Classy Socks #2

These are the socks from hell. I started making them back in December and I thought they were going to be a relatively quick knit. I had worked through this pattern before and didn’t experience too many difficulties. The only difference was that this time I was going to use circular needles and magic loop instead of dpns. Well, I don’t know what my problem was but I had nothing but trouble with these suckers!! Soon after I started, I was overcome with the feeling that I was knitting and knitting but I never seemed to get anywhere. Well, this is because my gauge was SUPER tight and I had to do almost double the pattern repeats as I did on my last version of these socks! The fabric is seriously so thick that they can pretty much stand up by themselves! I think that was the most frustrating thing about these socks – how slow they moved along. Plus, I was making them for my mom but it became rapidly apparent that she was never going to fit in them, so I decided they would be mine and I would give her a different pair I was working on. 


I should have given up on these babies when I was ¼ way through the first sock and realized how much I hated them, but I am too stubborn for that. That is one area where I really need to grow as a knitter – to know when it is time to cut my losses. I’m not saying that I shouldn’t take on a challenge, but I often find myself knitting something I hate or that I know won’t fit, just because I’m too stubborn to quit. Lesson learned. Thank you red socks for showing me the way.

 


yarn details 
Knit Picks Stroll Tonal in Gypsy 
Fingering Weight 
75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon 
dye lot 9597 
Machine Washable/Tumble Dry Low 
$9.99 per 100 g /462 yd skein

project details 
pattern: “Classy Slip-Up Socks” by Betsy Lee McCarthy in the book Knit Socks! 
size: one-size (women’s large) 
needles: size 1 nickel circulars 
yarn used: 356 yards (77% of a skein) 
time span: December 14, 2010 – July 29, 2011 
notes

  • IMPORTANT PATTERN MODIFICATION: on rounds 2, 3, and 4 the pattern tells you to start with one knit or purl stitch and then slip the next stitch, etc., etc., then end the round with two knit or purl stitches. This creates an ugly jog. Instead, start the rounds with the slipped stitch and end with three purls/knits. The slipped stitch hides the jog.