I'm having a love/hate relationship with the Venetian Blinds pattern....I had a rocky start, first with the "Magical" cast on for toe-up socks on DPNs. It's just so fiddly. I find a Turkish cast on easier and tidier. So I tried it as written, got annoyed and ripped back to restart.
Next up were the toe increases which are written as lifted increases. Again, I found this very fiddly especially in my first few rounds with somewhat splitty yarn, so I tried it as written, got annoyed and ripped back to redo them as M1s.
On the other hand the gusset, the heel "cap" and the heel are fun as written and quite different than anything I've done before. I was also very relieved to find them all charted, because at 16 pages long the pattern is kind of tiring. The heel architecture is inspired by Cat Bordhi from her "New Pathways for Sock Knitters". I HAVE this book and haven't knit a single thing from it, so I'd better start thinking about that too.
A 16 page sock pattern?!?!? Yeah, it caters to beginners with lots of tips and tutorials but my goodness there's a lot to wade through just to get at the actual pattern. And even when you find the pattern, the instructions for different sizes are written out in separate boxes rather than standard form of indicating sizes by parentheses. If it were up to me the instructions would be much simplified and abbreviated; the rest would be shifted into an optional "tips, tutorials and tricks" download.
Ah well, I'm more than half way through sock one, and sock two should be easy enough with sock one under my belt. Aside from the gusset and heel it's a pretty vanilla pattern which knits up pretty quickly. Seems to me that I may just be able to finish this August project within the targeted calendar month! Even better if I manage them a bit quicker, because Nain awaits!
2018 Paper Bag Project - August, September, October, November and December
Twisted Flower Socks - using Hikoo CoBaSi yarn in Egyptian Blue
Feny Socks - using Lang Jawoll Superwash in turquoise and chocolate
Pattern TBD - using unknown variegated red yarn
Diamondback Socks - using Songbird Fibers Sock in Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Venetian Blinds Socks - using Shelridge Yarns 80/20 Merino in Mint and Linen
Full Skeins from stash
Somewhere Socks - using Mountain Colour mini set
Pairfect Socks - using Regia Pairfect
Mood - using unknown variegated blue yarn
Kazak - using unknown tonal purple yarn
Harris Tweed Socks - using Wollemeise self-striping green/gold/red yarn
Large (more than 50 grams) and Small (less than 50 grams) scraps from stash
Salor - in various tan, orange and brown small scraps
Vanilla Bean Striped Socks - in various colourful small scraps
Squircle Socks - in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
Escape Reality Socks - in various colourful scraps plus something neutral from large scraps
Bill Huggins - in various scraps
Mosaic Marbles socks - using Langwoll Magic Dégradé scraps with black (or white)
Checkbox Socks - using large scraps
Stash Buster Spiral Socks - using various scraps in green?
Hearty Stripey Socks - using various scraps
Double Heelix Socks - using leftovers from Feny Socks
Nain - using large scraps of Stretch Bamboo in light blue
Jelly Rolls - using all the leftover Stretch Bamboo in various colours
9 comments:
I really like the instep gusset patterning on those socks they lok like they fit quite well too.
I don't know sock anatomy, but looking up some pictures, I'm thinking what I'd call the instep is what is the gusset? It's beautiful on these socks. I also love the striping you're doing. I hope you like the second one better than the first. They'll make a pretty pair of socks.
That heel gusset IS very interesting and very pretty.
I think switching up the cast on and increases to what you like and prefer was probably a good thing. I do love the look of the gusset and heel and I like the striping you have going on, and I think when the second is done they will look very striking but 16 pages! even for a beginner sock that is a whole lot of excessive, confusing if you are searching for the pattern, and somewhat wasteful of paper if you are a print em out person.
I agree with you about the fiddly cast on. I will have to look up the one you recommend. The instep looks so lovely and it seems that lately on the sock patterns I get are 10-15 pages!! Crazy to print out and wade through for sure. I love following you sock adventures.
Love them! The gusset looks lovely and the stripes perfect.
Love the gusset on those socks and the yarn is pretty too.
oooh.....I like those socks and they sound very interesting except for that beginning part. Love the colors you chose and the Nain socks are awesome! You have some beautiful socks going on there!
It looks really neat that heel area.
Post a Comment