Monday, February 28, 2011

Squeaking in

I've said before that I'm good with deadlines - by which I mean I'm good at delivering whatever it is that has the deadline at the last moment. In this case it's not quite the last moment, but it is the last day.

Shur'tugals 1

So here they are - my Shur'tugal socks, the first socks for the Super Special Six Pattern Sock Club 2011 (s62011). They were due on the last day of February, and here they are. I've knitted them from Knitabulous's supertwist merino yarn, using 2.5mm needles (dpns).

Shur'tugals 2

There have been pluses and minuses with this project:

Pluses
* I love the yarn. In particular, I love the slightly brownish pink colour of the yarn, so perfectly named 'Pink Salt".
* I like being challenged to knit outside my usual choices, which for socks is usually something quite classic.
* This is a clear, well-written pattern.
* I think the heels of these socks, with their gothic window patterning, formed by varying the texture of knit stitches, are most ingenious.

Shur'tugals 4

Minuses
* I don't like richly patterned socks. The twist stitches result in quite a dense fabric which, while interesting to look at, is less comfortable to wear. However, the fabric has relaxed somewhat with soaking and blocking.
* I needed a size halfway between the large and small versions of this sock. I knitted the large size, which is slightly too large for my foot. But I'm pleased I made this choice, as I think the smaller size would have been too snug. I probably should have knitted the larger size on smaller needles, but I was worried that would produce too dense a fabric.
* I ran out of yarn with six rows to finish on one toe. I'm pretending this didn't happen. I found some generic pale pink yarn I've had forever and finished the toe in that. That's the last you'll ever hear about this problem. It didn't happen.
* I had to concentrate quite a lot to knit these socks. Though the pattern is logical, without concentration I was quite likely to take off on the wrong row from time to time. I reckon I must have knitted at least an extra sock with all the picking back and reknitting I had to do.

So, that's my first sock for s62011. Because I'm playing absolutely by the rules I'll not unpack the yarn for my next s62011 socks (Nutkin) till tomorrow.

And a footnote (no pun intended). The shoes I had to buy to accommodate the heel cups I'm wearing to deal with my heel spurs also accommodate thick knitted socks. So, once I'm recovered from the heel spurs (which I have to believe will happen one day) I can use these shoes with knitted socks.

Shur'tugals and shoes

12 comments:

Rose Red said...

I didn't even notice that the toe was a different pink, so I'm glad you didn't mention it!

They look great, and your photos are great too. The heel is very cool. I shall have to have a look at the pattern and maybe use it in another sock, if I can work it out.

1funkyknitwit said...

I have to agree with Jane about the toe being a different pink, however I did giggle at that part of your post, due to the trial and tribulations of an avid knitter..lol

Well you skimmed it in and they look very pretty in that colour, nice work !

I've decided to break the rules on mine and "no" mine are not finished "yet" ;D

jp said...

They look great. The colour is magnificent.

I quite like the fabric but do understand that many don't. I too didn't even notice the diferent pink in the toe.

Bring on #2 tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

people keep talking about something with the pink toe but i dont understand, i know nothing, i see nothing. im very impressed that you persevered with these, they do look great in that yarn!

Yarna said...

The colour is perfect and shows off the pattern beautifully. Well done on finishing within the time frame.

One of the toes is different? Really?

louisa @ TheReallyGoodLife said...

They're lovely - great colour and pattern. And I'm with the others - wouldn't have noticed the substitute pink toe unless you'd mentioned it :)

Anonymous said...

I love them, and the design feature that you didn't mention just adds to their uniqueness. You do realise that your use of the random yarn can be used over an over to justify single skein purchases...

Emily said...

They do look lovely, rough tributaries of the Murray river...

I quite like this sort of textured sock, so long as it's not too thick in the foot. But then it's cold here again today, and woollen socks inside my uggs (old school, had since 1998) are PERFECT!

Probably Jane said...

You have made those socks look so stylish! WHen I saw them I wished I'd made a different colour choice and persevered with mine. But, I will take a leaf from your book, pretend it never happened and cast on the Nutkins tonight!

Brendaknits said...

I agree 100% about richly patterned socks. Although your look wonderful.

Cecilia said...

They are lovely! I have never been attracted to this pattern before, but now that I see yours, I'm smitten!

Pat said...

Beautiful work, Lyn.