Becoming Proficient
I will admit that this knitting addiction has taken over my life. But I remember a time when I was trying to learn accounting, taking classes at night, working during the day. My state of mind, and my compulsion to learn all there was to learn was quite similar then to the way I process knitting information today. The difference, as I see it, is the availability of knitting information today, unlike my access to accounting information 30 years ago. In short: the difference is the Internet Knitting Community.
In just a few months (approximately 18) I have gone from a garter-stitching, fun-fur-scarf-making nana to someone addicted to socks and lace shawls. I currently see little chance of becoming a prolific sweater knitter (it's entirely TOO HOT IN HERE!), but I will not say "never"...(I've learned to regret this).
Last night, I took a good long look at the Trekking XXL sock (see photo by MFMPPF below) which was so close to being finished. I'd been so happy with the foot fitting so beautifully, the heel and gusset being so well-constructed, compared to my last (first pair of) socks! I was proud. I know, it's not a good sign. I was aware that my little K2, P2 rib had a teensy mistake (but I'm not above letting little ones slide once in awhile...and the yarn coloration made it barely noticeable).
So I tried on the sock (with about 6 inches of cuff completed). Um. Excuse me? Didn't someone say that the K2, P2 rib was the stretchiest? I KNOW I read that somewhere right? Nope. Not stretchy enough - or rather, it fit, but was stretched to the max. And I do NOT have a thick ankle on these baby size 6 feet.
Did I mention that yesterday I stopped on the way home from work and succumbed to the lure of my other idol's book. I had a little found money and decided I was tired of waiting to get it.
So with my two favorite knit bloggers' books staring me in the face, and a sock that was GORGEOUS in almost every way, except perhaps the most crucial one, I sat, sock in hand. WHAT would Wendy do? WHAT would Stephanie do?
What did I do? Yup. I took a deep breath and frogged - all the way back to the (slightly too short) instep. Gone my beautiful heel. Gone the precise gussets {sigh}. I am proud to say that I was able to pick up my stitches, tink back one stitch at a time for one row to get them all on the needles again and going in the right direction! This was a major accomplishment...and I didn't even shed a tear (tho' I felt like it!).
Ok. {DEEP Breath!} Pity Party over. I'm going to become proficient at this knitting addiction of mine...and with help from the two ladies referenced above as well as my lace diva Eunny (who's going to be publishing soon, too!!) just maybe I'll be a better knitter one day...
(((hugs)))
In just a few months (approximately 18) I have gone from a garter-stitching, fun-fur-scarf-making nana to someone addicted to socks and lace shawls. I currently see little chance of becoming a prolific sweater knitter (it's entirely TOO HOT IN HERE!), but I will not say "never"...(I've learned to regret this).
Last night, I took a good long look at the Trekking XXL sock (see photo by MFMPPF below) which was so close to being finished. I'd been so happy with the foot fitting so beautifully, the heel and gusset being so well-constructed, compared to my last (first pair of) socks! I was proud. I know, it's not a good sign. I was aware that my little K2, P2 rib had a teensy mistake (but I'm not above letting little ones slide once in awhile...and the yarn coloration made it barely noticeable).
So I tried on the sock (with about 6 inches of cuff completed). Um. Excuse me? Didn't someone say that the K2, P2 rib was the stretchiest? I KNOW I read that somewhere right? Nope. Not stretchy enough - or rather, it fit, but was stretched to the max. And I do NOT have a thick ankle on these baby size 6 feet.
Did I mention that yesterday I stopped on the way home from work and succumbed to the lure of my other idol's book. I had a little found money and decided I was tired of waiting to get it.
So with my two favorite knit bloggers' books staring me in the face, and a sock that was GORGEOUS in almost every way, except perhaps the most crucial one, I sat, sock in hand. WHAT would Wendy do? WHAT would Stephanie do?
What did I do? Yup. I took a deep breath and frogged - all the way back to the (slightly too short) instep. Gone my beautiful heel. Gone the precise gussets {sigh}. I am proud to say that I was able to pick up my stitches, tink back one stitch at a time for one row to get them all on the needles again and going in the right direction! This was a major accomplishment...and I didn't even shed a tear (tho' I felt like it!).
Ok. {DEEP Breath!} Pity Party over. I'm going to become proficient at this knitting addiction of mine...and with help from the two ladies referenced above as well as my lace diva Eunny (who's going to be publishing soon, too!!) just maybe I'll be a better knitter one day...
(((hugs)))
posted by Nana Sadie at 10:45 AM
5 Comments:
I don't know whether or not I told you, but I have put a button to your blog in the sidebar of my blog.
I don't usually do toe up socks, I just don't like most of the directions for them that I've seen, but I do have a few fitting problems myself. I have a very narrow heal, a high instep, and a wide front part of my foot. All of this fits under big ankles. I started knitting socks just to be able to own a pair that fit me well!
Ankles big, I use a dbl pt that is a size larger. Narrow heal, I use a smaller needle size for the heal flap and turning of the heal. High instep, stay with smaller needle and depending on the pattern may go down another size. Wide front part of foot, I go back up in needle size. Short squawtty toes, smaller needle again and fewer toe rows.
Why do I change needle size so much for my own personal socks you ask? Well the truth is that I am just too lazy and/or impatient to do the math to reconfigure the stitch counts.
If this isn't of any help what so ever, hope it atleast gives you the keen sense of "atleast I am not that bad"!
Dear Meezer, My Meowmie says, 'great post' from your Meowmie....something about a lot of ribs??? Snort, snort....
Make sure to stop by today Veggies....today, Meezer, Ive got a good suggestion WHERE to sit and keep toasty warm, even when the humans think its TOO HOT!!! IS there such a thing as TOO hot.
Your feline pal, The Mitz
Oh, dear.. I hate the frogging blues.. I wonder if, as Jan mentions, putting the ribbing on size or two larger needles might help? At least you've been past the heel three times now - I'm still looking at my toe-up sock at mid-instep and trying to work up courage.. {g}
I'd say your well on your way to becoming profecient, even with minor setbacks.
And you know what even the people who have been knitting 50 years, still make mistakes and end up with something unwearable.
Way to go Knitnana! I think that a truly accomplished knitter is one who can fix all sorts of problems; perfection the first time around all the time just isn't possible, IMHO.
You are so on your way to being proficient!
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