Monday, February 16, 2009

I think from now on I'll only make one of everything.

Okay, just kidding. I did go on and finish the other sock and mitten. But no matchy-matchy!

I love the Kaffe Fasset socks. To my delight, the two skeins were wound in reverse of one another, so the colors developed in the opposite direction. The feet are perfectly opposite, each starting the heel with the colors the other has at the toe:



I think it came out great. I did mess up a little on the second leg — I had two rows more before I started the perl bump row, so I finished the leg with two rows fewer in the last 2x2 set. I think no one will notice and the legs are the same length, so who cares? Certainly not me — it just adds to the funkiness.

These weren't made with a pattern — just a basic recipe. From my notes on Ravelry: Tubular CO 64; knit 1x1 rib for 10 rows; change to broken rib pattern: [rows 1-5 2x2 rib, row 6 P across]. Do 7 sets. 2x2 rib for 4 more rows. 5 rows stockinette. Short-row heel over 38 stitches down to 14 (I think next time I should do 34 stitches down to 12). Stockinette to 2” from toe (42 rows in my case). French toe.

They fit like a charm. Now I just need about 15 more pairs and I'm set... I really want to wear handknit socks almost every days.

The mittens were strangely hard! They are Cheryl Niamath's Handsome Mittens from IK. I had a tough time changing colors every row and each mitten has a slightly different set of imperfections because of my attempts. I need to find some clear instruction on how to twist yarns — maybe a YouTube because I am just not getting it right from written instructions. Also, my 1x1 ribbing is tooooo loose, as always. I need to work on that. Still, I'm proud of these lovely alpaca beasties. They are going to a friend whose hands are longer and slimmer than mine, so hopefully my compensation for that (I worked the width instructions for the Small size and the length instructions for the Medium size) will work out. They are softer than soft and knit with a great deal of love, even if they aren't perfect.

3 comments:

FUZZARELLY said...

I particularly like the swirly orange/fire thing going on at your instep.

Verra Nize.

.: tani :. said...

those are great socks! i may have to grab a ball of that stuff.

i can't see any imperfections in the mittens. have you blocked them yet? i, too, am working on stranded knits and have a few too loose/too tight stiches. i they'll come out in the block!

Jen said...

Wow, I may have to get some of that Kaffe Fassett sock yarn. I love the colors in your socks, and I love that they aren't such rigidly perfect stripes as some self-striping yarns.

It's a wonderful feeling when you get the fit just right, isn't it?