

Yarn: handpainted, self-striping Deegu, produced by Adriana
Needles: Clover Takumi Bamboo dpns, US 2
Pattern: Naïve socks (This Must Be The Socks) by me, SpillyJane
Started: 4 June 2007
Finished: 22 June 2007
Notes: this was my first attempt at designing my own socks, which, while not that trying was a learning experience in itself. the first thing i learned from knitting two pairs of cabled socks all in a row is that cables wear out their welcome fairly fast. also, one will note that i (typically) took the "no mercy" approach and set the cabling bar at a fairly lofty height. now that i don't have to deal with those teeny tiny turned-more-often-than-i-care-to-relate cablets, i can sit back and appreciate them. earlier this week that wasn't so easy. (in their defense, though, those little guys were a handy way to keep track of rows--kinda like a built-in counter.) something tells me that these wee cablets aren't done haunting me yet.
shortly after finishing the first sock i began to panic a little, thinking, "okay, i've managed to muddle through one, now how am i going to be able to bang out a mirror image for sock no. 2?" i had been keeping insanely detailed notes (numbers, musings, concerns,) throughout the entire process, but it wasn't until sock no. 2 really started to come together that i was truly put at ease. it turns out that i can be incredibly logical number-wise when it comes to growing cables on a sock. thankfully. i don't even want to think what would've happened had no. 2 gone badly (actually, i do know what would've happened--i would've ripped and counted and studied sock no. 1 until i figured out what the CRAP had gone wrong and then i would've fixed it.)
using a self-striping handpaint for a intricate cabled sock was mainly because i was feeling dangerous, "the stripes seem to be wide enough, but if they're not, who cares?! let's see what happens if i do this..." i love the stripes, but i can't help but wonder what these would look like in a solid-coloured yarn. maybe i'll give that a shot...later. yes--MUCH later--i'm off cables for a good month or two at LEAST.
so there are the socks...and they are very truly naïve. i had no idea what they would look like finished, or even if the cables were going to twist or untwist at any given point. they just kind of...happened. i even stuck a "mistake" in, if you can even call it that if it's purposefully placed there on each sock--the central cable twists in the opposite direction only once about halfway down the leg. also, from what i understand, while she was creating the yarn Adriana tried her hand at over-dyeing the purple portions which resulted in a lovely variegated effect. all in all, these socks are a result of many a happy accident.
Fun Fact: these are my own socks. not "my own socks" like all the other socks i've knit are my own socks--these are different. while cables themselves are common and malleable enough, they've never been put together on a sock like this. i've created a new pattern that hadn't existed before and it's a really good feeling.
sharing something that i've made is an even better feeling! watch for this pattern to become available (in some capacity or other) here, soon!
Those really are stunning. I'm so impressed that you figured out that complicated pattern yourself and that you kept good enough notes to make the 2nd sock. I will definitely be making them one day.
ReplyDeleteThey look lovely! I am listening to Gen hand-felting a swatch in the other room, and I thought of you and your poor hands :)
ReplyDeleteJob well done ^_^. You have every right to be proud of your accomplishment, m'dear ^_~
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