FO Report!
This weekend was almost a weekend off. I got little to no work done the whole three days. *sigh* It was probably good for me. I did manage to wrap up my Coriolis constructed socks (Ravelry) late last week though. It is based off of the Tall Tibetan socks in Bordhi’s New Pathway’s for Sock Knitters: Book 1. There are problems with the socks that I’ll get into in the Notes section below. I don’t think any of the problems really have to do with the spinning of the yarn that Deb did though.
Pattern: Tall Tibetan Socks (Ravelry) from New Pathway’s for Sock Knitters: Book 1, with many modifications
Yarn: Handspun Flame Sock Yarn from Deb aka Chappy’s Mom
Needles: 2 - 2.75 mm, 16-inch Circulars
Gauge: 7 sts and 9 rows per inch in stockinette stitch
Mods: Whirlpool toe; a second spiraling band on the leg by mirroring the set up of the instep needle on the sole/back of leg needle after the completion of the heel; eye of partridge reinforced heel; second sock had high instep modification; double stranded bind-off.
Notes: The socks are work to put on. Probably impossible to put on if your feet are even slightly damp from your morning shower. I did the second sock with a high instep modification to see if that made it easier to get the sock on. But, it seems the majority of the problem is in the inflexibility of the fabric when you have two spiraling bands. Perhaps that was why such an obvious play on this sock construction wasn’t included in the book? I wouldn’t recommend that mod, unless perhaps you are working with a highly elastic yarn.
I like the fit of the whirlpool toe more than I expected to. The double stranded bind off also still curls, and the lack of ribbing at the top does cause the socks to slip down. Again, that may be less of an issue with a highly elastic yarn. With the handspun and its marled appearance I loved the Eye of Partridge heel reinforcement. It is nearly invisible!
Overall, not my best pair of handknit socks in the sock drawer, but the colors are nice and autumnal and I like how they look when they aren’t slouching. In fact, I’m wearing them today. I also learned more about the Coriolis sockitecture knitting them. I think I’m in love with this construction technique, even if this pair didn’t turn out the best. But it is a great way to have a sock that is *almost* all stockinette, but it still has some interest in the knitting and in the final appearance.
