My first knitted socks

[firecat]

I finished knitting my first pair of socks.

I used some German self-striping sock yarn, I don't remember the brand, washable wool/polyester. It wasn't the softest stuff I've ever knit with, but it feels good on my feet.

I used the Universal Toe Up Sock Formula from Knitty.com. This pattern works quite well to create a custom fitted sock (although for me the toe came out a bit too narrow. I have wide forefeet).

I had one problem with the pattern: When I went to start knitting in the round again after making the heel, there were holes in the corners. The pattern suggests that you make some extra stitches to compensate, but that didn't work for me.

I knit them on size 2 Brittany birch DPNs, which I loved. The gauge is a bit looser than I prefer for socks, though; if I did them again with DPNs I would use size 1. They are stockinette except for an inch of 2x2 ribbing at the top.



This one is somewhat too big around, but wearable.




This one fits better except for the slightly too narrow toe.




My next sock project will use circular needles. I like working with DPNs; it's portable and most of the sock could be done without my full attention. And the yarn did not slide off the DPNs nearly as often as I expected it to, but it did do so a couple of times. I want to see if I can learn to do circular needle socks the same way and if doing socks on circs will solve the problem of ladders where one DPN shifts to the next. (I did find a way to solve that, which my brain isn't letting me describe in words right now. But the way I used would make doing patterned socks more difficult, I think).

Comments

[aquaeri.livejournal.com]

Ladders between the DPNs seems to be a more-or-less universal problem when you first start using DPNs. The common solution is to knit one stitch more (or less) onto each needle, so at least your ladders spiral.

The other common solution is to just keep using DPNs; I can't remember the last time I had laddering problems, and don't actually know what I'd do if I had to create them for an example. I also have no clue what I am doing differently than when I began, but obviously something's changed.

unordered sock notes

[jinian.livejournal.com]

Tight-gauged socks are much better than loose ones, I agree.

German and self-striping says "Trekking XXL" to me, but I don't recognize the colorway as one of theirs. Was it just one big skein?

Using two circs makes it much easier not to get ladders at the joins, because you naturally pull the yarn tightly enough while it's on the smaller cable area of the circ.

I don't know if I can help you avoid the "eye" at the gusset, because I usually knit socks top-down and haven't done a toe-up with a heel flap. (Was it a heel flap? I can't tell from your photos.) But when I pick up stitches, I pick up one in the corner from a row below and knit it twisted, like a "make 1" increase. Works great.

[firecat]

Thanks! I did the knitting one stitch more, but that's what I'm afraid would make it more difficult to keep track of patterns. I'll keep in mind that some people stop having the problem eventually.

Re: unordered sock notes

[firecat]

The brand name was German-sounding. It came in one big ball.

Thanks for the tips! It was a turned heel. I'm a little vague on sock knitting jargon so I don't know if that's the same as a heel flap.

Re: unordered sock notes

[jinian.livejournal.com]

Okay, it looks like your pattern uses a short-row heel. That makes sense. (Here's a bunch of heel info: http://www.woolworks.org/sockheels.html.) The M1 trick should still work, though I haven't actually tried it.

Re: unordered sock notes

[firecat]

Thanks!

[usqueba.livejournal.com]

WOW those are pretty! I want sox like those! :)

[firecat]

Thanks!

[porcinea.livejournal.com]

Both short-row heels and flap-and-gusset heels have a "turning the heel" process. Did you pick up any stitches after knitting a flap (flap-and-gusset)? Or did you wrap-and-turn your work (short-rows)?

*LOVELY*!!!

Aren't socks fun? If only there weren't second-sock-syndrome. :-).

[semperfiona]

Knitting one-stitch-more does work reasonably well, but what I find also works pretty well is pulling the *next* 1-3 stitches on the next DPN extra tight. I still have slight laddering if you look hard at the product immediately after finishing, but it evens out in the blocking/washing.

[firecat]

Thanks!

[firecat]

I wrapped and turned, so it was short rows.

Thanks!

I have a lot of trouble making two items the same if I make them separately. So I decided my next project would be two-at-once socks on two circs. Here's the pattern:

http://www.webdesignsbybarb.com/tostetoes/twosocksoneneedletoeup.htm

[firecat]

Oops, that's the two-at-once socks on ONE circ. I'm not attempting that yet. Here's the pattern I'm going to try:

http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/pattern_display.aspx?id=50417220