Now, I have a confession to make: I struggle with stranded colorwork patterns. I like the look of stranded colorwork, but I never learned to tension two yarns at the same time--either one in each hand or both in the same hand. Every time I try to learn, I've gotten impatient and gone back to my primitive method of dropping one yarn, then picking up the other yarn and re-tensioning it in my hand. It makes for slow progress and my tension always suffers. So, the French Market Socks will be the first bit of color stranding that I've attempted in several (maybe many) years and I'm a bit apprehensive about the results. But because so many of you are joining my crazy idea to knit all the socks in the book, I'm determined to give it a try.
For her socks, Nancy used Elemental Affects Shetland Fingering Yarn (100% Shetland wool at 115 yd/oz) in shades of blue and gray. This is a gently twisted two-ply yarn that, according to Clara Parkes (page 60) is perfectly suited because Nancy worked it in a stranded pattern that creates a double layer of fabric throughout. Clara also notes that the slightly fuzzy nature of the woolen-spun yarn helps conceal the colors being stranded along the back of the fabric and that if they were worked in a smooth worsted-spun yarn yarn, the gauge would need to be "spot on." Uh-oh. I think I'm in trouble.
I don't have any gently twisted two-ply yarn in my stash (I wouldn't normally consider it for socks). The closest I have in three colors is Dye Dreams Luster Sox (100% superwash Bluefaced Leicester at 415 yd/100 g). Sadly, Dye Dreams, er, well, "died" last year. It's a tragic loss to sock (and other) knitters. This yarn is a smooth worsted-spun three-ply, which, according to Clara, is going to give much louder, brighter shine and clarity. I hope that the small bit of fuzzy halo in this yarn as well as the color variations in each "nearly-solid" ball will help to obscure my irregular stitches, but based on my gauge swatch (which I knitted in the round to match the way the socks will be knitted), I think every nuance is going to show.
I tried several needle sizes before settling on size 4 (3.5 mm) for these socks. Normally I like to knit the upper legs on a size larger needle, but this fabric became too loose and wimpy on size 5 (3.75 mm) needles so I worked the entire socks on size 4. It turns out that several decreases are worked along the leg so the calf is automatically a bit wider than the ankle anyway.
Nancy's instructions are for using a set of five double-pointed but I lost one of my size 4 needles and work with just four needles instead (I combined the stitches on Nancy's Needles 2 and 3 onto a single needle). I tried the magic-loop method, but, inexplicably, I found it easier for me to work the stranded colorwork on double-pointed needles.
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6 comments:
I think it looks great! I have finally got the hang of using both hands for colorwork, but my tension is different with both, so I know what you're talking about. I guess the only way to get better is practice, right?
Interesting that you're finding it easier on the double-pointed needles. Perhaps your tension is not as bad as you think, since you're not dropping needles everywhere! It's looking good so far!
If you get through the entire book, you'll have plenty of practice with fair isle knitting. Do you find the cover socks by Deborah Newton or the Veronik Avery boot socks a tad intimidating? I do. Then there are Anna Zilboorg's intricate Half-Stranded socks and Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' Bulgarian Blooms with their intarsia in the round patterning.
I am going to try to keep up with you (you are a speedy knitter), and hope to conquer my challenges with stranded knitting as well.
Thanks for the inspiration!
I think I may have a few skeins of Rowan 4ply (long discontinued) to try for the Market socks.
Don't be discouraged by the rumply, uneven look of your piece as you begin. Blocking makes a world of difference in stranded colorwork. All those stitches smooth out and settle into place with a warm bath.
Well, now that I've finally knit a pair of socks, or two (or three), I guess it is time to jump into the stranded color technique, as I've never done that before.
I ordered a copy of your book. Can't wait for it to show up!
You are getting gold stars for your swatches! And I wish I lived close enough to you that I could show you how I do stranded colorwork with both yarns in one hand (learned from Beth B-R). It really makes things go smoothly.
Sandi is absolutely right that a little blocking makes a big difference with stranded knitting. Dry your swatch/socks under just a slight bit of tension -- I roll up a hand towel and put the sock on it as if it were a leg and foot.
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