Sunday, April 30, 2006

Mermaid and More Socks

Not much to say except that the Hanne Falkenberg Mermaid cardi is coming along nicely. It's fascinating to watch this sideways knit progress.


I really like the self edges - it's a technique that I will apply to other projects. Having said that, 171 stitch rows take FOREVER to knit, or so it seems, which is why I need sock knitting breathers.

Yes, I've cast on yet another sock. I decided to knit the Traveler's Sock from Knitting on the Road, using Brooklyn Handspun Hawaii Joy, and while it's great yarn, it's the thinnest I've ever knitted. The old term "knitting thread" really applies here! My hat's off to you lace knitters! The pattern recommends using 5 US 1 DPNs, which I find extremely awkward. I changed two of them to a Susan Bates circ, but they suck! The join grabs badly, worse than any other I've used. I changed back to the DPNs. I'm considering buying Addis but the yarn needs a sharper point and a surface from which the stitches will not slip. Crystal Palace bamboo circs are another choice, but I don't know. So...does anyone have recommendations for me?

I love the top border, though like a picot edge, I can't imagine that they will stay up. But hey. It's pretty, right?


I failed to read the instructions completely before starting and guess what surprised me when I turned the page? A CHART! OK, I can manage a chart even though it was totally unexpected. When I came to the end of the pattern on the 2nd needle I discovered an extra stitch. I decided to carefully mark the chart with post-its and tackle it the next day. Although I'm a bonafide Midnight Knitter, I really shouldn't be trying to follow a chart at 2:30AM. How did I learn this lesson? Well, Friday morning after knitting a few rows on Mermaid before showering for work, the last hem gusset looked to me as though it was larger than the previous ones. "To the frog pond," I thought! "I'll do it tonight." That evening I decided to count the rows, and, lo and behold it was exactly the same as the others. Don't try to knit when you're half asleep!

4 comments:

  1. I can always tell if a design is a Hanne Falkenberg. Her designs are so beautifully structured.

    Those kits cost A LOT of money though.

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  2. mermaid is looking good. I am eager to start. in NYC- dark (black) colors are always in fashion. kind of like NYC uniform...
    I relate to your late night knitting mishaps- I had to undo the top of the inside layer of my reversible hat when (the next day) I saw that my decreases were all over the place!. (that was an EASY pattern...)

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  3. That mermaid is looking wonderful!

    I use 2 addi circs when I use them, but keep in mind that they are 2.5mm and 3.0mm, instead of 2.75/3.25mm as they are usually found here in the US. The join is wonderful, I've never had a problem with the join.

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  4. Hey there - I see you've started socks and I wanted to let you know that this yarn will fluff up and bloom when you wash it and get even softer.

    ReplyDelete

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