| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| nettie |
Hand Knitters - help with socks please!!Hiya, you know when you pick up the instep stitches around the side of the heel, how can you do it so it doesn't look all holey? Do you pick up stitches from further in or nearer the edge for best results??Thanks in advance Nettie 
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| alison |
If you are picking them up from the right side then I pick them one loop in, and it keeps the edge neater without the holes you are talking about. | ||||||
| nettie |
Thanks Alison, will try it next time - it's too fiddly to unravel it all!
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| alison |
I know what you mean. Are you knitting on 4 needles. | ||||||
| Lloyd |
 Saddo's!
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| alison |
shut your gob you 
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| Lloyd |
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| mrsnesbitt |
I know what you mean. Are you knitting on 4 needles.
oh heck I can only manage 2 needles.I will never manage this! 
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| Lloyd |
:whax: | ||||||
| Gertie |
Do I take that to mean you aren't into knitting, Lloyd? 
I'm useless as knitting. Spent months making my friend a pair of bootees for her baby, didn't fit her (the baby!) by the time I had finished them. Ah, well. 
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| Lloyd |
Nope nt me. Life's too short. | ||||||
| nettie |
Yup I'm doing them on 4 needles. Although it feels more like 104
Take no notice of Lloyd. He's just pissed off cos Deerstalker was nicer to me than him. 
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| Lloyd |
:toothy5: | ||||||
| judyofthewoods |
Holes add a bit of ventilation.
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| judyofthewoods |
So how come you're in this thread
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| Lloyd |
Because I'm interested in the whole deal.
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| nettie |
I'm pretending they're deliberate. and Lloyd stalks me this time of night
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| Marigold123 |
It must be about 15 years since I last tried to knit socks, and I don't really remember much about it, but would putting a twist into each stitch tighten it up and help to eliminate the holes? You know, pick up the stitch on one needle and then knit into the back of it? Or are you doing that already?
Alison's method is probably better though. I could ask my mum; I know she's done socks. |
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| culpepper |
I use a crotchet hook,put it through the knitting and pick up a loop of the wool from the ball,just work along the row evenly. You need a crotchet hook about the same thickness as your needles .Then when I have all the picked up stitches along that side,I slide them onto the needle instead,knit up the instep and then do the same along the other edge with the crotchet hook and slide them onto needle .
When I first started knitting I did gloves and they were very holey until I discovered this method in an old knitting book. You should try the 4 needle method,it is just as easy as 2 and you have much less sewing up at the end.Plus if you dont like purl you can do nearly all knit until you knit the heel flap.Im always slower knitting purl . |
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| sugarplumhalle |
this site is a really good guide, knit my first socks with this!..
socks 101.. http://www.royea.net/sockdemo1.html |
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| hardworkinghippy |
What a brilliant link - very good photos!
Thanks for that Sugarplum! HWH Ps. Anyone who thinks knitting is sad has never tried hand knitted socks. They are pure Bliss! We now have two kind of socks in this house: hand knitted and disposable...
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| sugarplumhalle |
anytime,.. i have more knitting links than i care to mention 
Knitting socks are usually warmer too and can be fixed easily by picking up the stitches if theres a hole.... |
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| alison |
Lovely clear photos, thanks for the link.
How are your socks coming on Lloyd?
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| moogie |
oh no now you've got me interested in knitting socks!! Got enthusiastic and looked up wool shops in the yellow pages I keep collecting projects to do!
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| JC |
That site looks really useful - very clear. Does anyone have a link to a sock pattern that's any good? Also, if you used fine wool (4ply baby sort of stuff) would you get softer, non itchy socks, or would they not last very long?
Jackie |
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| sugarplumhalle |
http://wendyknits.net/knit/sockpatterns.htm
heres a link for a collection of patterns... |
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| Lloyd |
 My socks are full of mud!...Just went to look at my new wood and got the damn car stuck in the mud. I felt such a berk asking the neighbour to pull me out!!
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| tahir |
Tell us more... |
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| judyofthewoods |
At least you made them feel helpfull.
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| Guest |
Would last a very short time, I'm afraid. |
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| culpepper |
Ive used baby wool for socks.They are very comfortable.You cant walk around with no shoes or slippers on though as they would wear through. I still have some of mine from about 20 years ago. I found that 100% wool will wear into holes immediately and so would 100% acrylic but mixtures dont seem to. However im wearing some today made with charity shop 4 ply,absolutely no idea what the yarn is made of but they are on their third wear and havent shrunk at 40 degrees . So probably not pure wool. |
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| Lloyd |
My wood
Five and a half acres of mixed deciduous woodland, half a mile down the road from the house. Hope it will be mine in three weeks or so. Then have big plans for coppicing, pigs, ducks, geese, chickens, welling timber and logs...etc etc... |
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| tahir |
Brilliant, can't wait to see some piccies | ||||||
| sugarplumhalle |
Re: My wood
wooo, thats very exciting.... pigs, ducks, geese and chickens? extremely jelous but obviously in a nice way
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| judyofthewoods |
Very exiting, great news - keep my fingers crossed it all goes through without a hitch. If Madman goes all quiet in three weeks time, we know he'll be up to his knees in mud . Will you henceforth be known as madmaninthewoods?
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| Lloyd |
Wildmanofthewoods
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| Marigold123 |
Ditto on the jealous. I always go a bit quiet and thoughtful when I drive past a sign saying 'Woodlands for Sale". Congratulations!
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| judyofthewoods |
Oooh, sounds so romantic 
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| nettie |
Thanks sugarplumhalle for those links - brilliant!
Madman, you are going to have to be nice to people who knit socks now, it sounds like you're going to need us.... |
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| Lloyd |
I think I'll be doing too much sweating in my wood to have much use of woollen things!....Hm....or of clothes!
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| judyofthewoods |
nakedmanofthewoods
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| nettie |
Oo-er! | ||||||
| Lloyd |
Like this one best, says he changing the subject quickly! 
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| sean |
Should keep the trespassers away.
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| hardworkinghippy |
These are the beams for our new extension which we've just cut from our woods.
Note that I'm wearing my knitted socks!
HWH |
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| Lloyd |
Is that an ice sculpture in the background, or a greenhouse?
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| judyofthewoods |
Pity that wouldn't work for me 
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| Treacodactyl |
HWH, who's the babe with the white socks and front (black ears & wet nose)? | ||||||
| hardworkinghippy |
Madman,
The thing in the background is/was a tent which we used to store stuff in until it rotted (5 years - not bad!) in Spring it will be used as a place to grow lettuce. We have chickens who go all over the garden and anything we want to protect, we cover. Treacle (that's what I call you because I can never remember your name ),
That boy is Max - he's a really great goat and sheep dog and very handsome!
Sorry, we should be talking about knitting eh?
HWH |
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| Lloyd |
One good way of getting visitors to your site, lol |
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| judyofthewoods |
Could do with more hits on my site |
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| Lloyd |
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| nettie |
My socks are finished!!!!! No chance of any piccies as I am too busy wearing them. They are lovely and snuggy!!! Thanks for the weblinks Halle
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| Lloyd |
GO...ONNNNNN....lets have a look?
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| nettie |
Oh ok then....
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| nettie |
Ooo dunno what happened there!!! | ||||||
| Lloyd |
Veeery Sexy! | ||||||
| nettie |
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| hardworkinghippy |
Fabulous socks!
...and as Madman says quite sexy too!
HWH ps. Judyofthewoods - I looked briefly at your site last night - it's wonderful! I'd like to talk more, but this big space is so uncomfortable. 
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| judyofthewoods |
Thanks, HWH, sure we can talk, you can PM me or use the chat or email on my site (chat is not always turned on, but worth a try).
Like what you are doing too. How are you going to use those logs for building? |
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| sugarplumhalle |
nice socks Nettie.....
i must start knitting socks again.. only seem to knit baby stuff at the moment, everyone I know seems to be breeding! |
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| callas |
I have just bought a sock kit which includes little markers but I have no idea how to use them. Does anyone know what to do with them?? | ||||||
| Marigold123 |
Not seen the kit, but are they supposed to go next to the stitches you will be using to decrease, so you don't forget to do it on each row, or something?
Just a wild guess, as I haven't a clue really.
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| callas |
I have cast on the 60 or so stitches and then it says place marker - but doesnt say how and I can't see a way of detaching them...I am sure it is simple I just can't see how! | ||||||
| Marigold123 |
What do the markers look like? What sort of shape are they? | ||||||
| Sarah D |
they quite often come as little coloured plastic rings, whihc you just slip over the knitting needle. When you get to it in the round youa re knitting, just slip it from the right hand needle to the left one. The very first one you use could be to donate the beginning of the round, assuming you are knitting in the round. This is the usual practise. | ||||||
| callas |
Thank you Sarah. I now see what I am suppose to do. | ||||||
| mochyn |
Look here, you lot, I've already got too many things on the go, and now I want to do socks. You're rotten, you are. I don't usually do socks, but I'll try to post a pic. of one of my hats. Don't hold your breath, though. | ||||||
| mochyn |
Has this worked? | ||||||
| mochyn |
NO. Oh B*g*e*. I'll stick to knitting. | ||||||
| sean |
Invisible hats too, eh? | ||||||
| tahir |
Do they make the top half of your head invisible then? | ||||||
| sean |
Dunno, I'm not sure whether I own one. | ||||||
| tahir |
Too witty for words today 
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| hardworkinghippy |
...Sorry, I've been off line and tomorrow I'm off for ten days to see some chicks!
We'll use the big logs for beams to hold up the new roof.
HWH x |
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| mochyn |
Tahir: if I send you a pic could you post it for me please?
Diolch yn fawr. |
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| tahir |
Consider it done: | ||||||
| tahir |
Can I come too? |
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| mochyn |
Tahir: you're a star. The colours are much brighter in the flesh (wool!) and it's really warm I'vew made them for friends who use them while gardening, dog-walking and/or lambing! They're very popular round here. They, like socks, can be knitted in the round or flat. Dead easy. Just use any small fairisle design you can find (triangles, diamonds, squares) and add thins like bobbles as you go. | ||||||
| callas |
It looks fantastic. | ||||||
| callas |
I am well and truly stuck with my sock knitting pattern - I am on the gusset shaping section but I don't quite understand the pattern - can anyone help please???????
the bit I don't understand is Round 1: k to within 3 sts of first marker. K2tog, k1, k to next marker, k1, Ssk2tog, k to end of round. Do I k1, Ssk2tog before the second marker or just after it?? |
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| nettie |
I'm guessing that you would knit right up to the marker. At the end of the round, (i.e. centre back), the two needles with the gussets on at each side should have the same amount of stitches, if that helps.
Or are you using a circular needle? |
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| alison |
The way it reads is knit to the marker then follow the next instruction. Otherwise it would say knit ?? stitches then ss etc. | ||||||
| callas |
thanks nettie and alison - have tried that and its right, many thanks. I just cannot bare the thought of undoing it if I get it wrong - I think I would give up. My first pair of socks. One of my home made Christmas presents - I hope. | ||||||
| nettie |
Don't give up, Callas! Once you understand how it all works it really is easy. I'm on my fourth pair now, supposedly making them for Christmas but have kept three pairs for myself and the fourth is a birthday present for someone! | ||||||
| callas |
Have not given up yet, but you might see another posting on here when I get to the toes! I have knitted two hats for christmas presents so far and depending how well these socks turn out they too are destined for the christmas gift pile.
Will post a picture when they are finished. |