This jumper is my first knitting project, made a few years ago. It's too short, has a lovely hole at the neckline, very dubious seams and the ribbing at the neckline is only saved by the fact that the wool makes it impossible to actually see the ribbing.
Then I found a cool sock pattern, and decided to give it a go. A bit of a baptism by fire. Having previously only knitted on hefty 15mm needles, with a wool that's very forgiving to stitch mistakes, I was now onto the far more involved task of a pair of socks.
Challenge 1 : 5 needles at once
Challenge 2 : Changing colour
Challenge 3 : Heels
Challenge 4 : Picking up stitches
Challenge 5 : Grafting the toe together with Kitchener stitch
Challenge 6 : Overcome second sock syndrome
A seemingly innocent sock (or 2) and suddenly a jumper with arms seemed so much nicer.
My first problem was when I realised that I clearly had way more leg than the pattern was written for, and that I was never going to get these near thighs, like the picture, so I had to chop a nice chunk out of the pattern, to make the socks knee length.
Then my cousin's girlfriend was knitting too at a family gathering and showed me a much faster way of knitting, holding the wool in the left hand, not the right (continental vs English knitting). This loosened my tension, which you can clearly see in the photo.
It turns out that changing colour is really easy, just knit the two colours together for a few stitches and drop the old one.
Heels involve what are known as short rows, knitting rows that don't fully stretch across the row to create shaping, these too aren't so bad.
Picking up stitches is just unclearly named, you just knit stitches through the loops on the edge you're working along.
Closing the toes is the cleverest thing ever! And second sock syndrome is easily solved when people keep asking how the socks are going.
With my socks finished, I thought I'd try cables. Again, these are a lot easier than they look. You're working on a giant rib basically, which then turns into the strands of the plait you want. To get a crossover with strands 3 stitches wide, you put 3 stitches onto a cable needle, and then put that in front or behind your work, knit the next three stitches and then the three on the cable needle. Work a few more rows of just a normal rib, and then cable again. Simple! Especially when I'm not explaining it!
Next is Lolita Toes, an adventure in lace knitting, which knits up really quickly and looks really cool. This sock is worked from the toes up, rather than the cuff down like the last one, so I had to learn a new cast on, the figure of eight cast on. I much prefer toe up socks because I hate casting on! Currently suffering from a combination of SSS and impending Christmas present knitting.
Along came halloween, and I made myself a lovely hallowig, complete with go faster stripe. People have a habit of not keeping a straight face when I'm wearing it, and as it's lovely and warm, it's now keeping dad's head warm when he goes for his evening cigarette outside. I learnt a new bind off, the three needle bind off, and also learnt how to knit small circular things using two circular needles, rather than a collection of double points.
I've made myself a lacy-ish red scarf, for the pricey sum of about 30p, using some cheap acrylic stuff from wilkinsons. Mum's also getting a red scarf, made with a knit and purl pattern.
My next project is a pair of socks for my brother for Christmas/birthday. For some reason, I've decided to dye some self striping wool, which will give me stipes automatically as I knit. More on that here.
I used to be able to knit, now I think I can call myself a knitter (and work on the old staged badges before they disappear completely!)
