10.20.2007

and I can read the warning label on that can of crazy

This is where the sweater stands:



The yarn is what's called for in the pattern: Naturally Harmony 10-ply. And, if it weren't right there in the name, I'd have no idea this is a 10-ply - it feels as though it's felted. Not at all what I was expecting, but it's nice and light, sproingy, and not splitty at all. I think I'm about ready to start the part of the pattern with cables, and have temporarily abandoned this to tend to the roving bands of socks stalking the house. And re-find the issue of IK that the pattern's printed in.

My goal is always to have several socks at different stages of completion, so I can pick things up to fit the time I have. In reality, I end up places like here:



Start-o-rama = graftastic. I like grafting, though, so it's okay. I grafted (graft? grift? Wha?) these three toes today, and started each pair's mate. Also started the Tanzanite Silkie Uptown Boot sock for Mom, which is just ribbing at this point. Here's the Tanzanite, though:



The silk strand stands out more than I'd envisioned, but I like how it's knitting up just fine.

And to get philosophical about socks for a second, I've been thinking about toes recently. And realizing, now that I'm wearing these socks I knit up over the summer on a regular basis, that I don't really like the typical toe. It's pointy, and my feet are so not pointy - or, rather, the pointy part is not in the middle. I've taken to starting the decreases later and then leaving more stitches to graft (14 or so), but even that isn't really the shape of my foot. I think I'll try the short-row toe soon, but even that gives the same basic shape.

What my brain keeps veering toward is the idea that my feet are not identical, so why should my socks be identical? Hence, why don't I make a Righty and Lefty sock?

I'm already a bit - specific, let's say - about my socks, in that the left one always goes on first. I considered it a big step when, after knitting my first pair, I was able to put one on the left foot and one on the right foot without checking to see which one had a smidge bigger blue stripe at the top, which meant it was knit second, which means it belongs on the right foot. (See how uncrazy?) So the knitting two different socks seems like it might be a step down that slippery slope.

How do your toes fit?

1 comment:

Emily said...

I have the same problem. I actually like the decrease all-around toe better for the shape of my foot because, even though it's still pointy the point seems to work its way over to my big toe. However, I have a friend who makes her toes fit better by decreasing unevenly on both sides, such that one side (probably the inside, big toe) is steeper and the other more shallow, to accommodate the rest of the toes. You could try that - works for her, although I've not tried it myself. Of course, than the two socks are different, but at least they fit!