Sock Knitting – After thought heel

I got a new sock knitting book! Here it is:

This book had an interesting idea called an “After thought heel.” The idea is that you knit a tube but use a piece of waste yarn where the heels goes and then come back and knit the heel later. I like this idea. I would like to try a sock with a pattern and I think it would be easier to do if I only had to think about the pattern and not the heel at the same time. So I decided to try this out. This is what it looks like when you knit across the number of stitches you need for your heel with saste yarn and then knit across these same stitches with the regular yarn to make your tube:

 

Then you insert your needle in the stitches on one side like this:

Next you begin to pull out the waste yarn (red) and pick up stitches on another needle like this:

When you have pulled out all the waste yarn and picked up the live stitches, you can knit in the heel and end up with something like this (depending of course on how you knit your heels):

I need more practice on this. The heel I did required the dreaded Kitchener stitch that I also need to practice. I think I like this plan though. It is definitely worth working on. It would allow me to work mindless rounds anywhere and focus on the harder parts when I am home and can concentrate.

JoAnn’s had a great sale on sock yarn and then I got an extra 20% off coupon. So this is actually the FIRST time I bought actual sock yarn for knitting socks! I was always freaked out about using wool but thanks to some encouragement from Melody at Fibermania, I decided to take the plunge!

Thanks Mel! Here is the first pair I started using Deborah Norville’s Serenity which is a blend of merino wool, bamboo, and nylon:

As you can see I have a very long way to go! It takes a while on size 2 dpns! Whew! I think that is about enough for one post! Until next time….

Where have I been?

My poor blog has been so neglected! I have been busy getting my oldest ready to move out of the nest. He leaves for Arizona in two weeks to start school at UTI in Avondale. He will be gone for at least a year and it is highly likely that he won’t move back home when he is done with school.  He had been working full time until the end of Feburary and since then we have been getting everything in order for him to go. His youngest sister is already redecorating his room….at least in her mind!  He has most of his stuff packed away and no doubt little sister will have a paintbrush in her hand before he reaches the end of the driveway!

The only thing fiber related thing I have  accomplished lately is the pair of socks I finished knitting:

See that little ball of yarn in the picture? That is all I had left when I finished the second sock. Whew! That was close! If it appears that one sock is bigger than the other, you are very observant…..grrrr. This hasn’t happened since the first few pair I made. I don’t know where I miscounted but I must have gone to many rounds on the foot of the second one. They also look a bit out of proportion. That is because I make short cuffs on my socks. For some reason, I don’t like knitting the cuff so I tend to make them short. I also tend to make my socks too big no matter how hard I try to get it right.

I have decided I need to learn “toe up” sock knitting. I have been watching some youtube videos to see how this is done. I made a practice toe tonight. Not bad.  The best part seems to be that I don’t have to do that pesky Kitchener thing. I will have to work more on this.

I can’t handle wool next to my skin so I always make cotton socks. Anyone know of any great cotton sock yarns?

Until next time.