SOCKTOPUS: Totally Vanilla • Kandahar • V Junkie • Kwalia • Farmer McGregor • Shur'tugal • 2luvcrew • Vorticity • Rumpled! • Crowley • Om Shanti • Mince Pie Mayhem • Hundred Acre Wood • De Stijl • Fiori di Zucca • Caretta Caretta • Spring Shoots
Last week was a tough one filled with flooding, a couple of days off work due to power failures, another day off work for a family emergency and lots of stress. A Totally Vanilla sock pattern was the perfect project to keep me sane through it ... Keep Calm and Knit On, right? No surprise than that the second sock was finished up by Thursday and a FO picture posted on Friday.
It's my first attempt at beads in my knitting and so far I'm not too excited about it. I've followed the instructions and pre-strung the beads on the yarn, but boy is that a nuisance! Every time you tug a length of yarn free from the ball you have to push all the beads along away from your knitting. That's getting old in a hurry. Next time I bead something I'll try placing them with a crochet hook without pre-stringing.
And then there's the fiddly bit about getting the beads to stay exactly where you put them when you knit the next round after placing the beads. I've already decided to adopt the strategy noted by so many Ravelers before me - just beading the leg repeats, omitting beads at the instep and down the foot.
It's hard to see the beads in my photo, isn't it? That's another thing; I went too subtle and too matchy-matchy in my bead choice. A lighter, brighter, shinier bead would pop more. Not to worry though, I think the beads will become more obvious with blocking and wear. If not, so be it. My bead choice was limited because my local bead store is closing at the end of the month and their selection was pretty thin after weeks of an "Everything 60% off Sale". The pattern called for size 8 seed beads, but there were none left, so I'm using slightly bigger size 6 seed beads. I think this Araucania Ranco Multy yarn is thick and lofty enough for the bigger bead size.
The yarn was a birthday gift a couple of years ago, and I think it's just perfect for this pattern. It's a lovely hand wash, lay flat to dry kind of yarn, so the beads are perfectly safe with this kind of handling. Also the pattern is written for US 1-1/2 (2.5mm) needles - although I'm using 2.25mm - so I wanted a thicker fingering from my stash.
17 comments:
I can't quite make out the beads (I'm viewing on a kindle to make matters worse!) but the colour is gorgeous and I'm liking the pattern already :)
Great colour! Can't wait to see the finished socks.
Sorry to hear about your stressful week. I saw videos of the flooding and it looked awful. We had some too but it wasn't nearly as widespread. I love the color of your socks! Hope next week is a bit calmer for you.
What a bummer of a week and I really hope this one is better. Love the colour of the yarn and the socks, think you could be right about the beads showing up better with blocking. I've a shawl coming up with beads to be added and I already know I'm going to add them with a crochet hook, no way am I adding them before hand, that would drive me scatty lol
I looked at a pattern for a beaded pattern..I shook my head and turned the page!
So sorry to hear of your flooding and you DID have a rough week....it's got to be better next week. I do love your finished socks and the colors are so great. The next sock is a lovely pattern and I adore that yarn! sorry to say I cannot see the beads but I'm sure I could in person. Yes, I'll have to remember to "Keep Calm and Knit On"! You did a great job considering your week! Amazing!
The crochet hook method will ensure the beads stay seated on the stitch you want them to be on. I never pre-string, too time consuming. The trick I learned was to have a shallow bowl, cup, with your beads in it and pick up as many beads as your crochet hook allows. Then you slip them on one at a time. Having a cmall cup filled with rice or pebbles at hand is a great place to park the hook, tip up, when on rows you don't need beads.
The pattern is gorgeous! I would love to see that on a cardi or shawl! Beautiful yarn also. You do such lovely work.
I see that you use metal dpns. I might have to start doing that. Fewer broken sock needles that way... love that sock yarn. Such beautiful pinks!
Sorry you've had such an eventful week. Thank goodness for vanilla socks. And ooh! Beads on socks? How interesting.
The yarn is working beautifully with the pattern, looking forward to seeing more of your year of projects, I have a copy of this book but have only used it a couple of times so far, you will motivate me to try more of the patterns!
You seem to be like me--the stress level can be measured by the amount of knitting! I totally love these pink socks--the pattern is pretty and looks like it would keep things interesting while knitting---but beads? No thanks!
Hope this week goes more smoothly--
*smiles*
I made mom go with a more contrasting bead for that sock - you really do lose them otherwise.
I prefer the crochet hook method too - I find pre-stringing too fiddly.
I had to come back and thank you SO MUCH for the chart instructions! I get it now! No wonder it wasn't turning out right! When I read your instructions it was like one of Oprah's "light bulb" moments! LOL!
Again...thank you so much. I don't mind frogging if I understand my mistakes. I think I might try and write out written instructions too so I won't mess up too bad or get confused which happens a lot! LOL!
You're a knitting angel!
I find the crochet hook method really easy when placing beads, they don't get in the way, and stay exactly where you want them too. And I love the yarn choice.
I completely agree with the pre-stringing beads issues. I did it for a project I'm almost finished with and it made me a little twitchy every time I had to pull more yarn out. It looks lovely though and the beads are hard to see but only so many things you can control, right?
The yarn is just lovely!
I like the look of these socks!
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