Saturday, May 31, 2008

Meilenweits for May

Whoa, where did May go? The end of the month kind of snuck on me. Luckily I had a pair of socks just waiting for the final toe so I could get them in for the May entry in the Sock-a-Month KAL.

When word came down in Sock Madness that one of the designs would use Japanese Short Rows in the heel, I thought I'd better practise them ... just in case, you know. Turns out they are fairly easy to work.

The best tutorial on the net seems to be over at nonaKnits. She uses a safety pin around the working yarn to help identify the strand you use to close up the gap. This probably works a treat if you're doing short row shoulder shaping, but when you have as many turnings as you do in a sock heel, I think it would be a bit awkward. I just used a strand of waste yarn and flipped it back and forth under the working yarn as I did the heel, and it worked out quite well.

The technique is fairly easy to work. The join is quite stretchy, much stretchier than my usual Sherman heel, but I found it was also a bit less solid.


I'm not sure that I'm ready to make a complete switch, but it's nice to have another technique under the belt.

This is the first time I've used this yarn. It's ... ok. It was fairly loosely twisted, so I had to be careful not to split the stitches. There were a few spots that were a bit on the fluffy side and one where I think one strand had broken but I didn't notice until I was past the point of worrying about it. If you're fussy about matching stripes, this probably isn't your best choice. The colour changes are very gradual, and I'm not even sure I can identify a repeat after having knit both socks.

21 people had something to say:

Anonymous said...

Those socks are great! I love how the color changes and the heels look great.

Plain Jane said...

I'm working with Vinca yarn (color #10) from Julia's Crafts on Etsy that has the same type of long color changes so I'm not sure if my socks will match either. I'm going to start the second one today.

Opal said...

Love that heel! I might have to try that one myself.

I can't believe how quickly May went by either. Whoosh!

Anonymous said...

I hesitated reading your blog today when it showed up on Bloglines...your sock posts are crack and often end up in my sock queue on Ravelry! You enabler you.

Anonymous said...

ETA: BTW thankfully today's post included a "vanilla" sock and my sock queue breathed a sigh of relief.
Congrats on completing another Sock A Month pair!!

fleegle said...

Yum! Very delicious socks! The heel is interesting, too. Very attractive. The yarn looks something like Vinca, doesn't it?

Sarah said...

I had the same experience with the yarn. I do love the gentle color shift, however, but I'm not sure that makes up for the splittiness factor.

I'm glad to hear the Japanese short rows aren't that hard! That's definitely a technique I will need to try.

Kiki said...

The colour changes are very subtle, the socks look great!

Anonymous said...

Wow, those look like socks from the store!

Kay-From the Back Yard said...

Another handsome pair! The heel is very interesting and it's good to know that it's fairly easy.

Nana Sadie said...

I love these tweedy yarns, but you know, they are splitty! Nice socks, in spite of it, Dave!
(((hugs)))

Jennifer said...

Very handsome socks! I've knit with Megaboot Stretch and enjoyed the color changes. I don't care about matching stripes though.

Anonymous said...

Your heel looks perfect!

Alwen said...

Now I want to knit my Meilenweit!. It's black plied with variegated red to orange. Wonder if that will be too dark for June knitting.

turtlegirl76 said...

Love the subtle transition in colors. Very noro without actually BEING Noro.

Anonymous said...

Ha! I guessed right! I have some of that Boot Stretch in a Brown/Green colorway...I so am knitting some socks from it now. (nice job, by the way:) I'll have to check out that heel)

Ang

Virtuous said...

Very interesting on the Japanese short row technique and the yarn....mmmh It likes nice knitted up though! :o)

And yes! I wanted to call May - March "In like a Lion out like a Lamb"!

Teyani said...

stunning socks - love the muted color changes.
short row heels??? gack.. they scare me - haven't tried them (yet)

LaurieM said...

That sock heel is impeccable. I can't do that. I'm going to have to look up that technique.

BTW - It is thanks to your advice that I even knit myself socks with short row heels. I always put a little gusset in and they fit great. Thanks!

lexa said...

They're very pretty socks! I love the soft colors.

MRS MJW said...

They are not only handsome...they look soooo comfy.