Koigu sock question
In the comments from Tuesday’s post, I was asked a question about the koigu socks. I’m sorry, Melanie, but I couldn’t find an email address for you, so I’m answering you here. I hope that’s ok. Oh, and thank you for asking about the socks.
M. said...
Hmmm . . . koigu socks are the best thing in the whole world. Well, after babies . . .
Anyway, what are you doing? What size needles (I think I used 2's) and I want to say about 60 stitches? I'll look it up if you need me to. Keep trying-- they'll be worth it.
When I first started the socks, I used this pattern. Same needle size, same number of stitches – just as it’s written. It was way too big so I ripped and started again with fewer stitches (but I don’t remember the exact number). It still seemed a little bit big, but it was livable and I thought I would give it a go. However, when I got to the short row heel everything turned ugly. It was my first time doing a short row heel and well, apparently I’m not supposed to ever knit a short row heel. I stayed up until almost 2:00am trying to make the stupid short row heel work, and I think there might have even been some tears of frustration involved, not to mention that my fingers were sore and my bamboo needles felt like they were on the verge of breaking. But still I muddled through. The next morning I knew I couldn’t live with the heel I knitted and I was much too frustrated with the sock to tink it back to where I could start a normal heel, so I just ripped the whole thing.
So on I went to my next choice of patterns. This one used a size 2 needle opposed to the size 1 on the first pattern, but that was fine. The author says she has a size 8 ½ foot that is narrow to medium in width. Great – me too. And it had a regular heel. So I knit it exactly as written (72 stitches in k2p2 ribbing on size 2’s) and even though it seemed like a lot of stitches, it was less than the previous sock and I knit a bit tight, so again, I went for it. When I tried it on to see how many more rounds I needed before starting the toe decreases, I realized the error of my ways. And that’s when I sat the beautiful koigu down and told it, “I love you, but I think we need a break.”
Now, I would like to again state for the record that both of these patterns are perfectly lovely patterns and one should not use my ineptitude as a guide on whether or not to make socks from them. They just aren’t the right patterns for me. I am determined to actually make these socks though, so if you have any suggestions, I will gladly accept them. I’ll bet I could make them work with 60 stitches with size 2’s… One day I will have koigu socks. And I agree, they will very much be worth it.
M. said...
Hmmm . . . koigu socks are the best thing in the whole world. Well, after babies . . .
Anyway, what are you doing? What size needles (I think I used 2's) and I want to say about 60 stitches? I'll look it up if you need me to. Keep trying-- they'll be worth it.
When I first started the socks, I used this pattern. Same needle size, same number of stitches – just as it’s written. It was way too big so I ripped and started again with fewer stitches (but I don’t remember the exact number). It still seemed a little bit big, but it was livable and I thought I would give it a go. However, when I got to the short row heel everything turned ugly. It was my first time doing a short row heel and well, apparently I’m not supposed to ever knit a short row heel. I stayed up until almost 2:00am trying to make the stupid short row heel work, and I think there might have even been some tears of frustration involved, not to mention that my fingers were sore and my bamboo needles felt like they were on the verge of breaking. But still I muddled through. The next morning I knew I couldn’t live with the heel I knitted and I was much too frustrated with the sock to tink it back to where I could start a normal heel, so I just ripped the whole thing.
So on I went to my next choice of patterns. This one used a size 2 needle opposed to the size 1 on the first pattern, but that was fine. The author says she has a size 8 ½ foot that is narrow to medium in width. Great – me too. And it had a regular heel. So I knit it exactly as written (72 stitches in k2p2 ribbing on size 2’s) and even though it seemed like a lot of stitches, it was less than the previous sock and I knit a bit tight, so again, I went for it. When I tried it on to see how many more rounds I needed before starting the toe decreases, I realized the error of my ways. And that’s when I sat the beautiful koigu down and told it, “I love you, but I think we need a break.”
Now, I would like to again state for the record that both of these patterns are perfectly lovely patterns and one should not use my ineptitude as a guide on whether or not to make socks from them. They just aren’t the right patterns for me. I am determined to actually make these socks though, so if you have any suggestions, I will gladly accept them. I’ll bet I could make them work with 60 stitches with size 2’s… One day I will have koigu socks. And I agree, they will very much be worth it.
posted by Missy at 1:41 PM
1 Comments:
I have a couple ideas. For one, there is a nosewarmer pattern on Knitty that is essentially a short-rowed heel. Takes maybe 30 minutes to do-- make nosewarmers for the whole family and if the first one is ugly-- who cares! By the 3rd one you will have had your "aha!" moment and you'll feel more confident.
Secondly . . . I did my first couple pairs of socks "normally", and the first one was HORRID-- but I did it on red heart just to try and get a handle on construction. After a bit, I decided to try socks from the toe up, and never went back. You cast on and increase and keep trying them on until they fit your feet, increasing more if need be.
I hunted down my favorite pattern but there's a story-- the author ( http://www.stasiasplaceofgrace.blogspot.com ) switched ISPs and is going to post the pattern, but is updating it at the moment. but she tells you how to find via web archives the old stuff if you know the address, which I did, so here's the convoluted link to it:
( http://web.archive.org/web/20041120052750/http://home.earthlink.net/~jeffnstasia/sox.htm )
So, you can check her new site for updates, or email me and I'll give you the relevant info in an email that you can stash away until you feeling like try to sock again . . .
Melanie
voirdire.org/subculture
commentsATvoirdireDOTorg
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