Sigh.

 This, my friends, is why you use a lifeline AND make copious notes on every project.  Especially if it is a project which will be pushed aside for any length of time. 

I had started the Thunder Snow MKAL last summer.  The last clue was released as I was on my way to Calgary for my daughter’s wedding.  (Hard to believe it is a year already!). I was foolish and neither used a lifeline between sections or made any notes.  When I came back to it … I tinked stitch by stitch four or five rows of 400-plus stitches.  If I had a good stitch count, the stitch patterns did not match the instructions.  Reluctantly, I went to this option n the hopes I could find a row to pick back up.

Most of an episode of Critical Role later, I had this:

I will freely admit that I am the author of my own misfortune.  The big question remaining, however, is have I learned from my mistakes?  I will be casting on again tonight while the trauma is still fresh.

 The MKAL clues included a folk tale about snow/winter from many different cultures.  I loved reading those tales as much as I have enjoyed knitting the shawl.  The best part of all is that I get to re-read all those lovely stories!

In other news, I have finished yet another pair of socks!  

These are the bog standard top-down socks with nothing special added.  Well, except for the love knitted into them.  The wool is from Urth Yarns and is their merino sock yarn.  Apparently, this style of their sock wool has been discontinued. I  have used this wool for projects other than socks and quite enjoyed it.  This time, using an Addi sock rocket I found it to be a trifle splitty.  Still will be a great sock tho.

This is pair number 8 for the year.  Three of the next five are smallish and will be my November and December knitting.  The two adult pair remaining?  I will be knitting them soon — I do not want to become complacent and end up knitting in the wee small hours of Christmas Eve.

Happy knitting and crocheting!

A Tale of Two Socks

 

Way last April, a mere three months ago, when I last posted I promised I would post again.  thankfully, I did not specify when!

In any event, here I am with a report about two sock patterns.  You recall the pattern a frustrated client flung at us?  The pattern, Vanilla Latte Socks, was a toes-up construction.  A brief glance persuaded me that it was confusing.  A longer read through did not change my mind.  

I cleared my sock needles and cast on, using KFI Paint Sock.  I elected to not work the broken rib the pattern suggested, being interested in only the heel turn.  One thing this pattern does that I really like is that the first two short rows use the first and last stitch of the instep, thus dealing nicely with the dreaded gap issue.  Onwards I went.  This designer used a double stitch technique instead of wraps and turns.  The confusing part was that she provided stitch counts (good) but counted the double stitches as two stitches (eh?  Two loops on the needle means two stitches?), thus giving a whopping 110 stitches (or more, I cannot find the pattern right now) before starting to work the gusset.  The first row of the gusset/heel flap had you work a multitude of decreases— knitting the double stitches off, of course.  None of this was apparent to me from reading the pattern, but crystal clear with work in hand.  The back of the heel/flap was a delightful ribbed triangle, working its way up the back of the sock.  Truly a work of art.  From there on, the sock was a perfectly normal toe-up sock.

We were teaching a toe-up sock class at the store, so I also had some plain socks going.  The yarn, Tutti-Frutti from Regia, is a cotton blend and a lot of fun with which to work.  Sunny and happy, which is always a nice feature when knitting in the grey days of February and March.  These socks had a more standard gusset and heel turn.  

I present pictures to show the differences!  First, the side views —Regia on the left and KFI on the right.   Note the increases running diagonally up from the heel on the Regia socks.  The increases in the KFI sock are parallel to the ground.

The fun part is when looking at these socks from the back.  I usually do a ribbed/slipped heel flap on my top down socks.  The Vanilla Latte socks provide a ribbed heel, but without the reinforcing slipped stitches.  The short row heel we taught is just basic stockinette stitch.

Both pair of socks are destined for Christmas gifts for later this year.  A pair knit early in the year, two pair of worsted weight work socks (though only one is shown here and sadly they count as one), and these guys.  I have six pair done and it is the start of July!  

I am caught up!