I'm a novice knitter. I have only been at this craft on a limited basis over the past couple of years. Rather smugly, I thought I had the hang of sock making. I thought I was moving up in the knitting world. My skills were improving or so I thought. I'd tackled my first knitting goal - hand knit socks. Wahoo! Then I noticed that my hand knitted socks looked different. Noticeably different and I'm not talking about how bright and stripey they are ;o) Maybe my photos will explain it best.
I've knit these two pairs of socks in the same yarn and needle size which will allow you to see what I've been doing. Yes, there is a difference in the leg of the socks. The latest pair, shown above have the leg in rib stitch only; while the first pair, shown below, have rib knit at the top of the leg and stockinette stitch for the rest of the leg. That's not what I'm trying to draw your attention to.
Can you see the mistake I was making? Here it is in close up:
Do you see the difference in the heel of these two socks? Ah-ha! I messed up the heel - not the turn heel though (which is actually the trickier part to manage when you're first starting out on socks... go figure how I could mess up the easier part).
I misunderstood what I was supposed to do in this part of the sock pattern (but didn't realize it... and have knitted... um... hanging my head here... about 3 pairs of socks with wonky heels before catching on). Whoops! That would explain why my socks weren't quite so comfortable in the heel area, not to mention why they look so shrunken and tight.
Do you want to know the saddest part of this tale? I only figured out what was going on when I tried using a different sock pattern. You do know what that means? If I'd continued to use the same pattern, I would likely have continued to knit up socks with wonky, shrivelled heels. Nice, eh? I had to laugh at myself and I have been enjoying my "new" way of knitting the heels on my socks. My feet will be thankful for it when wool sock wearing season returns.
I've knit these two pairs of socks in the same yarn and needle size which will allow you to see what I've been doing. Yes, there is a difference in the leg of the socks. The latest pair, shown above have the leg in rib stitch only; while the first pair, shown below, have rib knit at the top of the leg and stockinette stitch for the rest of the leg. That's not what I'm trying to draw your attention to.
Can you see the mistake I was making? Here it is in close up:
Do you see the difference in the heel of these two socks? Ah-ha! I messed up the heel - not the turn heel though (which is actually the trickier part to manage when you're first starting out on socks... go figure how I could mess up the easier part).I misunderstood what I was supposed to do in this part of the sock pattern (but didn't realize it... and have knitted... um... hanging my head here... about 3 pairs of socks with wonky heels before catching on). Whoops! That would explain why my socks weren't quite so comfortable in the heel area, not to mention why they look so shrunken and tight.
Do you want to know the saddest part of this tale? I only figured out what was going on when I tried using a different sock pattern. You do know what that means? If I'd continued to use the same pattern, I would likely have continued to knit up socks with wonky, shrivelled heels. Nice, eh? I had to laugh at myself and I have been enjoying my "new" way of knitting the heels on my socks. My feet will be thankful for it when wool sock wearing season returns.
I probably shouldn't tell you that my second knitting goal in life is to make a sweater. It might be wisest to let my knitting skills grow before I decide to tackle that!
We learn by our mistakes! I learned that knitting wasn't my sport long time ago. It seems like everything I did turned out like your socks. As a matter of fact, while cleaning my craft room I come across a dozen or so pair of knitting needles and was trying to decide whether to try knitting again, or donate them.
ReplyDeleteI love the colors you've chosen, by the way. Joyce in Iowa
Oh how funny!I love when I read posts from people about how they dont always get ti right... I swear some of the blogs I read the people seem like crafting gods, and you so know they are not! My first knit project was a baby blanket for my daughter. I did it before she was born and ended up sutting the entire thing in half because I just couldn't get it finished in time...not to mention it really does look like a "first" knitting project...ahhhh ohhh well...love you wonky socks!
ReplyDeleteHa! This is too funny! I think your socks still look beautiful - wonky heel or not! Certainly better than any socks I've ever knitted (which would be none, they scare me!)
ReplyDeleteyour socks look wonderful! I love the colors. and i am impressed that you can knit socks at all. I am still a wanna be sock knitter. (I'm scared to try!)
ReplyDeleteI've already knitted some pieces a long ago! But i don't ever dare to make socks!
ReplyDeleteYou became an expert very quickly, so far we can see through your photos! (the colors are pretty!)
I always thought your socks looked perfect Katherine :-)
ReplyDeleteI have to let you know, knitting a sweater is WAY easier then knitting socks, especially when you pick a pattern that is knit as one piece (so you don't have to stitch the pieces together after).