Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Cold and Warm

On the cold side, here is the battered old thermometer on the side of the garage, at 8:30 this morning:


-10º F. Yep, that's cold. (It climbed to 3 this afternoon, but now it's back down to 0.)

On the warm side, here is part of a sock.... (Wait - there should be trumpets and confetti - or at least an exclamation point. Part of a SOCK!)


Knitted by yours truly (!) according to the formula set out by Elizabeth Zimmermann in her iconic work Knitting Without Tears: Determine gauge; cast on enough stitches to fit around the ankle (must be divisible by 4 - the number of stitches, not the ankle), and work 2x2 rib to desired length.

The yarn is Cascade 220 wool from my stash, worsted weight as befits these first hesitant steps in hosiery-knitting (akin to the giant crayons we give toddlers when they are learning to colour). I'm cheating a bit with the needles, using two Size 5 and two Size 6 tips from my Denise Interchangeable kit. (I gave away my normal dpns to a niece years ago, and am unwilling to drive to another town to buy a proper set - from which you may infer that we live in a Knitting Desert, miles from any life-giving yarn and craft oases.) Working with two sizes of needles renders the tension less than perfect, but that's why we block things, right?

This afternoon I completed the first heel flap according to EZ (take half the stitches and knit in stockinette until you have a square, slipping the first stitch and purling the last, and knitting the first and last 4 stitches of every row).


Tomorrow, the Turning of the Heel (thunder and lightning, organ playing a minor chord).

Be sure to tune in for the next exciting installment of...

"Mrs. Micawber Knits a Sock"

(happy theme music)

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What are you working on? :)

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34 comments:

  1. Many "!!!!!!!" on your sock!!! Well done so far and I have no doubt that the rest will turn out lovely!! :) I admire your dexterity in the yarn arts!!

    Ummm....-10 degrees??? It's 81 here today, do you wanna come over??? :D

    And let's see, I'm working up some made-up (but not really because I've seen this thing before) circle-to-square grannies for a pillow for my daughter. They are a bit wobbly, but we'll make it work!! lol!! :)

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    1. Thanks, Laura! And don't even tell me what your temperature is. Too depressing to contemplate the massive difference. :)

      I think you should write a BLOG POST about your works in progress - hint hint.

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    2. Just to help you feel better I wanted to let you know that it is now raining. :( It was raining yesterday and will rain through the weekend. :(:( I feel better that you now know that it's icky here now!! :D

      Ha!! A blog post!! Yes, I might as well, I think in them all the time!!! lol!!!! Thank you for the encouraging words!! :):):)

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  2. Wow! A sock! Excellent! I am not a sock knitter, I try not to rain on a sock knitters parade and all, well in your case ice or snow on a parade, but they are not for me. You see I suffer from the dreaded second sock syndrome, which is worse than second sleeve syndrome. My Doctor has given strict orders no more sock knitting!
    Meredith

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    1. Yes, I can see that SSS might become a problem. This one is going along tickety-boo. But once it's done I might lose the momentum....

      How nice to have a doctor's note forbidding you to do something futile. ;)

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  3. Mrs. M, you are a hoot and a talented one at that! No socks or knitting for me - crochet, cross-stitch, art & crafts, making fun stuff with grandkids, whatever interesting bits I see that look exciting, thinking about buttons "something" at the moment. I shivered just looking at the thermometer even though it was cold enough to snow a bit here today. Good luck on the socks project.

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    1. Thanks, Sue! I hope to make some with proper sock yarn after conquering this pair. :)

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  4. Eeeeeeek that's cold, but warm inside knitting. You know I might actually start some knitting lessons...just checked into them last week. There's a group of gals that get together every Thursday at noon at a yarn shop and I'm thinking that could be fun maybe? I wish we lived close to each other so we could get together and knit....and crochet!

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    1. That sounds like a lot of fun - and I'd love to hang out with you and do yarny things. :)

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  5. I just finished a pair of crocheted socks, now back to learning to knit by working on a dishcloth. My goal is to someday be able to knit a sock. Great job on your sock!
    10 degrees here today

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    1. Dishcloths are a great starter project for knitting - useful and forgiving. :)

      Thanks Deb!

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  6. A sock! I've tried it and failed miserably hahaha! I'm knitting a cowl at the moment and my crochet project is a snowcrystal hexagon.

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    1. Ooh, that sounds fascinating. I hope you will post pictures when you're done. :)

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  7. I love the simplicity of EZ's sock knitting formula, I managed to conquer sock knitting on skinny dpn's about this time last year,it was a true victory for me indeed. I have never tried to knit chunky socks but they look so snug and quick! I am on the last few rows of a beanie for my hubby and have had to restrain myself from casting on a tea cosy that my mother in law has requested! x P

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    1. This one has been very quick so far - I thought it might ease the transition to skinny yarn and toothpick-sized dpns. :)

      How disciplined of you not to have more than one project going - I tend to have several at a time which can be very distracting.

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  8. hi, Mrs. Micawber! I'm glad to see you knitting socks:) I'm sure, they will come out nice :)And Of course, I'm excitingly waiting for their final performance!:)
    Have a great day and happy sock knitting!
    Anna

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  9. Whoooooooooeeeeeeeeee! That's cold, Babe!!!

    Soup on the stove, and knitting in the lap! :-) Betcha' you have both going.

    "Auntie"

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    1. Yes - only the soup was made the day before and is being reheated. :)

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  10. Way too cold for me, our daughter is in Minnesota this week for business and she says it's double digits below zero, I can't even imagine.
    I'm still working on an afghan that was supposed to be a Christmas present but still isn't done. It's just a lap afghan, if I were not so hyper and could sit still for more than 30 minutes at a time I might get it done.

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    1. Yes, it was nasty up there in Minnesota - colder than where we are.

      Have you thought of crocheting while walking or riding an exercise bike? :)

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  11. Your sock looks great, warm too. I made a pair of socks once, they are a bit big and baggy around the ankle area, but they do fit. I will try another pair for sure because I already bought the sock yarn.
    It is 15 here today with a wind chill of 9. I may or may not leave the house again today.
    Knitting does sound good right now.

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    1. These are the times that try men's noses (and women's) - and fingertips and earlobes too.

      Stay in and stay warm! :)

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  12. Ha ha I'm sure they are going to turn out perfectly, I'm afraid knitting with dpns and I don't get along, tried it and failed miserably, good luck with them I await next instalment with bated breath. Keep warm ! xx

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  13. 1/23...About 13:00EST...

    Oh please, tell me those are NOT deer tracks, in my present Header!!! I don't want deer to be prancing around, right in front of my house. Deer bring Deer Ticks and Lyme Disease!!!

    I hope the tracks, just look like deer tracks, 'cause I kind-of zoomed in a bit on them. Hope...

    No chance of them being just bunny rabbits?????????

    I hope. I hope. I hope.


    Auntie"

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    1. Now that you mention it (I just went back for a second look) they do look like bunny tracks. I thought they were the print of a cloven hoof - but I see now that the pattern is that of a rabbit hopping along and NOT four deer feet. Sorry about that!

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  14. Bravo!!! Keep up the good work! I have been coached through 4 pairs of socks, and want to make bunches more. Hope you get lots of knitting done especially while your weather is so cold!!!
    xx,
    Gracie

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    1. Thanks Gracie - I don't know if I'll make it to 4 pairs, but I have enough beautiful sock yarn on hand for at least 2 pairs. Must use it up! :)

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  15. You have me cracking up with your needles of a different size! Oh, if only I had known. I could have made sure you were matched up properly! (But I do think various tensions adds artistic flair and visual interest!)

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    1. They're close enough that I think it will all come out in the wash, so to speak. (And I confess I've done it before on other projects without ill effect.) But I'm sure that knitting purists would be horrified.... :)

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  16. You don't live in a knitting desert.....you can buy yarn in the next town! I have to drive to the city over two and a half hours away. Boh ho for poor little aul' me.
    Well saying that it's more like a knitting bog hole here:)

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  17. I'm know how to convert celcius to Fahrenheit, but I did have to double check I was right.....ouch, rather you than me, i've been moaning about far warmer temps!

    I think I would need more instruction in my patterns than yours, it sounds a little vague, my approach is far too sketchy to allow myself choice over number of stitches!

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  18. Yikes! That's way too cold for me. Maybe you should make those socks into full body stockings. Ha! Warm wishes, Tammy

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