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frewen

Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11405

Posted: Sat Mar 18, 17 10:02 pm Post subject: Socks
Knitting socks for Christmas started early this year. I'm on pair number three, but people keep pinching them for birthday presents.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15997

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 17 7:33 am Post subject:
That's a bit unreasonable. Still, you are doing well if you have got to 3 pairs. I seem to spend most of my time re-footing my existing ones. By the feel of things, I have another pair to do in the near future.

frewen

Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11405

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 17 9:08 am Post subject:
I can't wait to get through this most recent pair. The wool is horrible and although it looked good skeined, the colour variegation isn't working for me.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 17 9:26 am Post subject:
That's disappointing. I wish I liked handknit socks, but they make my feet hurt, because I like knitting them. But there's only so many pairs of bed socks a person needs.

frewen

Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11405

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 17 1:14 pm Post subject:
Would a finer needle / higher stitch count make any difference to your foot comfort. I know you've probably already tried that x

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15997

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 17 8:02 am Post subject:
Odd that hand knitted socks hurt your feet WW. What is it about them that seems to be the trouble? Do you have to use special socks?

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 17 8:30 am Post subject:
I can feel the stitches under my feet and after a short while they hurt. Not quite blisters but coming close. I think there's just too much friction from the 'unevenness' of the stitch bumps. I just wear regular machine made socks, but obviously they are knit at a very fine gauge. I used to knit on 2mm dpns, but I lack the will to go any lower!

Rowanlady

Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Posts: 195
Location: NE Hampshire

Posted: Mon Mar 20, 17 10:17 am Post subject:
This has brought back memories of my Mum always knitting away at socks for Dad, me and sister As Dad got into old age he found that his feet hurt - just as WW describes - his answer was to turn the socks inside out so the smoother side was next to feet - worked for him - he was still walking 5 - 8 miles every weekend until he died at 85

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15997

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 17 8:19 am Post subject:

Yes, that sounds like a good idea Rowanlady. If you were knitting on 2mm needles that is about the finest you will get WW. I think I knit on 3mm with 4 ply sock wool, but if I spin my own it might be a bit finer. I have mainly old needles, so in the old UK system, so no. 11s. Looking at how a lot of commercial socks are made, they seem to have a very fine mesh with 'fluff' caught into it. I looked on son's socks some time ago as I was hoping to darn them, but found they were irrepairable.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 17 9:42 am Post subject:

It's funny, I was thinking that as I typed. I might have another go. My socks are made from plain stockinette, no fluffiness, but I would guess the gauge is less than 1mm. And the yarn is finer than laceweight, although not quite so fine as sewing thread.

ETA, I'm terribly sad and just measured the gauge on my sock! It's about 100 stitches over 4 inches. I fear I lack the will to knit at this gauge, even if I could find the yarn and needles, and especially for a whole wardrobe of socks that would wear out periodically.

The finest gauge I have ever knit at is 36 stitches over 4 inches, which is about average sock gauge, I should think (it was sock yarn on 2.5m, needles, anyway)

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15997

Posted: Wed Mar 22, 17 6:02 am Post subject:
Sock yarn these days is usually 4 ply. The old patterns were for 3 or 4 ply but I haven't seen any 3 ply for years, and sock yarn is only available from specialist wool shops.

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