some socks I made warning big pictures sorry

[aylaanne]

I thought I should post some socks. These three socks were made with the same yarn (then I ran out). Paton's something. Whatever. I hate the yarn. (The pictures are 640x480, sorry if you have to scroll it's as small as I could make them and keep the detail)

First, the normal socks, on size 2's:
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f376/aylaanne/knitting/PICT0753.jpg
They are proportional, they are well made, they have decreased sock toes, and short row heels. Life is good. I wrote the pattern on the fly.

Then I made my impossible sock, on size 000s. Those needles and this yarn did not get along very well at all:
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f376/aylaanne/knitting/PICT0756.jpg

That picture is blurrier than I thought it would be. This sock also has a short row heel (and a short-row toe, just for the hell of it), but it has roughly a third more stitches than the other sock does. For verification:
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f376/aylaanne/knitting/PICT0759.jpg


And in case that doesn't convince you, here they are on my feet:
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f376/aylaanne/knitting/PICT0763.jpg

And a close-up:
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f376/aylaanne/knitting/PICT0761.jpg
But what I'm really proud of is the heel:
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f376/aylaanne/knitting/PICT0765.jpg
See the way the stripes match up? So awesome.

Anyways, I adapted the pattern from wiseneedle, (http://www.wiseneedle.com/patternpage.asp?pattern=knitpatimp) doing 84 stitches instead of 88 and trying to use three needles instead of four (I gave up). My gauge is a bit different but it fits well and now I'm debating whether to buy yarn to make a matching sock or just wait until I have more leftovers to make a second, deliberately unmatching sock.

For now, I'm doing Falling Leaves (http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall05/PATTfallingleaves.html) from Knitty and I'm loving it. Toe-up on size 00s (I'll never go back to 2s I don't think) and it's really going smoothly.

[auburnchick]

Very cute yarn! You did real good!!!

[knit-a-holic]

Wow! Those are tiny stitches! I wouldn't have the patience to do that. You did a great job! I love the colors, too!

[landolphe]

Fantastic socks! :cheering: But, 4,569,336 sts on 000's, no? :teehee: Why do you prefer 000s to 2s?

Landolphe

[aylaanne]

Fantastic socks! :cheering: But, 4,569,336 sts on 000's, no? :teehee: Why do you prefer 000s to 2s?

Landolphe

I'm not sure it was quite 4.5 million stitches, the round was 84 stitches and it was only an ankle sock. I like the smaller needles because it makes a finer stitch, which is more comfortable in my shoes. Fewer purl bumps. And, because my girlfriend yells at me that I knit too tightly when I use them. ;) I have to admit that the size 2 socks are softer than the size 000 socks, but I also think that has to do with the yarn (which, admittedly, was on the more inexpensive side of the spectrum). The socks I'm doing now on 00s are with Great Adirondack Soxie yarn, which is a thinner sock yarn, so the fabric isn't quite as dense (although the stitches are still pretty small).

Does that answer your question?

[auburnchick]

Fantastic socks! :cheering: But, 4,569,336 sts on 000's, no? :teehee: Why do you prefer 000s to 2s?

Landolphe

I'm not sure it was quite 4.5 million stitches, the round was 84 stitches and it was only an ankle sock. I like the smaller needles because it makes a finer stitch, which is more comfortable in my shoes. Fewer purl bumps. And, because my girlfriend yells at me that I knit too tightly when I use them. ;) I have to admit that the size 2 socks are softer than the size 000 socks, but I also think that has to do with the yarn (which, admittedly, was on the more inexpensive side of the spectrum). The socks I'm doing now on 00s are with Great Adirondack Soxie yarn, which is a thinner sock yarn, so the fabric isn't quite as dense (although the stitches are still pretty small).

Does that answer your question?

Wouldn't you have more purl stitches using smaller needles?

[aylaanne]

Wouldn't you have more purl stitches using smaller needles?

I do have more purl stitches, but they're much smaller and less obtrusive. If you look at your commercial socks, you can see that they're all knit in stockinette stitch with short row toes and heels. However, the gauge and the yarn used is much finer than what you use to make hand knit socks. The author of the pattern that I used as a guide stated that this was the reason she wrote the pattern for the smaller gauge.

Honestly, I have some alpaca laceweight left over from when I made the asphodel scarf that I'm thinking of knitting into socks on my size 0000s. Just to see if they're comfortable.

[KathyinCali]

They came out great! ::sigh:: I love oogling other's socks...

[VictoiseC]

Those are SOOOOOO PRETTY aaylaane I always get that spelling mixed up can I just say aay!?

I love those colours, you just want to look and look, so soothing and cheery. Really nice yarn and work.