Less than Perfect
After my success with the Torrid Socks, I'm afraid the current knitting is somewhat less than perfect.
First, an Odessa:
The Odessa is somewhat less than what I had wanted because I hadn't realized that the beads I chose (semi-translucent white beads) would fade so much into the pale lavender yarn. I bought the beads to use with a dark red yarn (the same stuff I used for my Shedir), this lavender yarn, and a cornflower blue yarn, all Cashsoft DK. The beads looked great on the red yarn, and I think they will be fine for the blue yarn, but they completely disappear in the lavender yarn. You can't even see them in the knitting in the picture, and you definitely can't see the remaining beads stranded on the working end of the yarn. So I am somewhat disappointed. I'll keep soldiering on, though, since this is intended to be a graduation present for a law school friend who's heading off to Palo Alto, CA.
Second, a blue Retro Rib sock:
I'm a little less than thrilled with this sock, too. I'm using KnitPicks Essential Sock yarn, and it's a perfectly acceptable workhorse yarn, but after knitting with luxurious handpainted yarns, the Essential yarn is something of a letdown. It's somewhat scratchy and rough on the hands, and it's not as tightly spun as Socks that Rock, Koigu, or the Wollmeise yarn I've been treating myself to lately. So the stitch definition is not as clear as it would be with a neater yarn.
I'm happy to be knitting the sock, since it's an ingenious pattern that I've wanted to knit up ever since I lost/had stolen a satchel containing a practically finished pair of Retro Rib socks in Lorna's Laces' "Gardenia" colorway. I have lots of handpainted, variegated yarns that I need to knit up, but I'm reluctant to use these yarns for anything more complex than stockinette or plain ribbing, because I've come to the conclusion that more complicated patterns and variegated yarns really don't mix. The Essential yarn is some of the only plain yarn I have, and I was itching to do something more complicated than regular ribbing, so I'm satisfied with the way the sock is turning out. But the knitting certainly isn't as nice as the original Retro Rib/Lorna's Laces experience.
But, beggars who are knitting exclusively from their stash can't be choosers. I'll just power on through these two less-than-perfect knits to move on to the more exciting parts of the stash.
First, an Odessa:
The Odessa is somewhat less than what I had wanted because I hadn't realized that the beads I chose (semi-translucent white beads) would fade so much into the pale lavender yarn. I bought the beads to use with a dark red yarn (the same stuff I used for my Shedir), this lavender yarn, and a cornflower blue yarn, all Cashsoft DK. The beads looked great on the red yarn, and I think they will be fine for the blue yarn, but they completely disappear in the lavender yarn. You can't even see them in the knitting in the picture, and you definitely can't see the remaining beads stranded on the working end of the yarn. So I am somewhat disappointed. I'll keep soldiering on, though, since this is intended to be a graduation present for a law school friend who's heading off to Palo Alto, CA.
Second, a blue Retro Rib sock:
I'm a little less than thrilled with this sock, too. I'm using KnitPicks Essential Sock yarn, and it's a perfectly acceptable workhorse yarn, but after knitting with luxurious handpainted yarns, the Essential yarn is something of a letdown. It's somewhat scratchy and rough on the hands, and it's not as tightly spun as Socks that Rock, Koigu, or the Wollmeise yarn I've been treating myself to lately. So the stitch definition is not as clear as it would be with a neater yarn.
I'm happy to be knitting the sock, since it's an ingenious pattern that I've wanted to knit up ever since I lost/had stolen a satchel containing a practically finished pair of Retro Rib socks in Lorna's Laces' "Gardenia" colorway. I have lots of handpainted, variegated yarns that I need to knit up, but I'm reluctant to use these yarns for anything more complex than stockinette or plain ribbing, because I've come to the conclusion that more complicated patterns and variegated yarns really don't mix. The Essential yarn is some of the only plain yarn I have, and I was itching to do something more complicated than regular ribbing, so I'm satisfied with the way the sock is turning out. But the knitting certainly isn't as nice as the original Retro Rib/Lorna's Laces experience.
But, beggars who are knitting exclusively from their stash can't be choosers. I'll just power on through these two less-than-perfect knits to move on to the more exciting parts of the stash.
posted by seedless grape at 6:07 PM
1 Comments:
OK, I am a hundred years behind on everyone's blogs, but I feel like I have missed so much over here! Two pairs of socks, gloves, and now a hat & new socks under construction! The Odessa is a lovely color, and I have always wanted to knit the Retro Ribs. They're going to be great in a solid, even if it's not as soft as the long-lost LL.
Post a Comment
<< Home