Startitis
Thanks so much for the kind words on the socks, everyone! In a burst of enthusiasm after completing them I started three new projects in rapid succession, two of which are currently off the needles, looking vaguely resentful at being derailed so early on in their careers. The brown is Elann Peruvian Pure alpaca, which I am test-knitting for the balaclava pattern. It came off the needles because I needed them to try another swatch for my rangoli hat, this time with proper Bavarian twisted stitches. That too stalled, because I realized I had forgotten to twist the stitches! Now the swatches stare at me from across the room, daring me to pick them up, and I’m doing my best to avoid looking at them.
I started something else instead: Grumperina’s Jaywalkers. The yarn is Lorna’s Laces in a shade that is a little too Tiger Tiger Burning Bright for me, but it’s soft, I bought it on a whim long back, and, I just realised, I inaugurated this blog with it (well, almost). This pattern is great and I’m quite amazed at how the stripes are turning out neatly, but I’m a little worried about the puckering at the decreased and am not sure it’s going to fit. Anyone know if this puckering is normal with this pattern? I have to reknit the earlier one since it was knit with size 1s and is a little loose. But I’m not sure if I should go with the plain stockinette (featured in the link above) or continue with the Jaywalkers.
Any opinions?
I am adding your blog to my bloglist because I want my sock knitting daughters to see your work. Wowzer. Thanks for blogging!
The Jaywalker pattern does pucker on people- especially if it’s a little large on them. Conversely, some have had problems with fit (too tight).
A solution for you might be to knit a more flexible chevron pattern- like the one found in Charlene’s Sensational Socks book– or the IK Web socks. (You can enlarge the chevron pattern for any sock patterns.)
Fun colorway! Bright socks are the way to go.
Personally, I love the way the Jaywalker pattern is looking in that yarn. I say keep going and you can also see if you can try the sock on while it’s still on the needles if you are very very careful.
Personally, I really like how the Jaywalkers are coming along, so I’d say continue with them. I have not yet knit Jaywalkers but I think that’ll be my next sock. I have heard, though, about fit issues with the Jaywalkers – I think mostly from people who have small feet. With my size 8’s, though, I’m not so concerned.
In a bizarre coincidence, I’m about to bind off on my first pseudo-jaywalker, which is pseudo in that I did it bottom up, and with far fewer stitches. I think I’ve got 60 around the foot, and then 68 after turning the heel (I just didn’t reduce the picked up stitches for the little holes in the corner of the heel turn). I couldn’t imagine the full however many stitches being comfortable (and I’m a size 8-8 1/2).
Also the last socks, belatedly, were lovely, and the idea of knitting them on a flight made me think of something. When I was in Chicag over Christmas, one of the airlines had signs up all over advertising apparently direct, non-stop flights from Chicago to Delhi. I assume they go over the North Pole??? And, amazing!
I really like the Jaywalkers, too. That pattern never really appealed to me (and reading these comments makes me think they wouldn’t fit on my teeny feet), but they look fabulous in that yarn.