Saturday, September 30, 2006

Doing the Heel Flap and Beyond

I'm working through the heel flap of my hydrangea socks and my Knitpicks order just arrived. As soon as I finish with the heel flap I will take out the size 1 Addi Turbos and replace with my new size 1 Knitpicks circs. I'm looking forward to trying these new circs on this pattern.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Hydrangea Socks - Ready to Rip

Thank you all for your helpful comments! I think I'm ready to rip and reknit now. I'll go up to size 1 (or maybe even 2) needles for the leg, and back down to 0s for the foot.

Someone mentioned she's knitting with KnitPicks circulars - so am I. I really love these needles! The join is as smooth as the Addi Turbo join, but the cable is better (it has NO memory whatsoever) and the tips are pointier (very helpful for the PSSOs in this pattern). And at $5 each, what do you have to lose?

I think I'll begin knitting from the other skein before ripping this sock back:


You can see I decided to add some 2x2 ribbing at the top.

It may take me a while to get back to these. I cast on for another pair of very autumnal socks, and since the leaves are starting to turn where I live, I want to finish them and wear them.

Happy knitting, everyone!

Monday, September 25, 2006

Are your hydrangea socks really small?

Hi all,

I'm confused and hoping someone out there can help. The Calla Lily socks started wtih 63 cast on stitches, and they fit me perfectly. The Hydrangea pattern calls for 72 cast on stitches. If the yarn is the same (it appears to be), shouldn't the sock be bigger?

The pattern says that the finished leg circumference is 6", unstretched. When I first read this, I assumed it was a typo. Why? 2 reasons:
  1. The gauge says the knitter should get 18 st/2" in pattern, and 72 st at 18 st/2" works out to 8" circumference, not 6".
  2. A 6" leg circumference is tiny. My very average size female ankle is 8 1/4" at its smallest point. My 4-year-old son's ankle is 5 3/4" at its smallest point.

I decided to knit the pattern as written, thinking that the specified 6" leg circumference should have read 8", and that it would easily stretch to my 8 1/4" ankle (and hopefully a little more since my ankle is 8 1/4" at its smallest point).

I'm 4-5" into my sock now, and the finished size is definitely 6" in circumference (3" flat). I can barely get it over my heel, and it doesn't stretch much at all. If I knit the cuff any longer, I won't be able to get the sock up any further.

Clearly, I must rip and reknit. I don't really mind doing this. I'm just confused, and that bugs me! Everything is exactly as Sundara's pattern says it will be, but I don't understand why. How can I be getting 18 st/2" in pattern but still only have a 6" leg circumference with 72 CO st? The only thing I can figure is that it has something to do with the twirly diagonal nature of this stitch pattern. I'm still not exactly sure how it spirals as it does - it's magic to me. Pretty, magical... but won't fit my foot. And my son will not want to wear these particular socks. :)

Is anyone else encountering this issue?

I could post a photo, but I daren't be the first - at least not until I get the okay to post hydrangea photos.

Thanks in advance for whatever help you can offer!

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Just joined.

Hi everyone! I just joined for the second half of the year. I can't wait to get my first kit in december....

I was wondering, the patterns for the first two installments of the sock club look really great, and I would love to knit them. Is anyone finished that would consider a loan, or a trade or something?

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Not finished

Ok I am a proud member of the petals club....but I must admit...I am a lame memeber!
I have not even cast on my calla lily sock yet or never posted on this wonderful blog.
So I thought, I had better come on here and put in writing a promise that I am going to caston...post and finish my hydrangea socks within one month of this post...
Ok today is...Sept 13th right?
I won't be casting on today...I have a birthday present to finish, but I will complete these socks by October 13th... 2006 (yes I would have tried to sneak out of that one)
Thank you all for listening and please feel free to kick my butt if you do not have a finished post from me by the 13th of october!

You may hunt me here

Monday, September 11, 2006

Finally finished my Calla Lily Socks..

..Here they are in all their glory:

Marie's Calla Lily socks
I love the yarn, the lacy backs, and the toe and heel stripes. This was the first time I knit two socks on two circulars and I really liked having both socks done at the same time.

Thanks for beautiful yarn, Sundara!

Friday, September 08, 2006

Finished Callas and August Parcel Is Here

My August package arrived today, it's beautiful and now I can read here again :). I will be starting in a day or two and really looking forward to more tips, they were very helpful when I did the Calla's. Here is my finished pair - the lace detail doesn't show so well but most of us know how it looks. I made a few minor modifications: a double start cast on, a French heel instead of Welsh (don't tell my Gran, she's from Wales), and adding a couple purl stitches on either side of the heel flap - I thought it continued the reverse stocking stitch of the cuff nicely.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

August Shipment

Hi All, Are there still people out there who haven't gotten their August shipment? For those of you who have received it have you started your August socks yet? I have started but I had to go down a needle size to get closer to gauge. I've knit about 3 rounds of the pattern but the sock looks really big to me. Anyone else experience this too? I think after a few more rounds I will thread a waste yarn through the live stitches, remove the needles and try it on to make sure it's the right size for me. I really don't want to start over on a size US zero needle. The pattern looks intriguing to me so I want to give it a try. Hopefully I haven't given anything away to people who are still waiting for a shipment.