Learning New Stuff

Toe-up socks! With short row shaping, no less. Why? Because this is Koigu left over from a scarf. I have enough for socks, but not two full skeins and I'm not sure how far it will go. The situation calls for toe-up socks, so I must learn to make them. So far, so good.


I'm using this book (even though she uses Magic Loop and I'm using 2 circulars). These are the first short row directions for sock shaping where I've understood exactly what I need to do, and the first ones I've made that didn't have eyelets or some funky "ugly" shaping line. The ugly, of course, resulting from my poor execution of and/or failure to understand instructions. I think I will like this method. The other Koigu sock (my usual method) is in process, but it's on reserve for this weekend when I will likely need lots of mindless knitting, and my usual sock method provides plenty of that.

Knitting back backwards. Why? Because I want to make this sweater, and the pattern uses back and forth knitting for a couple of small portions. Because I hate purling in stranded color work, and while other options are available, knitting back backwards seems like a good way to go. I also realized that I could probably use this technique soon on the Mara vest. So far my tension seems to be off only on the left hand carry backwards. Left and right forward, and right backwards look pretty much the same. The bigger stitches in the swatch are from the left backwards rows. Gotta practice.

Multidirectional diamond panel scarf. Why? Practice for multidirectional diamond panel vest, from Modular Knits, which uses nicer yarn. Knitting this way is kind of like eating potato chips. And the practice has helped me learn: when the pattern says loosely cast on, it means LOOSELY; that the SKP called for in the pattern works better here than my usual and habitual SSK; that wool is a good choice because it should block well.

(Addendum: I acutally wrote this last week but didn't get it edited. My normal sock mode Koigu sock is ready for the mindless foot portion. I'm about to make my evening coffee, put on the headphones and knit while I listen to a Recorded Book.)