Friday, July 1, 2011

End of an Era

Yesterday I finished my first pair of socks.  Yes, the socks I began last June...


The first sock was done on June 19th, and only 10 days later I finished the second one.  Here's what I learned from the process:

Each sock took about 12 hours of work.
Or at least, that's what I figured that sock 2 took.  I'm sure sock one took more, but for the future, I need one full day to finish each sock.
My gauge has changed over the last year.
When I began knitting, I knit really tightly.  Now I'm much more relaxed.  Consequently, sock two is a better suited for cankles, not my "tiny little tweety bird ankles" (to quote the husband).
I can successfully Kitchener stitch.
Nothing like learning a new technique :-)
Boring patterns make me want to give up on a project.
What I liked most about this sock pattern was the picot hem.  Once that was complete, I became disenchanted with the process because all I did was knit around and around and around and around until I got to the heal.  Once that was done, more knitting around to the toe.  Then it was done!
I like challenge, but I dislike the unknown.
I only recently acquired a tape measure and gauge chart, so when the sock process started I had no way of estimating how many rounds made up each inch.  So not only was I bored with the pattern (knit 60 stitches, repeat until you have six inches of sock), I had no idea when it would ever end.  Once I could figure out how much was left, I quickly finished each section!

So, in short, I just needed a few more tools to finish the job.  No knitter should ever be without a tape measure at the very least!  I remember my grandmother having several lying around her sewing machine with her fabrics and supplies.  I never thought the same would be true of me!  I also cannot live without my gauge checker, a tapestry needle, a crochet hook (for picking up those darn dropped stitches!), and a good pattern.

What's next?  Why, some more sock yarn and a new pattern, of course!







1 comment:

  1. way to go lara! next try Monkey by cookie a. it costs a few bucks but it's amazing how much faster socks go by using a little variation.

    love the color on these!

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