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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Tropical Pooling

These socks, done toe-up, 2 at a time on one circular needle, are knit from Knit Picks Sock Landscape handpainted yarn in the "Tropical Sunrise" colourway, on size 2.5mm needles.

The pattern is a hybrid using my favourite rounded toe shape which is started with a "figure 8 cast on" and then using the gusset and heel of Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer's "Basic Toe-to-Cuff Sock", followed by a 1x1 ribbing for the leg and ending with a stretchy cast off. This hybrid has become my favourite basic sock. It fits well, is easy to knit, and doing two at a time on one circular means I actually get a pair, not one lonely sock that never finds a mate.

There are times though when perhaps I shouldn't use it. At least not the gusset and traditional heel style. The gradual increasing through the instep can cause striping yarns to pool unattractively over the instep.

I would have been better off using the Peasant Heel instead. No gusset shaping to throw off the striping sequence, a decent fit, very easy to make, and no pooling.

5 comments:

Ruinwen Dagorielle said...

They look like they fit like a dream. :)

Dave said...

Yeah, I get annoyed when gussets do that too. Naughty gussets.

Anonymous said...

Pooling around the heel on some of my handknit socks, gifts from friends, was a tipoff to the hospital staff that yes, once again, those were actually handknit socks on my feet. I loved it.

Marlene said...

I've never understood how people can knit gift socks as a surprise. Don't they have to measure your feet to get the sizing right? They're not as forgiving that way as store bought socks are.

Nicole said...

Great colours for this time of year! :) Also, I nominated you for the Kreative Blogger award.