Knitting on the Road: Canada • Canal du Midi • Conwy • Dalarna • Denmark • Friday Harbor • Hiiumaa • Huron Mountain • New England • The Road to Oslo • Santa Fe • Spey Valley • Christmas in Tallinn • Traveler's Stockings • Uinta Cabin • Unst • WhitbyThere's something about a colourwork chart that I find addictive. As soon as I finish one section of a chart I can't wait to start the next just to see how it looks. And then onto the next, and so on. That's the story with this sock too; I'm drawn from one section to the next with an impatience to see how it'll look. And as a result, this Sunday morning finds me halfway through the first Huron Mountain sock after just two days of knitting.
The pattern is meant to look like the plumage of the North American Loon. To be more accurate I should be using a true black instead of charcoal grey and a bright white instead of this creamy white, however I'm not a fan of knitting on tiny needles with very dark coloured yarn. The light in my living room is not sufficient and my eyes are not up to that challenge. Besides I'm trying to knit from my stash, so this was the best I could do.
The heel construction is quite unusual - one Raveler described it as a "band" heel. The heel flap is shaped so that after picking up stitches to reinstate the round the original number of stitches is attained without need of any gusset decreases. In so doing the "lice" pattern is carried on from the leg and worked right away after the heel without adjustment for a decreasing stitch count. This is also the first time I've worked "lice" stitches - widely spaced single contrast colour stitches within a field of the main colour, something that finds its roots in traditional Norwegian knitting.
One more thing to admit: this is one of the patterns in the book that I didn't want to knit. Now I'm glad I did. I've learned a new heel, I worked a lice pattern for the first time and, as it turns out, I like the sock more than I ever thought I would. Another pleasant surprise from designer Nancy Bush.
13 comments:
You can't go wrong with a Nancy Bush. I like this sock A LOT. It could go for a guy or a girl.
I think I like your muted colors better than I would the stark white and true black. Just think of it as a "senior citizen" loon.
This one had me saying "wow" out loud. It looks so beautiful. I wish there was a better name than "lice stitches" however. Gorgeous.
Understand and totally agree about the dark yarn on the needles, hard on the eyes etc. I think they look awesome
I love those pleasant surprises! It looks great so far.
I love this sock, and I prefer your combo of grey with cream. It looks gorgeous and my aim is to work up to something like this lol.
Great colours, a very handsome sock, I can totally understand not working in black, what a nightmare.
Isn't it great when you learn new skills, although lice stitches doesn't sound the nicest!
WOW! Great patterning work.
A colourwork sock leg done in 2 days!! You amaze me :)
It looks great. I am working my second ever colourwork sock, the first didn't go so well! Hopefully mine will come out as well as yours :)
That is beautiful pattern, I love it! And you've worked it so quickly!
Looks awesome! I didn't see the correlation to the North American Loon until I read it and now I totally see it :) I can't wait to see these finished
The sock looks great. I'm glad you're enjoying it more than you thought you would :)
That is one, wowin' sock! The pattern totally looks like the plummage of that loon. What an interesting heel also. Let us know when you're done w/the pair how it feels wearing such a heel.
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