no good way to knit a sock?

for my first sock i started the way i think most knitters do, on double-pointed needles. i later learned about Magic Loop and socks on two circulars. i have made a couple single socks using dpns, cuff down i might add, then learned how to magic loop (out of necessity for the legs on Mochimochiland's reindeer pattern and bob pattern -such tiny circumferences!) to complete my first complete pair of socks my tootsie, toe-up. i have used 8 and 12 inch circluars ( clover plastic mini circs) for legwarmers and arm warmers and i like those alot. also good for sleeves.

after that pair of socks i realized that MLing wasn't really any faster than dpns, because the time you save from switching from needle to needle is eaten up by guiding the yarn around that 32" circ. and if you knit tight, or have a needle with a bit of fight in the join (i have to meet ANY needle that has NO fight in the join whatsoever. though i acknowledge that some are better than others) than that adds to the seconds it make take for you to push the stitches across. it was this revelation that led me to think i might indeed be better off going back to DPNs.

having become a touch of a yarn snob over time, and having increased my experiences with different brands and materials of needles i am finding diffiulty getting in a groove with ANY method knitting a sock at all. basically i have used Knitpicks both harmony and and metal, Addis and Addi lace, Clover bamboo, KA and though i don't own them i have knit a fair few rows on Signatures. after ML ing on Addi lace and even the Harmonies i find the Clover DPNs just unsuitable for knitting a sock on. sticky. and i'd still have to magic loop the toe. because i don't think i will be switching away from Judy's Magic cast on or toe-up anytime soon.

i would love to be able to label myself "a sock knitter". to complete many pairs and each in a fair amount of time. to use of this coveted mountain of sock yarn (mostly the illustrious wollmeise) i have amassed since the beginning of 2009. i mean, i went across the country to Sock Summit for Bob's sake! but i can't seem to pump another sock of these needles. any of them. and let's not even bring up the heel troubles i have having!

my latest attempt are these 9" Clover bamboo circs. they are new to the market i think. and i thought them the answer to my DPN vs ML problem (two circs was never an option for me, buyin two of every needle? nah. plus i find the process the same as ML). ack! if they were 8" they would be just that. but they are not. they are 9". shit. and so even though i don't have to "set off an alarm" as Cat Bordhi says, in the round i have to struggle a strain to get all the stitches across the needle . because i don't quite have 9 inches worth of sttches on there. oy vey.

what on earth to do? is there no good way to knit a sock?

granny square meditation

i needed a little breaker from my fls. i started the short-rows and they are making me nervous. plus they take attention and i have a feeling i am gonna have to frog and repeat. which is okay. i haven't done them before and i dunno where they are gonna land. i don't want arrows pointing to my bits. but still.

(sorry the pics aren't fabulous. i am no brooklyntweed)


i dunno how i stumbled across the wool eater blanket on rav and wanted to give it a swatch. it wasn't easy. i ended up using pictorials and a youtube video and still fudged it. i would like to get some yarn appropriate for a king sized square but that will have to wait. and i would have to rewrite the pattern to fit my mods.



so what to do? revisit my poison Ish? pic up that garter stitch bed cover? nah!

when in doubt - granny squares!

i'd like to pile enough to make a blanky. at least square by square i can feel like i am progressing and not have one perpetual round after another. and i dug in my stash. i am using noro silk garden sock. rather than going out and buying a blanket amount of yarn. i don't feel like worrying about dye lot or color. just go lizard ridge style and pick up a skein, any skein as needed and press on especially when i dunno how far i can take the project. i dunno what's with me and blankety projects lately. i find them so appealing. the two squares so far:

this yarn is rough rough rough on the hands. i can’t imagine making/wearing socks from this. i read it softens up in the wash. even so a lap blanket is about as far as i can go with this stuff. if i can get that far. call me sensitive, whatever. it is Quite rustic. i can’t believe i paid $23 for this. lesson learned. it is pretty stuff though if you can get past all the cons. i can’t say i won’t buy noro ever again but at least i'll know what i am in for.