Sunday, June 29, 2008

What's the point?

I now have several pairs (but less than 10) of handknit wool socks. However, I have no handknit socks for summer. Deciding that this was the summer to fix that problem, I cast on for these socks.



They're called Walking in the Maize and are short socks, perfect for the summer. They are knit from the top down and have a foot arch with K1, P1 ribbing to hug the foot tighter. I'm using Brown Sheep Cotton Fine in Wisteria.

However, the beginning instructions puzzle me.

First, you CO on 35 sts using waste yarn, then the next row you k1, p into running thread in between, and continue for the rest of the row. Some tighter (stretchier?) ribbing is done for the next 6 rows and the sock is then knit normally.

To finish the top, those stitches are supposed to be picked up and knitted in K1, P1 ribbing, then bound off.

My question is....what's the point?

I didn't know, but figured there was some reason, so decided to do it anyway. Since the CO edge is too tight to get my foot through, I decided to stop working on the instep and finish the CO edge.

See this? This is what I can show for 10 minutes worth of work.



I have picked up 10 stitches, which averages out to 1 st per min., which if I do the whole sock will take 68 minutes.

So....what's the point? If the sock stays up better because of the weird cast-on and ribbing, then that is good. But is it so much better than just an ordinary CO and ribbing? Is it tighter than normal to keep it in place?

Anyone have a good reason before I spend 58 more minutes on this?

3 comments:

valéria said...

Nope...I'm sorry but I don't understand why anyone should do this other then playing around with stiches ;-) I'm sorry again for not being helpfull but on the other hand...when am I??? ;-)

But perhaps there will be a goldpot on the end of that cuff and you'll say...wow this is the cuff I've been looking for all my life??? So go on and share your experiences with us so we know what to do...or not :-)

Take care :-)

Diane said...

Cotton yarn doesn't have the same give that wool does so you need make sure the sock will make it over your foot. Seems like too much work to pick up the stitches at the top and rib with you could just rib to begine with.

I think a lot of times they use knitting techniques just for the sake of doing something different so if you can do another cast on and get the sock on comfortably then go for it.

Lovely color for that yarn.

Lynn said...

I agree, I never saw the point to it either. I saw that pattern when I was searching for info on my Maizy sock, but I ended up doing a 1" 3x1 rib, a 1" stst, then the heel (which I thought would be too big, but its perfect at 2.75"). Finished the rest of the sock in stst and did a reg toe decrease. It's abt as vanilla as you can get (which is why I added in the colored heels). I thought the ribbing around my arch would be irritating.

Oh and they stay up fine.