# Am I getting in too deep?



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Well, I think I am really HOOKED. When I was lamenting my lack of knitting needles, marchwind said I could make them myself...with dowels, pencil-sharpener, and sandpaper.( I tried to ignore this advice).

Then I was rummaging the less-often-opened kitchen drawer....was looking for those coffee filters!










Well, looky there! bamboo skewers! They gauge at size 6, .

How long did it take to find this pattern?
http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/knitting/amazing_feets.php










That was 2 days ago,. Here I am today...










Ding-dang it! It is already after 3 pm...how will I ever stay caught up with my housework when I would much rather be knitting???? What has happened to me? My guitar is getting neglected too! Wah, wah, boo-hoo.


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## Bramble (Dec 11, 2008)

ha i think the same time every time i see bamboo skewers! awesome!


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

I have those in a drawer too. If I get really bored, hehe, I might try them as I gave my knitting needles away years ago.

I gave up on my sweater 6 inches into it. After making so many earlier in the year I just couldn't focus on it. Un-raveled it and made a fingerless glove for my right hand only. I have to wait till the yarn inspires me. am i weird or what?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

You're a clever girl! I knew it wouldn't take much to get you hooked  Welcome to our world hun and feel free to post any time and we will be more than happy to offer advise!


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Gone-a-milking, if you have to ask, you probably are but you have good company.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I have this sock ALMOST finished, except for that Kitchener stitch toe-join. I am having a hard time with it, grrr. I have done it incorrectly 3 times and pulled it apart. 

This morning I have some practice stitches cast on and I am about to go searching for a tutorial with a different perspective than KnittingHelp.com has been giving me. 

I must be missing something because my stitches come out *almost* right, but 'raised up' above the other knitting? Maybe I am not pulling them tight enough? Or too tight? Bleh.

Plus, its a case of left-handedness following right--handed instructions. However, there are just those 20 stitches remaining to taunt me, so off I go into the interwebs!


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

"Raised stitches" are usually a tension issue but if it's handspun yarn, it can also represent a spot where the yarn is thicker.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

MOgal, you were right. I was just not pulling those stitches tight enough! Wow, have I learned a lot from this first silly sock.

























~ When knitting in-the-round, you do NOT change stitches to keep a stockingette pattern. Thus the "design feature" of ridges below the cuff (perfect for accenting thick ankles...)

Notice the TUMOR near the pinkie toe? That was the place I attached a new yarn...I AM getting better at hiding my joins now.

And, finally (!!!) I can see how to pick up my stitches to not make those little lines in the rows. I guess I am learning how to hide my mistakes.


Now, if I could only get ahold of some better quality yarn and 2 sets of smaller DPNs....then I would be ready to Sock-Rock!:rock:

Maybe I can get DH to go to Springfield tomorrow for an actual fiber purchase...this Red Heart econo-style knitting is getting stale.


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

The sock looks really great. It appears that you conquered Kitchener's stitch as well.

Hey, my getting tired of the econo-style yarns was what got me started spinning in the first place. My father's family was from New England and my grandmother who was a very accomplished knitter, could go to the mills and buy good wool yarn for next to nothing! Of course, now Grandmother is gone and so are the mills. Of all her grandchildren, I was the only one who took up knitting and I was the one who lived half way across the country from her.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Those look great! Man you have been a quick study. Yep, about the design feature. Now you need to make the second one just the same. Usually those little "flaws", like the toe tumor, will work themselves out in the wash. Unevenness will also work itself out too.

Keep up the good work!


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

That looks really good, especially for a first sock. My first one looked so sad that it never got a partner, but I still have it to see how bad I was. Congratulations and thanks for the pictures.


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## Island of Blueb (Sep 20, 2005)

Awesome! I have some of that size skewers in my kitchen drawer too. Hmm...


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## packyderms_wife (Dec 20, 2008)

Great first sock! I didn't see where you got the pattern. I looked at my skewers and I'm thinking they may gauge at a size 4 not a 6 so yours must be a lot older.

Kimberly


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## packyderms_wife (Dec 20, 2008)

Ana Bluebird said:


> That looks really good, especially for a first sock. My first one looked so sad that it never got a partner, but I still have it to see how bad I was. Congratulations and thanks for the pictures.


I'll have to find my first sock it should fit the jolly green giant and no kidding! To this day I have no idea what I did wrong it was a pattern in a sock book using sport weight yarn on size 4 needles, I created a gauge swatch which came out perfectly and yet the sock was about 5 times too big for a normal human.

Kimberly


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Well...this one is not getting a mate either. I just did a new pair though! Casting on 2 at the same time is the ONLY way for me to make socks. I couldn't stand to do the same project twice. Too boring once you know how it is going to come out, IMO.


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## farmer kate (Jan 21, 2007)

Those look great, and I can tell from the one picture that you and I found the same on line pattern - at least it looks just like the sheet I'm using!

Can you explain kitchener stitch in real-people words? I've done two pairs of socks but that's been the bugaboo each time, and the results are not pretty.

kate


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## sewsilly (May 16, 2004)

I was teaching a beginner sock class once and one sweet little lady made two 'matching socks'. One fit her tiny little foot and one could have been a Christmas stocking...

and she didnt' know how it happened, or why she didnt' stop.... roflol!

dawn


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

farmer kate,

That kitchener stitch is really not that hard. I went over to youtube and watched several different video demos of it. My initial problem was that I wasn't pulling the yarn down tight enough after every single stitch. I had to practice it on several test swatches before I could do it . Now it is burned into my brain and I doubt if I will ever forget it! 

*This is what MY notes say...after watching it done a multitude of times:*

~both needles pointing right, same # stitches on both needles, yarn coming from back needle

~first step is purl front needle and leave on, then knit back needle and leave on.

*Then the 'pattern' starts:*

front needle - knit (& drop), purl (& leave on)

back needle -purl ( & drop), knit ( & leave on)

The yarn has to stay UNDER the needles the whole time, which can be tricky. 

Each and every stitch has to be both knitted and purled before you drop it, that's the main thing. 

You will get it! Keep on practicing it.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

When I kitchner stitch socks or anything, I tend to do it loosely and tighten it up evenly after I'm finished then weave in ends.


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## farmer kate (Jan 21, 2007)

Thanks - I think between youTube and your comments, this time it's going to work for me.....

kate


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

If not just ask for help and we can try other ways of explaining it.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I _like_ your design feature!!!

I'm another one that has to cast on both pair of socks at the same time and work them both. I only have 1 second sock syndrome sock, and that is because I set it down to work on something else and in the mean time put my things away and I can't find the pattern!!!


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