KNIT. SOCK. LOVE. : BFF • Clandestine • Cusp • German Stockings • Gothic Spire • Hedera • In and Out • Lissajous • Marilinda • Mona • Monkey • Pointelle • Rhombus • Sake • Stalagmite • Stricken • Thelonious • Twisted Flower • Wedge
COOKIE A SOCK CLUB: June #1 • June #2 • August #1 • August #2 • October #1 • October #2 • December #1 • December #2
VANILLA SOCKS FOR CHARITY: July • August • September • October • November • December • January • February • March • April • May • June
I've cast on the first sock for Twisted Flower but that's as far as I got. Instead I've been dividing my knitting time between Ludwig socks and a baby blanket.
The baby's due soon (my cousin's baby just to clarify; I'm waaaay too old for that sort of thing), but the pima cotton is very slippery on metal needles and my hands get sore after a handful of rows, so it's slow progress with a little more knit each morning and evening.
Ludwig, on the other hand, has been a breath of fresh air!
It's a wonderful thing when the yarn and the pattern play well together and I'm loving every minute of that! The flamingo pinks might be overwhelming on their own, but alternating with natural white stripes they're bright and fresh. I was a bit worried that there wasn't enough contrast between the light pinks and the natural white, but with one sock done I think the stripes hold up pretty well. I'm thrilled with how these socks are knitting up!
And how refreshing to try some new construction techniques!The cuff is knit on fewer stitches than the leg - a row of increases is worked to start the leg. As a result the ribbing of the cuff is nicely opened up and snugly stretched around the calf. Similarly a row of decreases starts the toe box to keep the toe area nice and snug. Speaking of the toe, the decreases accelerate so that the toe is more rounded than the shape created by steady decreases every alternate round. Either shape works fine with my long pointy toes, but for those with daintier toes the more rounded shape might be preferable.
Rather than slipping stitches on each side of the heel flap to pick up later, those are garter ridges that are picked up. The result is tighter in my opinion - sometimes the slipped stitches can look a bit loose and stretched open.
The gusset decreases travel across the bottom of the heel and foot to converge at the centre of the sole. I've never seen this before, but it is a nice way to keep the stripes in order. It might be what's known as a "tear drop heel" but I'm not sure. It's very cool looking though!
A big thank you goes out to Dee at Pointy Little Sticks. The pink Lorna's Laces sock yarn was a gift from her, and it was this yarn that inspired my to buy the book Op-Art Socks especially for the Ludwig pattern. I've been enjoying the yarn and the pattern book tremendously! In fact, I'm already poking through my yarn basket to see what might suit some of the other patterns in the book!
9 comments:
Gosh they are so gorgeous - the pink and white are perfect.
Oh my I do love those Ludwig and no wonder your enjoying having them on the needles, they are awesome! I love the idea of garter stitch ridges on the heel gusset because as you say the slipped sts can look so open and what an interesting heel.
I love the Ludwig socks. I think the pink and white go perfectly together. I can see how those would be very satisfying to knit. And what fun socks to wear, too.
What baby? You're having a baby? I had no idea! I haven't been gone that long have I? It still takes 9 months right? Where's all the baby stuff you've been making? Pictures please? I never even found out if you went to Las Vegas for Christmas? I think maybe I slipped through a time warp somewhere. I'm so excited! Where are the baby socks?
I do love love those pink and white striped Ludwigs. Your description of the pattern makes me want to get that book as ti sounds like the perfect sock pattern.
I will be pinching myself all week now...maybe for a month or more....when is the baby due? Soon you say? Where have I been? Best of luck! Congratulations to all 3 of you! That will teach me to not do YOP for awhile!
You make sock knitting an art. Those Ludwigs are amazing!
I made a pair of socks out of that same Lorna's yarn a few years ago and they are so pretty. But you made much better use of that yarn!
Those socks are quite striking with the pink and white. I agree, the pink alone would have been a bit much.
I think that your Ludwig socks might just me my favourites out of all the gorgeous socks that you have knit , love , love them ! Perfect !
My gosh, these socks are amazing!
Those are really cute socks. I mean really really cute socks
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