I had hoped to post a photo of the socks that are troubling me but the weather has turned nasty and I don't really want to get my feet/camera wet. So, if you can, imagine a pair of almost finished socks. One has been done all the way to the toes and has been kitchenered by grafting twelve stitches on each needle horizontally at the toe ( ie, if you can visualise the end of the sock, the grafting is straight along the top. ) Then I looked at the pattern instructions and from what I can make out, they want me to graft the stitches vertically, as if the sock knits flat to the toe and then the seam .........
You know what - the sun came out and I sat on a wet step to take some pictures. Much easier than trying to explain all of that horizontal and vertical nonesense.
Which is right? I obviously didn't pay attention to that part of the pattern when I made my one and only other socks so if anyone has a theory, please let me know. Bear in mind that I might have just totally misunderstood the pattern in the first place.
Talking of socks, I had a look at the new Berroco sock yarns and there is one called Kirkcaldy. Actually there are a lot of Scottish place names and themes in the Berroco yarns. I went to High School in Kirkcaldy and while it is famous for a couple of things - being the birthplace of Adam Smith for one, it is most famous for being a smelly place. The town was a big manufacturer of linoleum in years gone by and the air always carried a whiff of linseed oil. It was immortalised in a poem called The Boy in The Train which has the classic lines:
For I ken mysel' by the queer-like smell
That the next stop's Kirkcaddy!
Maybe not the best advert for sock yarn!
Thanks to all who have asked after Magnus, especially Emma, Milo and Tuna. He must be feeling better, I found a dead mouse in the hall this morning.
9 comments:
I don't know the pattern, but from the picture I would say that the graft is supposed to go up and down, instead of side to side. That way it will connect the side bands to make a single band across the toes, sort of like the rubber on a pair of sneakers. But I'm just guessing...
As will become apparent I am no expert in finishing off sock toes, BUT, should the sock not be foot-shaped instead of pointy? I only ask because I play a game in the morning trying to decide which sock came off which foot the night before, and I can usually tell because the socks retain an impression of the foot they came off. Actually, I only get to play this game on alternate mornings, because if I wear them for more than two days I too am reminded of Kirkcaldy!
I'm not going to be any help but I'm watching this post with interest as I'm poised to knit my first ever pair of socks. I love the colours and stripes in yours, by the way...and I'm glad that Magnus is feeling better.
Your needles should be pointing the other direction for the kitchener bind-off. The bind-off should go width-wise across the toes, so that if you stood the sock up (without a foot in it) the toe would lay flat. Does that make sense?
Glad your cat is better.
Dear Magnus,
I am so glad to hear you are better. A mouse! Way to go. I myself like to bring birds to the backdoor step for my owners to see.
Please tell jeni she needs to follow her instinct on the sock toe and graft it along the line of her toes. The end.
Happy hunting,
Emma
Jeni,
never mind Emma,
I am looking at the sock pics again and maybe you should follow the pattern? it is an unusual way to decrease and finish a toe...but definitely worth a try-and-see.
Close one up one way, the other the other way without weaving in the ends and see which you like better?
Karin
der magnus, i is so glad u is bettr. i don't miz me tale unless i tern round reely fastlyke..
nyce katch on thuh mose.
tuna
Well, I am in total agreement that the needles are facing the wrong way.. did you fix it yet?
i'm no sock knitter, but do love them and your color choice.
the story of the town is great.
OH, and yea for the mouse gift!
yes, he's probably just fine :)
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