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Monthly Archives: February 2009
Knitting with Beads
General Knitting Questions, January '09 Kit Questions, Warning Spoilage | February 03, 2009
There were a few questions on Ravelry about doing beads strung on with Magic Loop method. I made a quick video of it and it seemed to help some knitters so i’m just going to repost it here for knitters who aren’t on Ravelry.
Notes from a test knitter
Notorious Sock Knitters | February 02, 2009
Hello!
It looks like most of you have received your kits and are enjoying Sivia’s lovely pattern!
Tina asked me to write a few words about knitting these socks, as I was one of the first to knit them as the test knitter.
I love Sivia’s designs. Winter’s Eve was my favorite pair of socks from the first year. I think this pattern has so many interesting elements in it. The tubular cast on was new to me. I was very pleased with how it turned out. It provides a very tidy and elastic cuff. I really liked how the pattern moved into the heel flap and then flowed into a slip 1 knit 1 pattern. I found the motifs to be memorizable and the socks to be a fairly quick knit…making it a winner in my book! I knit the large socks and found them to fit a large foot quite well. I think these socks have a bit more ease in them than other socks because of the beads.
Just a few words about the test knitting. We have really worked hard to get the test knitting down to a science. What does that mean? I take receipt of the yarn and a copy of a near final draft of the pattern. I wind off the yarn and split it into two balls of equal weight. I confirm needle size and gauge with that of the pattern and that the finished sock size seems appropriate. These socks were particularly fun to knit as the beads livened things up! There is a different rhythm to the knitting when beads are on board. I found it easiest to slide the beads down far enough to have enough yarn free of beads to work the bead-free motifs without interruption. I then pushed up enough beads to work the beaded sections without interruption. I live with a very sweet and large-footed-test-wearer who lets me slide the socks on and off (repeatedly!) to test the fit during the most intense moments of every drama being watched on TV! I’m told whether the socks need to be longer or shorter, tighter or looser. While knitting each pattern, I also make sure the pattern instructions are easy to follow, and I proof the pattern looking for any errors, which are few and far between as JC really rocks! I had a blast knitting these socks, and I hope all of you enjoy knitting them, too.
I’ll be keeping close tabs after the arrival of each sock kit in order to help answer any knitterly questions that you have and insure that you all start off on the right foot (ow…is that a pun?).
Happy knitting!!
Gail, your friendly neighborhood test knitter 
My January Kit WIP
Gallery, Warning Spoilage | February 02, 2009
I am so loving this pattern and the colorway and the beads…oh the beads - SO MUCH FUN! Here are a couple of pics (with and without flash) of my WIP which is going so fast! I’ve never knit socks this fast. I might actually be done by the end of the week!
Combined Knitting
January '09 Kit Questions, Notorious Sock Knitters | February 02, 2009
I was taught to knit using the “Combined Knitting” method, meaning I knit into the back of the stitch with the yarn in my left hand (the leading edge is at the back, not the front). Do I need to make any adjustments when reading the pattern? This is my first attempt at more complex knitting and I would appreciate any feedback.
Inge
Sock Size
January '09 Kit Questions | February 02, 2009
Is anyone else struggling with sock size? I started out knitting a size medium. After a couple inches I knew my socks would be way too big. (I’m dead on with gauge.) So I ripped out all of my knitting on both socks (I do both at once) and started over knitting a size small. I am right before the heel flaps (and have made the longer version of the socks and cannot get the socks over my heel because now they are too small.
I suppose I need to rip them out again and start over using a smaller needle and a size medium and try to get something in the middle. Is anyone else having problems? I hate to keep ripping out my socks because the wear from the beads being slid up and down the yarn is taking a toll and producing lots of fuzzies.
why is my yarn twisting?
Notorious Sock Knitters | February 01, 2009
Maybe somebody has some advice for me. As I’m knitting away at the sock, the length of yarn between my working yarn and the ball keeps twisting around itself and almost knotting in multiple places. It’s a wee bit annoying when I’m pushing the beads down and have to keep unwinding the yarn each time. Does it have something to do with the way I balled my yarn? Is it the beads doing it? Is anybody else having this situation? I feel like I’m fighting my yarn and it’s such beautiful yarn, I really don’t want to fight with it.
Question about leg pattern
Notorious Sock Knitters | February 01, 2009
the instruction say — Round 1 *P1,B, p2t0g, B, [k1, p1] 3 times, repeat from * 1 st fewer per repeat.
What is confusing me is ” 1 st fewer per repeat”. Do I have to do anything with that or is it just telling me that I am decreasing 1 stitch per repeat.
Thanks
Andrea
Notorious Sock Knitters | February 01, 2009
this is the beading method I always use
http://fluffyknitterdeb.blogspot.com/2005/08/by-special-request-beading-made-easy.html
and I think I am going to use it still, because I really don’t want to string all the beads.(lazy)
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