Two Socks, 5+ Needles

Knitting two socks at the same time can be time-saving, fun, frustrating, complicated, may as well have knitted them one at a time. Let's just say the first time using a challenging new technique can test anyone's patience, but with a bit of perseverance the finished project brings satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment, or at least relief knowing you are not obligated to do it again.

This was not my first time knitting two socks at once. I've used two circular needles, cuff down more than once. As long as you don't have a pattern that shifts and eventually you have to knit two together at the point where you stop knitting on sock 1 to knit sock 2, then it isn't bad. Yet instead of choosing this method, I picked up the double pointed needles because I heard it was possible to knit two socks simultaneously with this new-to-me technique. 

Unless you want to drive yourself crazy, you'll need two sets of double pointed needles to cast-on. If you are going to be ribbing, I suggest doing the ribbing for each sock before setting up your stitches on one set of needles. Cleverly, I just started knitting as I set up the stitches. This was challenging and didn't save any time. Plus, ribbing both socks took a lot more concentration than just straight stockinette stitch. Whenever you decide to combine, I suggest slip a stitch from sock 1, slip a st from sock 2, and repeat until you are good to go.

Once you get to the stockinette stitch, it is easy if you can knit Continental and American-English style. There is a wonderful rhythm to the knitting. If you can't do both, you'll have to constantly drop one yarn and pick up the other. It is a fantastic project to practice the technique, but it will require concentration, especially if you are using just one color of yarn.

So, what could possibly go wrong? One of the problems I was having at the beginning of the project was the yarn snagging. It meant there were little strands that connected the socks. Now, as long as the strands are not substantial, you can just pull the two socks apart with no real damage done. But if you get a good portion of the strand you'll have to rip out or drop a stitch to correct it. Even worse, you might start knitting sock 2 with the yarn from sock 1 and not realize it, like I did. Just dropping a stitch will only frustrate you; you'll have to rip it out. The good news is that this provides the perfect opportunity to just knit the socks one at a time. Or you could be like me and put the socks back together. Persevere!

The heel was interesting. Turns out purling is not as smooth as the knitting, and since I used a slipped stitch in my heel pattern I found myself trying to correct the slipped stitches when I got to them. When you get to decrease, you have to do the heels separately anyway, so there isn't a need to knit them at the same time.

The toes are the fun part because you get to pull those socks apart and see if you've don't it right. One of my socks was slightly smaller than the other, but not drastic enough to call them different sizes. I knit a bit more snug American-English style. I had suspected this, but now I have proof.

Here are some tips if you'd like to try two socks at once on double pointed needles.

1. Different colors will make it easy to see which yarn belongs to which sock. Use a nice striping yarn and compare a good amount to make sure you won't end up with too much same-color overlap. If you use the same color, always put the yarn for the inside sock on the same side every time, and tuck that yarn inside the project whenever you take a break. Marking the label is a good idea as well.
2. Stockinette stitch was the easiest and fastest for me, so I'd recommending doing the ribbing first and then set up both socks on one set of needles. If you are doing toe-up you'll have to do the toes separately before combining.
3. Consider doing an afterthought heel. Remember to use two bits of scrap yarn, one for each sock.
4. Make sure the yarn you pick doesn't split. One of the biggest problems I had was little strands connecting the socks because the yarn split. Once I had the technique down this did not happen, but I sure wish I had used a less finicky yarn for my first try.

Bow Ties Are Cool

I don't even remember what prompted me to search for knitted tied patterns, but it was during that search that I stumbled across the Eleventh Bow Tie. I did modify the pattern a smidgen. I added a couple border stitches to the end of each row, slipped the first stitch of every row, and wrote out the changes decreasing and increasing had on the linen stitch pattern. The results are quite nice.

It is worth noting that yarn I used, Marathon Socks--North Pole, turned out to be a bit scratchy. This is part of the reason the bow is tied so loose in the picture. It would work best with a collared shirt. My son has agreed to wear the bow tie at least once more if we can find a shirt that he will be able to wear with it. He has also said that he might wear a green one made of softer yarn.

I'm glad I kept knitting

My sweater is done! The pattern I used is Twisted Rib Cardigan which I found in the Knit Simple Holiday 2008 magazine. One thing I found with the pattern was the arms are really long, even taking into account the cuffs are meant to be folded back. This presented a challenge for me as I knit both arms at the same time, which meant I had them completed and one of them sewn on before realizing I wasn't going to be able to make the length work for me. Since I used stripes instead of one solid color, it was interesting to take out the top portion of each sleeve, adjust the increases so it would seam properly, and still shorten them at least a couple of inches. It worked, but I wish I had done it before I began working on the sleeves.

One of the tricks I used in knitting this sweater was to use wool that would felt. This kept the project in my comfort level, as if I ended up with something too large (which has happened every time I've tried to knit a sweater previously), I could felt it a bit. Well, it turns out I had sized it pretty well. As a result, I had another dilemma. I wanted to at least felt the garment a little bit so all those ends would be a bit more secure. Throwing all caution to the wind, I headed to the washing machine. Since the water was warm and not hot, and I was too chicken to put in more than the teensiest bit of soap, not much felting happened. So, I opted for the dryer option, no heat. And once it was merely damp, I discovered it had stretched a bit. It all turned out wonderful in the end because I put it back in the dryer, this time with some heat. Checking it  every minute, it shrunk up to a fit I was happy with, and I laid it flat to dry the rest of the way.

Another benefit of felting was how much more I liked the seams after it was done. The front, in particular, went from being adequate to being really nice. The results most likely would have been similar if I had blocked the project, but felting was so much less labor intensive.

Quick knits

Whenever I need a quick little project I whip up a garter stitch scarf. Using a worsted weight or bulky yarn, I cast on 12 to 14 stitches and knit to the desired length or until I run out of yarn. Repetitive and lulling can be a nice break after a few complex or particularly time consuming projects.

That was easy

Well, not so much easy as less time intensive than I anticipated. The Desert Poncho, a free pattern from Lion Brand Yarn, turned out pretty nice in one color with just one row of fringe. The problem was it didn't drape properly. The bottom from and back curled up and out into a strange triangular shape. Not that I wanted extra work, but I knew I wouldn't wear it if I didn't fix the problem. So I unraveled three or four inches, shoved the work back on circular needles, and knitted up a seed stitch border. It isn't perfect, but it is close enough. I didn't expect to finish it up yesterday, but since I spent most of the day hovering near the iguana to make sure she wouldn't need another trip to emergency, I had time and nervous energy.

I had thought that I used an entirely different yarn for the pattern and that caused the problem. Turns out, I used the yarn called for, as well as the same needle size. Sometimes you just have to improvise and change things.

For my next trick

Today, I plan on fixing up one of the ponchos I knit. Because I used an entirely different yarn than the pattern called for, it did not turn out quite right. Unfortunately for me, I did not post the project on Ravelry, so I have to guess what size needles I used. It is also going to take a bit of patience to get all the stitches back on the needles, as there are a large number of them. Look for an update in the next week if all goes well.

Project updates

I've been doing a lot recently. I finally finished my spider socks for Gregory.

I learned that it's pretty easy to add a design to a basic sock pattern and have it turn out great. Purling in the round on two circulars is just as easy as easy as knitting in the round, but I have to keep tension when I switch needles to avoid getting a 'ladder'.

My cabled gloves are also done. The hardest part was figuring out how to make the left glove properly since the pattern did not make it clear.

Now I have gloves, a hat, and a scarf all in the same color! And since brown goes with just about any color, I should be set no matter what color coat I end up with for next winter.

So, I'm still in the middle of several projects. I've got a blanket I'll probably be working on slowly when the weather isn't too warm. Plus, I'm trying toe-up socks with the yarn left over from making the spider socks. I still need to finish up the spider bag. And I've started to crochet Benny the Monkey. I did this pattern once before so I know it will turn out great.

Finally Finished

It feels like I've spent every spare moment of the last two weeks working on my Ravelympics project: Mrs. Weasley's Bag of Stitch Witchery by Alison Stewart-Guinee, from the Charmed Knits book. I changed a few little things in the pattern. First, I used size 7 needles instead of size 5. This was because I hoped to felt the project. I got the front and back panels finished easily. The side panels took much longer because the pattern kept increasing and decreasing. The effect was fantastic, but the process of knitting it was tedious. When it came time to join the panels, I decided not to do the three needle bind off, picot edging. Instead, I simply crocheted the panels together using the purple yarn instead of adding a forth color. The facing was easy enough. The bottom threw me for a bit of a loop. I started out with the decreases in the wrong place. Fortunately I noticed after two rounds, but I still had to rip out more than 400 stitches. And I misunderstood the bind off, had to rip that out and redo it. I improvised some handles, knit with size 5 needles in a seed stitch.



Then came the moment of truth. I decided that yes, I was going to felt it. Having never felted before, I wasn't sure how it would turn out or if I would like it. I'm sure I checked everything much more than I needed to, but I ended up being happy with the results. After folding each piece for the handle over, sewing them, turning them inside out, and sewing them onto the bag, I was finally finished!

Must knit faster...

Ah, so the bag I picked to knit for the Ravelympics is taking more time than anticipated. The front and back panels went quickly, but the side panels are taking forever. In fact, I'm only now just completing one of them. And I still have to get them connected, knit the bottom and facing, and figure out exactly what to do for handles and if I am going to line it or not. What am doing blogging? Must knit faster...

Blankets for Christmas!

I was able to get three blankets done in time to give away as Christmas presents. One was knit with Patons Mosaic yarns. I was quite pleased with the result. It took the most time of the three.



The other two were the Waterfall Throw from the Lion Brand Yarn website. Since they were made with the ridiculously large crochet hook, they were finished rather quickly.





As if that was not enough of the blanket mania, I'm crocheting a zigzag pattern. Plus I'm working on sewing some square together. My next project should be something different.

So, what have I been doing?

I've been knitting and crocheting.

My knitting has been socks lately. I whipped up a couple pair for me, and now I'm stalled on a pair for my husband. But I shall resume work shortly on those. Once I finish up the first, the second should go quickly.

Here is a picture of one of the socks I made two at a time on circular needles.


Here is my Socks A La Carte creation:


The past couple of weeks I've been crocheting up a storm. Well, more like a picnic. My son took a liking to crocheted food items and I've been going to town.


And, I crocheted a monkey. Monkey, monkey, monkey!

Socks A La Carte

Ah, the joy of knitting socks. So many books to choose from, so little time. Here is my take on the book Socks A La Carte by Jonelle Raffino.

At first glance, this book is awesome. I love the flip chart, I love the variety of patterns presented, and the book seems easy to navigate. So I check it out from a local library. Then I dive right in and start knitting a pair of socks.

This is where the enchantment ends and the reality sets in. The first problem I encounter is how difficult it is to see some of the stitch patterns. I pick one at random, and though it turns out to be a nice pattern, it has a lot more texture than the photograph shows. A bit frustrating as I now understand to really see what the patterns look like, I'll have to knit them up. So the flip section of the book is less useful.

The next frustration is the lack of explanations about different toes and heels. I've only tried a short row heel, so I want to try something new. With no real explanations on when it might be useful to use a band heel (to continue a color pattern or if you don't want a gusset) I pick it at random, and it turns out I don't like it. With better descriptions, I would have picked a different heel to try.

Another problem with this book is a misprint in one of the patterns. The Origami Heel pattern is completely wrong. The reason it irks me so much is that I spot the mistake as soon as I glance through the pattern, even though I've never knit anything remotely resembling this heel. It is 18 lines of the pattern that is wrong, not just a couple.

Well, just when you think I have nothing good to say about the book, I do give it an average rating. For experienced sock knitters looking for a bit of variety, this might be a good book. It is packed full of ideas and I like the format of the book.

I would not recommend it to a beginning sock knitter.

Not quite finished yet

I know this looks deceptively close to finished. But I have to take a bit of a break from the project after all the sewing I've done to get the zipper in place.  You may not be able to tell, but this is Sackboy.  A cute little video game character.  My son doesn't even know the game, and he has already asked if he can have him.  After all the sewing to get the zipper on, I'm not sure I'll want to give him up.

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Flower Time

Here are my creations for the Cuyahoga Falls Knit & Hook Group's flower exchange.  I did a project for both the afternoon and evening group.

The first project came about when I saw a pattern for a small bag with a leaf pattern down the center front.  I went ahead and did the pattern on the back as well (why make it simple?).  Then I added some little flowers to the front.  Overall, I'm very happy with the outcome.  The drawstring is a crochet chain instead of ribbon.




The next project came about the opposite way.  I started with a crochet flower, then wanted to add it to a plain pouch.  When I started knitting the pouch, it turned out quite by accident to be credit card size.  I'm thinking I may do some of these little pouches with flowers or other decorations for gifts. 

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Handmade Touch

Today I finished up my knitted rug.  It has been my in between projects project for around a month now.  Garter stitch can be a bit boring to work, but the results are wonderful.  I love the way the colors turned out.  I used a 12 oz skein of Bernat Handicraft Cotton in natural brown tones. 

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Gnome in my Kitchen

I'm so excited.  I got to make a knitted toy from Irresistible Gifts to Knit by Alan Dart.  The pattern is quite simple and I love the fact that that there are all kinds of tips including illustrations to show you how to do the techniques needed to finish the projects.




The original pattern called for sewing the hat on, but Gregory insisted it should have eyes. So I improvised a bit. I also made the hat a wee bit smaller and shaped the top by stuffing the yarn tails into it.

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Knitted Cap

Third time really is a charm. I was stuck on what project to do next. Finally, I decided on a hat. Simple enough. There was even a pattern I thought would be perfect. But alas, all was not well with my crochet mojo. So I ripped it out early on and started another pattern. The hat was near completion, but I remained unpleased. Frogged again! Just when I thought there was no light at the end of the tunnel, it hit me. And, no, I don't mean the train. Knit instead of crochet. It was genius! So, I now present the knitted cap:

Pumpkin glory

In a flurry of knitting and crocheting, I created a pumpkin patch:



It won me the cute scarecrow next to it!

A gift...

This is a pretty little hat and scarf set that I knit for my friend's daughter. I'm not sure if the hat fits right, since it was improvised and it was a hot day so she didn't try it on right when I gave it to her. It looks cute on the teddy bear in any case. The hat and scarf were knit from Bernat Boa yarn.

puzzling poncho

I finished the poncho I was working on for Gregory. There were suppose to be arm holes, but since they ended up in the wrong place I sewed them up and there are simply no arm holes. It turned out the right size and darn cute if I do say so myself.

Incidentally, I also finished up a puzzle last week. It is a 1,000 piece shaped dragon puzzle. Yeah, it took a while. Longer than the poncho did.