Thursday 24 July 2008

FO: Jules Socks

Pattern: Jules, by Kate Blackburn Yarn: Mirasol Hacho, in the peacock colourway. Needles: 2.75 mm dpns Modifications: The pattern calls for the stitches to be distributed across 4 needles, and I prefer 3, so I re-adjusted that. Also.... the toes. See, I find that the kind of toe area that this kind of sock provided is designed for women who have long, elegant feet. And long, slender toes. Which I do not have. And therefore, that little tapering thing it does looks, I'm sure, divine on women who do not have feet like mine (WARNING: next photo is not for the feet-squeamish!): Those, dear readers, are obviously Hobbit-worthy feet. short pudgy toes galore. So, after I finished the foot of the socks (and I don't exactly have a lot of love for kitchener stitch, I'll say that right now), they looked like this:Which made me feel so, so disappointed. So, I ripped them back, and improved a shorter, squatter, wider toe pocket: G, who was watching this whole sock toe overhaul episode, commented afterwards that it would be great if I could do a toe pocket that is specifically for chubby short toes such as mine, something that would be smooth and a design feature, as opposed to some frantic k2tog and ssk all over the place. And you know, I think he's right. I would like that a lot. But I have no desire to reinvent the wheel- does anyone already know of a lovely, thoughtful sock with a toe pocket for stubby toes? Notes: This was a nice sock pattern, and it knitted up well. But when's all said and done, even though I'm happy with them, I don't think that a yarn with this much variation in the colourway was well suited for this sort of pattern. I think a yarn with a more subtle colour change would have been better, and made this more about the texture. But hey, cute socks are cute socks. And I love the way hand knit socks cup my heel:They also keep my feet toasty warm (like that's a concern in July, but whatever), and there is something about hand knitted socks that is so soul-satisfyingly good. And that makes me happy.

22 comments:

jennifer said...

They look lovely! And your toes are soooo cute! I have the longer toes you talk about, but I would hardly call them elegant...more like fingery. Ha ha. I suppose we all want what we can't have.

Pam said...

I came to the comments hoping for some insight into the short toe problem -- alas, no.

Mine look like yours, but older.

Original Ting said...

Hooray for hand-knitted socks! I may have to queue that pattern.

Anonymous said...

My toes look like yours and boy do sock toes look weird sometimes. But those are very cute socks. And how cool that you brought the yarn and the boy back with you from Bristol! :)

Adriana said...

The socks look great! I too have short toes (*sigh*) and I've yet to find a good solution. Let me know if you discover one.

yoel said...

I love how that pattern turned out with the yarn! I too have the same toe problem, but more extreme. I'm trying to come up with a toe-up solution, but you're on your own for a sock going the other way!

lekkercraft said...

Oh I love the hugging hand-knit heel, too. I like the variation in the yarn - with the vertical stripes of the stitch pattern, the horizontal ones from the yarn give it a cool grid-like look. It's neat.

As for the toes, I'm not sure. I have big yeti feet. Maybe a a decrease on each side of the toes on every round for like 10-12 rounds, and then some sort of bind-off (on the monkey socks I just finished, I flipped them inside out and did a 3 needle bind off, which seemed to work out all right[so far]).

stickyfingers said...

so not a kitchner fan myself, square toes are for people with square feet (and I have yet to meet someone with square feet)

soknitpicky said...

They look awesome! (And there is nothing wrong with your toes!)

Anonymous said...

Those are some nice socks! My toes look like aliens. I used to be really self-conscious about my them, but I've since gotten over it.

erngrn said...

cutest little socks!!

i have yet to attempt a sock knit though i have taken the step and bought a pattern...

i have the short stubby problem too, i blame my mother, or maybe its a canadian thing?

-erin.

Susan said...

The socks look great! You picked the right yarn and pattern combo. I think that pattern might have even been the one I voted for. lol.

Teresa said...

They look very cute! Like the socks. And I'm very glad you mentioned the toe shaping issue. I have yet to delve into the wonderful world o' sock knitting, and this would most definitely be a concern for me. I come from a long line of hobbits. (my grandmother isn't even 5' tall.)

misplacedpom said...

Cool, I like them!

shopgirl said...

cute toes;)

Really pretty socks made with really pretty yarn.

Hilary said...

Fantastic socks! I think the color variations look great with the pattern. They're so pretty!

And I think your toes are cute! Was that photo a new sort of self portrait? :)

Knit - R - Done said...

The socks are very adorable. I have sausage toes, so I often do a short row toe. They are rounder and squatter.

Anonymous said...

Love them. Good choice in pattern (its the one I voted for). I just bought some sock yarn today, I may have to make these!

Sophie said...

I love love love them ! The pattern is neat and look so good, definetly this one is next pair I will cast on !

Sophie

Anonymous said...

Haha, we're like toe sisters. I alter the toe on every pair I knit. In my head, my feet are like Fred Flinstone feet, paddling away at the ground.

Ibunnysavetroy said...

I love them! I've always meant to try that yarn.
(I'm so glad I found your blog again, for some reason I lost it for like 6 months!)

Gothique said...

I love the color of the socks.
I accidentally stumbled upon your blog. I have feet like yours, but I can't deal well with the self consciousness about them? What do you do about it? (I know this is not knot related, but I thought you could help.)