Spin a cockeyed Web

A woman of a certain age, who would have lived and died without a whisper and barely a footprint on life, can now pontificate with 'the big guys'.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Time to play catch up- In the way of project status I'll start with the Iris sweater. I added the collar and am working on the sleeves. The sleeves I work from the armholes down. I create the sleeve caps by working 2/3 of the stitches picked up around the armhole minus the underarm stitches. Then I work short rows back and forth over the shoulder seam picking up one stitch from the 1/3 that is divided on each side of the underarm stitches. Once all the stitches have been picked up and I have reached the underarm stitches, then I can knit around the whole sleeve for the rest of the way down to the cuff. I set the sleeve and cap for each sleeve and when I get to the point of just blind knitting down the sleeve, I put both sleeves on circs and do them together. That way any shaping is done on both sleeves at the same time in the place. It's the only sure way I can get matching sleeves.

I'm at the point of joining both sleeves and since it is a total bore at that point, I have taken a little break and made some gloves and started a pair of socks. This is just to give me a little high that comes from immediate gratification.


The glove on the left is the back of the left glove and the right hand glove on the right is palm up. I did these gloves with sock yarn from my stash. I made them to be practical first and looks came second although the colors did match for each glove including the fingers. The back of the gloves were done in basket weave stitch which is not the best stitch for patterned yarn, but the basket weave creates little air pockets that make the gloves very warm for their weight. The palm also is customized in that I use a slip stitch pattern that used mainly for sock heels. It makes a strong yet padded palm. Also since I would knit then try them on, then knit and try them on, they fit like -well- a glove.

I am also trying to do a repair to my husbands socks I made for him. Knowing how hard he is on socks I tried to make these like steel. I put reinforcing thread in the heals and toes, but to no avail. The toes are fine -so far, but the heels are totally gone. Not the backs, but the bottoms have totally disappeared.


The top of the sock is in the left corner, the ragged bit is what is left of the bottom of the heal. I did do an Aladdin heal so that it is isolated from the rest of the sock. Notice that the heel is outlined in green. I should be able to cut out the heal, pick up the stitches from the green boarder and re-knit the heal. That's the theory. I've never done that before so it should be interesting. I've been searching for new re-enforcing thread. Something in titanium or Teflon as second choice.




Well, here's the heal cut out. The instep, sole, and gusset stitches all picked up. Now what I wonder? Stay tuned.

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2 Comments:

At 10:12 PM, Blogger Jen said...

So is an Aladdin heel like an Afterthought heel? I've seen those and had them on my "to do" list.

 
At 9:18 AM, Blogger tangled-web said...

I think an afterthought heel you complete the sock leaving the heel open the complete the heel. It's like I have it now after I cut the damaged heel out. What I call the Aladin heel (named from a pattern I found from the 1940s)you knit to the heel flap, break your thread, create a life line with contrasting thread. The contrasting thread have long tails on the right and left side of the heal flap. After the heel is turned, the gusset stitches are picked up with the contrasting thread, the heel thread is broken and the contrasting thread is knitted across the bottom of the heel. The heel then is totally surrounded by the contrasting thread. It is done at the same time that you would add and stop using reinforcing thread. You then tie on your normal sock thread and finish the gussets, sole , and instep as normal. When you get to the toe you do the same thing. When you get to the toe shaping and when you would add reinforcing, you break your sock thread and knit one row of contrasting thread. Break that and go one with your sock thread. Isolating the toe and heel allows repairs. You can cut or unravel the toe and heel to the contrasting life line. Pick up the stitches from the contrasting thread and reknit the heel or toe. That's the theory anyway.

 

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