Experimentations

If a knitter/crocheter never tries new things s/he becomes stagnant and most likely will get bored with what s/he's doing. I'm trying some new things in knitting.

I'm conducting a little experiment in short rows and knitting small circumferences using the magic loop method.

I'm making a slipper sock with worsted weight acrylic yarn. I've just done the heel in short rows and they look a bit holey and I've found out I didn't wrap them right, I wasn't reading the instructions right understanding how to do it, so on the next sock I'm going to try wrapping them right. I found a nice, clear explanation here. Why am I not just frogging the slipper back? I read a knitter should keep her mistakes so she can see what she did wrong and not to do the same thing again on another project. Besides, these are just practice and will only be worn by me around the house so looks aren't top priority. It's just acrylic yarn, if it was a gift in some insanely high-priced luxury yarn then yes, I would frog it back.

My next experiment will be the Japanese short row and the YO short row. I'll see which method I like in terms of ease and looks then use that on my next pair of socks.

Do I like the magic loop method? Yes, I do, the only thing I'll have to practice is getting it done without any ladders at the joins. I might try, as one person suggested, pulling the loop through at different places periodically or I'll just try to adjust my tension. I'm not sure which way would be faster, we'll see.

I do like the short row heel, it's faster and neater looking than the traditional heel flap/gusset so if I can find a method I like and can do without holes I might switch to that style of heel with all the socks I do.

Just FTR-my gauge with RHSS and #10-1/2, 29" Boye circular is 4 sts and 6 rows to 1"

My next experiment after this will be two socks on two circulars, I already know how to do one sock on two circulars so now it's time to try two, this time with sock yarn, or the equivalent. I still need to acquire two #2 circs in different lengths-might as well get different lengths, that way I don't have too many circs in one length.


If you haven't noticed, I kind of like NonaKnits, she's funny and explains things in a way that can be understood by almost anyone. You should give her blog a read and brush up on some techniques that you might have been afraid nervous about attempting before because you didn't understand exactly how to do them. You can find several tips and techniques linked on the right sidebar.

Pick up your needles and give something new a try, you won't regret it!

Edit: OK, I frogged it back, not because of the ugly heel but because it's a little too big for my foot. If I'm going to wear them they might as well fit. I tried it on-another reason I like magic loop or two circ methods and it was just too big enough that I decided to frog back.