Sport Weight Socks

Knitting_Guy · 02-21-2007, 07:36 PM

Ok, I know I haven't been feeling well since yesterday and all that, but it seems to me that sport weight is much harder to knit than worsted.

I started another sock. This one in a blue sport weight cotton yarn on size 4 needles (Options, ML). The stuff is so friggin small that I am having a hard time separating the stitches while trying to knit them. Being a solid color doesn't help much.

I'm trying to spread the stitches on the needle as I am going, and that does help some, but I've already discovered that this cotton yarn likes to split if you even look at it hard.

Is there some trick to knitting with this stuff or do I just grin and bear it?

I can already tell it's going to take a lot longer to knit a sock in sport weight than it did in worsted.

Ingrid · 02-22-2007, 12:43 AM

Sport weight definitely takes longer than worsted, and fingering even longer. I think the major problem may be the cotton--it's notoriously difficult to work with because there's not as much give as with other fibers.

kristinw · 02-22-2007, 12:57 AM

Yeah, silly me chose a fingering weight (KP Essential) with size 2 DPNs for my first socks!

What the heck was I thinking!!? It is quite challenging.

Knitting_Guy · 02-22-2007, 01:04 AM

Thanks. I wondered if it was because it was cotton and not just the size difference (which is more difficult).

Ah well, I do enjoy a challenge.

imported_Knitty_Kat · 02-22-2007, 01:39 AM

LOL I was about to post a similar question, but when I came on I noticed Mason posted this topic. Great minds think alike.

I bought some Omega Sinfonia cotton yarn today at Hobby Lobby. I am finding that wool socks, no matter how soft the wool, make my feet itch. Before going over to "the dark side" and using a worsted weight acrylic, I decided I would try a sport weight cotton. It's like having a death match between my DPNs and my yarn. The Sinfonia splits terribly and it keeps sticking to the needle tips, even though my stitches are rather loose. I'm thinking it may be the aluminum needles. I prefer to use bamboo when working with 100% cotton yarn. Ah well. You live and you learn.

Knitting_Guy · 02-22-2007, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by Knitty_Kat

LOL I was about to post a similar question, but when I came on I noticed Mason posted this topic. Great minds think alike.

I bought some Omega Sinfonia cotton yarn today at Hobby Lobby. I am finding that wool socks, no matter how soft the wool, make my feet itch. Before going over to "the dark side" and using a worsted weight acrylic, I decided I would try a sport weight cotton. It's like having a death match between my DPNs and my yarn. The Sinfonia splits terribly and it keeps sticking to the needle tips, even though my stitches are rather loose. I'm thinking it may be the aluminum needles. I prefer to use bamboo when working with 100% cotton yarn. Ah well. You live and you learn.

I'm glad it isn't just me. I'm using the exact same yarn.

cheesiesmom · 02-22-2007, 01:45 AM

Actually, I like the finer yarns. Sports weight is really heavy and I can't imagine using worsted. Are you using the right size needles? I use 1's and 2's for fingering/sock weight. I made a couple of pair of sport on 3's. But the fabric with 1's is so darn nice. Firm but soft. It's just a matter of getting use to it. I just knit a pair of socks on 2's and they are going really fast. But I still like using 1's. Someday I'm gonna get brave and buy/knit with 0's.

Once you use size 1 needles, you'll never go back.

Knitting_Guy · 02-22-2007, 01:51 AM

Yeah, the pattern calls for either a size 4 or 5 with sport weight yarn. I went with the smaller of the two. It's also the smallest I have anyway.

HamaLee · 02-22-2007, 02:58 AM

Yup Mason, I think it's the cotton factor--especially if it's not mercerized or whatever that process is called that makes the "nice" cotton yarns smooth and shiny.

I have a stash of Peaches'n'Cream/Sugar'n'Cream...every once in awhile I take it out to make a dishcloth and having a knock-down, drag-out friggin fight knitting with it. It has no give or elasticity, and my stitches usually look lumpy and uneven. Then I get angry and slam the cotton back into my stash--remembering why it was there in the first place.

It usually takes me about 3 months to forget how much I hate it and try again

.

imported_Knitty_Kat · 02-22-2007, 04:14 AM

The Sinfonia is mercerized cotton, so it does have a bit more give than my experiences with Sugar 'n Cream albeit, not much more. I've never knitted socks with Sugar 'n Cream since I prefer sport or fingering weight for socks over worsted. I have trouble finding fingering weight yarn at my local chain retailers, though. I use 2s for fingering weight and right now I'm testing the sport weight Sinfonia on my 4s. Call me crazy (as most knitters experience a lot of "grip" with bamboo needles as opposed to aluminum), but I find that cotton plays much nicer with bamboo needles. I don't know why. You would think the stitches would glide off aluminum needles much easier.