.

Changing the number of stitches - The most obvious way to change the width of your sock. However, if you're following a pattern that  doesn't easily allow for adding in extra stitches, you might not be able to use this method. (Blatent plug: The two sock patterns I've released both make it easy to add in extra stitches along the back of the sock to adjust the width if necessary. Swirl socks and Trellis and Coin socks, if you're interested.)

Adding repeats - This method mainly allows you to change the length of the sock (foot or leg) by adding or reducing the number of repeats in the pattern. Just make sure you have enough sock yarn to accommodate any extra repeats.

This covers the very introductory basics about hand-knit socks without requiring you to go get a second cup of coffee (or whatever you were drinking).  There's lots more to discuss about sock yarn choices, patterns, and so forth. But we'll keep this in easily digestible chunks, shall we?

Did I answer all the basics? Did I miss something? Have a comment? Feel free to let me know.

Sock patterns released on Ravelry

I'm pleased to announce the release of two of my sock patterns on Ravelry.

Swirl Socks

Inspired by a dear friend who convinced me to give toe-up socks a chance, these socks are a quick and satisfying knit. The lines flow into one another, reminding me of swirls of water or ripples on a field of snow on a winter morning.

The 16 row pattern repeat includes a “rest” row of knit sts on every even numbered row, making this a very quick knit. The swirl pattern is 44 sts wide, running over the edge of the foot a few sts on each side.
The pattern is intended to be customizable. No two pairs of feet are the same and it’s easy to customize the width of the cuff or leg portion of the sock. That’s what I love about this pattern (the back of the sock is a simple broken 2x2 rib), if you need to make the circumference of the sock bigger or smaller, simply adjust the number of stitches by adding or removing repeats of these rib stitches. Note that adjustments to the pattern may change yardage requirements.

 




Trellis and Coin Socks
Inspired by some richly toned Handmaiden Casbah yarn, these socks were created to do justice to this lovely yarn. I wanted a pattern that was as voluptuous as the Casbah itself. For me, that means bold, stunning cables that capture the eye immediately.

This sock pattern is intended to be customizable. The back of the sock is a lovely alternating moss stitch and coin cable pattern. If you need to make the circumference of the sock bigger or smaller, simply adjust the number of stitches by adding or removing repeats of these stitches.

Tips and Techniques: Fit, ease, body and drape

While attending the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival (affectionately known to knitters as "Rhinebeck", for it location), I had the pleasure of attending a class by Lily Chin, knitting legend and possessor of so much knitting knowledge that she's a walking encyclopedia.

Most of the information she covered is certainly available in other locations (or in her books), but she has a knack of putting that information together, like putting puzzle pieces together to finally see the whole image.

Reviewing my notes from her class recently, I decided that a few things bear sharing.

Simply by picking out and lining up class participants in a specific order, Lily easily demonstrated the concepts of fit and drape. At one of the spectrum was a curve hugging t-shirt and on the other, a loose-hanging cardigan. When it comes to fit, the knitting industry as a few standard guidelines, although no general consensus, as anyone can tell when comparing pattern sizings.

However, I now use these fit guidelines when deciding how much ease I want my finished product to have. Ease being the extra inches of fabric added to the size of the garment over your actual body measurements.

Tight fit = -2" of ease
Close fit = 0"-1" of ease
Standard fit = +2" of ease
Loose fit = +4" of each
Oversized = +5" of ease or more

It is ease which defines the fit of your garment. For example, if your actual bust measurement is 38" and you want a tight fitting garment, following the pattern size that is closest to -2" of ease. That is to say, the size closest to having a 36" bust. But if you want a standard fit, choose the size closest to a size 40" bust.

A mistake I've made in the past was to look only at the extra inches of ease and think "That's too much!" But, as Ms. Chin explained if you're adding 2" of ease, that's 2 inches over the entire garment. Or in other words, half an inch (.5") on each side front and back. When spread out over the front and back side seams of a garment, it really doesn't seem like that much.

Back to drape. Drape can be defined as how much a fabric conforms to your shape. Does it hug your curves? Or does it fall stiffly in a straight line off your curves? Body is the opposite of drape. Heavier yarn creates a denser fabric that creates body.

Putting these all together can help you decide which size to knit. You need to consider:

• your bust size
• what kind of fit you want
• the fabric size (this is where your swatch comes in)

Then find the size that is closest, according to how you want the garment to fit. Of course, these aren't the only factors. You have to consider your other measurements, like shoulder width, waist and hip width. But generally you pick the size based on bust measurements and can do any customization for other measurements from there. And the type of yarn certainly affects drape and fit. But those are topics for another day.

A Study in Socks

One of my favorite things to knit is socks. Perhaps this is because they can be miniature works of art, blending texture and color to produce infinite variations. They can be fun and playful like the Tsarina of Tsock’s latest sock club sensation, the Shark Week socks. Or they can be classic and understated, like some of the patterns in Favorite Socks, 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave. (I’ve knit several of the patterns in this book. Love them!) Or they can be fantastic works of art like Heijastuksia, Sokkene Jernverk, and the incredible Nightingale socks. 

Perhaps one of the most common comments from non-knitters is “But you can buy socks for $5 in a store.” True, but store-bought socks cannot replicate the complete foot comfort and individuality of the hand-knit sock. Hand knit socks just feel better. 

Sock knitters aren’t in it to save money. Quite the opposite, in fact. Sure, there are inexpensive wool and nylon blends available at big box stores. And there are a comfortable range of sturdy, serviceable and varied blends of sock yarn for every budget. But there are also luxury sock yarns, either by fiber content or by exclusivity (I’m looking at you, Wollmeise). Some of my favorite sock yarn is Handmaiden’s Casbah (80% merino, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon) which rings in at over $30/skein for a pair of socks. My local knitting friends know how much I rave about this yarn, calling it sex for your feet. It just feels that good.

When I began knitting socks, I followed the popular tutorial Silver’s Sock Class, which has created many a sock knitter. I started out struggling to master the use of double pointed needles (DPNs), poking myself endlessly on all those pointy ends. I knit way too tightly, trying to avoid laddering between needles. I knit so tightly that moving the yarn across the needle became a Herculean struggle. I naively thought that I had to knit tightly to end up with the perfect sock material. If I could go back in time I’d tell my new-to-socks-self that hand knitting will never replicate the tight weave and gauge of commercial socks!

In fact, I struggled with that first sock so much, that I gave up and refused to knit any more socks for about a year. I just couldn’t do it, I told myself. Sock knitting wasn’t for me. 

Hah!

Never say never.

Self-striping sock yarn sucked me back into my next foray into sock knitting. I loved watching that pattern reveal itself as I knit along, round and round. I made an effort to a) loosen my tension a bit and b) use wooden needles instead of the metal cheapies I’d used for my first pair. (My knitting was so tight on those metal needles that it would squeeeeeeeak as I tried to move it across the needle.)

Next thing I knew, I was learning something new with each pair of socks I knit. Or, as the case sometimes was – with each single sock that never found its mate.

What I’d like to do over the next few months is do a Study in Socks. Every week or so I’ll post about some aspect of Sock Knitting: yarn choices, heel and toe techniques, needles, patterns, notable sock designers and so forth. 

I hope you’ll follow along with me. Perhaps we can both learn some more about knitting socks.

And the winner is....

Dharma!

Thanks everyone for playing along. I can tell from the comments that many of you are already big Tin Can Knits fans. I also hope that some of you were introduced to amazing new designs.

Dharma - I'll be in touch to find out which book you'd like.

Test Knit – Snowflake Sweater, newborn size

Back in October I jumped at the opportunity to test knit the Snowflake Sweater from Tin Can Knits. I was in the middle of a few longer projects: a sweater and some socks, so a quick baby knit seemed like the perfect antidote to the never-ending WIPs. Am I the only one who does this?

While the sweater is available in adult sizes I was looking for a quick knit, so I chose the 0-6 month size. I didn’t have a recipient in mind, but I knew that eventually the sweater would find its owner. After rummaging through my stash – another reason I volunteered for the test knit -  I found the perfect yarns: Garnstudio DROPS Merino Extra Fine and Stylecraft Pure Luxury Merino DK. Both are incredibly soft, of similar weight and looked perfect together. Little did I know that they were also perfect for the, as yet, unknown recipient.

The lace knit up easily and quickly. My only regret is that  the tip about blocking the lace section separately was posted after I’d already begun knitting the body. Seeing Alexa’s post about blocking the lace in a rectangle to really make it “pop”, it was clear how effect the technique was.

Baby items are the perfect ‘quick knitting fix’. You get a complete garment in a short amount of time. You can practice new techniques without the major time commitment. And let’s face it, if you make a mistake – who’s going to notice? Everyone will be oohing and aaahing about the cute baby!

And my Snowflake Sweater? It’s found a new home with a co-worker of mine whose son was born recently.