Monday, August 27, 2007

For Alana.....


I was going to leave this in comments but it started to get a little long. If you are that unhappy then you should rip the sock out. I don't think it is you, I think the yarn is too soft. Sock yarn should have some gumption to it. Even if it is sold as sock yarn it looks to soft. Save it for a baby project. Try the Lion Brand sock yarn or a washable wool. Sock yarn needs to have a solid hand or it won't knit up correctly. Now for the hole at the top of the gusset: It is always a problem for every sock knitter. I do this simple fix: Pick up two extra stitches at the top of the gusset. You look for the horizontal thread between the first instep stitch and the heel flap stitch. Insert needle into the left half of the heel flap stitch and pick up 1 stitch; then pick up the right half of the first instep stitch from the row below the stitch on the needle. Both of these stitches are on the gusset needle. Do the same on the other side of gusset. These two extra stitches are worked together on the first gusset round. This sounds complicated but it is not. Follow the directions along as you are doing it. Sock knitting is a crap shoot. You have to start slow and work your way up to success. You can do it! Don't be discouraged. And if you find you still have a little hole at the gusset, well, no one said you couldn't sew it closed with invisible thread.

An after thought: to reinforce areas of sock that wear out quickly there are several tricks:
1. Use a reinforcement thread sold at yarn stores along with the sock yarn in the pertinent areas.
2. Go down one size smaller needle for that area of the sock.
3. Work a 3-stitch garter border in heel flap.

I hope this will help you. Hang in, I think you sock looks good!

3 comments:

AllyB said...

That's a great picture Donna! And that's some great advice. I believe I'll be trying that on my next sock.

Cass said...

Anyone else think Donna deserves a big smooch on the face for being so helpful!?!? I'm so glad you're here Donna! Thank you.

Alana said...

Thank you so much, Donna, for the advice. I'll be frogging very soon. It's really helpful to have someone with some sock experience in the group to help out the rest of us.

Now the only question, Cass, is what will I be drinking as I rip?? Being the creature that I am, 'twill be either strong coffee or some kind of latte!!