New Knit-a-Long

kat7914 wrote

on Jul 24, 2009 7:44 PM

I have been enjoying reading all the helps and tips for knitting lace.  THank you everyone for all the great tips.

I finished my second sock but it's the first sock of the pair I will keep.  I'm going to tear out the first one that I didn't like the toe on.  I did a little different toe on this pair and didn't use Cookie's.  It was too pointed for my feet.

I have a bit of news, also.  I promote Red Heart yarns or Coats and Clark on my blog and they saw it!  THey asked me to be the home page feature on their web site for the month of August.  I am so excited!

Kathy A.

www.knitandcrochetpatternchat.blogspot.com

onceanddone wrote

on Jul 24, 2009 9:14 PM

Terry E.,

I have fixed the problem, and was able to go on to almost finishing the pattern to start the heel of my 1st sock.  The life line is really helpful.  You never need to go back further than the life line.  I put one after each finished pattern repeat. 

You go girl.  I am glad people are still joining the KAL.  This has really been fun and helpful.  Did you make the heel as the pattern suggested or did you do the more traditional double thickness?  I am still trying to decide.

Diane H.

skcobb wrote

on Jul 25, 2009 9:59 AM

The pattern for the bear bunting is in the Sirdar Snowflake Chunky 3928 pamphlet

forthwrite wrote

on Jul 25, 2009 12:09 PM

Very helpful suggestions re. keeping your place in a pattern. I'll try them!

Kak: the 2-at-a-time book guides you through a pair of toddler-sized socks by way of introduction to the method. It's a basic sock and moves fast--except that you have to do it all over again to get matching socks. See, it helps to use different colored yarns the first time through to keep everything straight (I used pink and red super-wash merino). Fortunately, I know a lot of toddlers! (And they don't mind the "first time" mistakes.)

As for the monkey socks: I have to rip them back to the cuffs. I'm far enough into the first repeat to see that the pattern just isn't coming out right. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. The very first V looks good, then it goes all cattywumpus.

zeldabows wrote

on Jul 25, 2009 1:31 PM

Congratulations to you!!  Quite the honor.  Take a bow!!!!  It is quite an honor to know they are reading your blog.  Now I am going to go read it myself!!!

kat7914 wrote

on Jul 25, 2009 6:11 PM

Yes, it is a huge honor and I can't wait.  "bow bow"  LOL  You just never know who's reading your blog but I am so honored, too, that they were.

I'm on the heel of my third sock!  Didn't like the first one, remember, but loved the second one so am making a mate for it.  I could finish in a couple days.  Maybe I'll get my laptop back soon and can post a photo.

Kathy

ladyjanet wrote

on Jul 26, 2009 11:51 AM

I ripped mine out too after about the third repeat.  I added stitches to make it bigger, and it was WAY too big when I tried it on.  I wasn't happy with the twisted rib either, so I'm doing a 2x2 rib.  I did an all knit monkey the first time too, and I think I'll do the purls this time.  It will help me keep track of where I am on the pattern better.  I did like the looks of the all knit though.  Maybe on my second pair!  I restarted and finished the rib at the movies, while waiting for Public Enemy to start... another chance to knit in public!

flamoonlove wrote

on Jul 26, 2009 6:45 PM

Some of you have mentioned that your pattern didn't look right... well mine didn't look right either, and I finally figured out what I was doing wrong  This is the first time I ever tried following a lace chart, and I had a litle trouble getting the hang of reading from the bottom up, and right to left.  So, I had my K2togs and my SSKs reversed.  That definately makes the pattern look funny.  Now I've finally got that straighted out - and I'm finally thrilled with my 3rd sock, which I'm making from ripping out the first one I made.  The second sock is half done the wrong way, so needless to say, I have some more frogging to do before this pair is finished. 

What a fabulous learning experience!

xteech37 wrote

on Jul 26, 2009 6:51 PM

Hi, Canada Sue!

I printed out the pattern from knitty.com and Cookie A.  talks about how she had to give in and make this sock because she was so obsessed by the idea she had  to get the "monkey off her back"; she is pictured lying on the floor with someone's foot on her back and on the foot are the monkey socks!  I had asked the same question about the name & when I read this I had an "A-ha!" moment.

Barbara P.

xteech37

kat7914 wrote

on Jul 26, 2009 7:18 PM

You made me want to go take another look at my lace.  However, I didn't think it looked wrong.   When I first started, I started at the top of the chart because I wasn't used to using charts either.  Then I realized what I had done.  Some charts, I'm not sure if it's just knitting or crocheting or what, but some have you  work right to left one row and and then left to right on the next row.  Not sure why but you have to do it that way when it's written that way

.  When you look at a chart you can see where the numbered rows are.  If they're on the right only and bottom up, that's how you work the chart.  THat's what I do.  If the numbers alternate right and left, then that's how you work the chart.  I could be wrong but that's what I deduced!  Like that word?  LOL  Sorry, I'm hungry.

Kathy

kat7914 wrote

on Jul 26, 2009 7:19 PM

Barbara,

I remember seeing that photo but didn't take the time to read the story.  I should go do that.

Kathy A

onceanddone wrote

on Jul 27, 2009 9:00 AM

Normally you read a chart from right to left and then line 2 is left to right, because that is the way you knit.  Row one is right to left and row 2 is left to right.  And always bottom to top, again it is the way you knit.  I did learn however from Kathleen that when it is in the round you knit from right to left all the way, because you don't knit a wrong side.  And of course bottom to top.  Thanks Kathleen!!   I learned from a friend that the way to tell the k2tog and ssk 's apart fast, is that the k2tog' sslant to the right so the symbol slants to the right,  the ssk's slant to the left so the symbol on the chart slants to the left.  (Hope I got that right off the top of my head, I am a lefty and do everything backwards, so I always refresh myself on which one slants in which direction before starting the pattern.)

Congrats Kathy!!!  That is great they are reading your blog.  I guess you never know who is watching.  I almost forgot ... I use life lines too. I just 'sew' in a small (usually a crochet thread ...purl cotton #5... in a contrasting color) thread when I have finished the last row of the pattern repeat while it is still on the needles. If I mess up in the , I never have to go any further that the life line., Oh

Diane H.

Kathleen Cubley wrote

on Jul 27, 2009 10:55 AM

kat7914:

I have a bit of news, also.  I promote Red Heart yarns or Coats and Clark on my blog and they saw it!  THey asked me to be the home page feature on their web site for the month of August.  I am so excited!

Kathy A.

www.knitandcrochetpatternchat.blogspot.com

Kathleen Cubley wrote

on Jul 27, 2009 11:00 AM

My LYS in Spokane, and many I've shopped at in Seattle, will take yarn returns, but only on unused skeins. The Spokane shop will also hold back yarn and let you buy it a skein at a time. So fire up the RV and get out here and we'll knit together, one skein at a time!

barbara j wrote

on Jul 28, 2009 11:29 AM

I have never knitted socks, but I have some lovely yarn that I think would look best in a PLAIN sock - no fancy patterns - think LLBean ragg socks (only not so heavy).  I am unable to find a plain sock pattern on your website - can you recommend something?  I like to see the look of the yarn itself, unadorned by patterns.  also, it would be easier for a beginning sock knitter, hm?

bj