Fiddlesticks

How is everybody doing on their Fiddlesticks socks??? I've finished the first sock, knit the foot of the second and I'm working my way up to the cuff. I've included some pictures.

The first picture is the completed first sock and the second sock in progress. :)

The second picture shows a close up of how I keep track of which row I am on. I made a card for each row and punched a hole in it and tied them together with yarn. I just flip the card when I finish each row, (see the white marker, that tells me when I've completed a row). When I put my knitting in my bag, I use a paper clip to hold the cards together so I don't accidentally start on the wrong row. :)

The third picture is a close up of the pattern stitch. I am using 72 stitches, but I'm not following their pattern exactly. I wanted to keep my P2 column that I established on the foot using the K2P2 rib up through the leg of the sock. So, instead of doing the extra 2 rows the pattern called for, I just did rows 1 - 10. It just made for one more repeat of the stitch pattern than for the 64 stitch sock.

I hope everybody is doing well on their socks. I can't wait to see everybody next month. :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday! J.J.

J.J. is on her way...

So far so good. I like the color and the pattern will really be pretty. I am knitting with 47 inch size 1 needle with a 72 cast on. I wear a size 9 shoe and this sock formula works best for my long skinny feet. I like to make the socks at the same time because I follow what I am doing and have fewer mistakes. See all soon. J.J.

FiddleSticks Disaster

Not meaning to be a post-hog and post twice in a row, but I just wanted to ask how everyone is doing on their new sock?

'Cause this is how *I'm* doing:

What happened, you ask?  THIS is what (or should I say WHO) happened: our dog, Gracie.  

I put down my knitting because I was watching Grey's Anatomy and got really sucked into the story line.  Next thing I know, I see yarn strung across the room (and our cat pouncing on it) and at the end of the string of yarn, I found Gracie with 4 crushed DPNs and a tangled mess!  

*sigh*  I was able to untangle and salvage all the yarn, but I'm going to need to get some new DPNs.  I think maybe this time I'm going to go with METAL ones!  Guess this is karma's way of telling me I should really be working on my Christmas-knitting anyway.  

Knitting Podcast: DPNs vs. Magic Loop vs. 2 Circs

On my oh-so-lovely commute home in the rain, I had the chance to listen to a few of the knitting podcasts I'd downloaded onto my iPod earlier this week.  I wanted to share one of them with you because I thought it might be of interest to our sock club: Episode 25 of Knit Picks' podcast.

In the first segment of this episode, the show host discusses the three ways of knitting in the round, specifically for socks: DPNs, 2 circulars, or Magic Loop.  Her explanations are nothing "new" per-say, but I found them helpful for envisioning how one technique relates to the other.

For instance, I have done Magic Loop, but prefer DPNs.  I've never tried 2 circs.  But after her description, I could better envision how the position of the stitches on DPNs could be easily translated to 2 circs.  So I might give it a try!

Incidentally, if you haven't checked out all the knitting podcasts out there, you should!  If you have iTunes (free) on your computer, go to the iTunes store and click on "Podcasts" and then search for knitting.  There's lots and lots of free knitting podcasts that you can download and listen to on your computer or iPod.  I love to listen to them while I'm at work or during my commute!  (Makes the time when I can't actually be knitting pass much quicker, ha ha.)

Fiddlesticks Errata

Here's the errata from the Yahoo Group for this
sock pattern. Too bad I didn't see this before
I cast on!!

On the cuff directions:
The 64(72) cast on directions are not right.


Here are the directions for the 64st cast on;
Needle 1: P1,K2,P2,K2,P2,K2,P2,K2,P2,K2,P2,
K2,P2,K2,P2,K2,P1
Needle 2: Repeat needle 1 directions.

Here are the directions for the 72st cast on;
Needle 1: P1,K2,P3,K2,P2,K2,P3,K2,P2,K2,p3,K2,
P2,K2,P3,K2,P1
Needle 2: Repeat needle 1 directions.

These directions are for circular needles.

You will also need to do this ribbing on the
instep stitches on top of foot if desired.
64st sock rib: P1,K2,P2,K2,P2,K2,P2,K2,P2,
K2,P2,K2,P2,K2,P2,K2,P1
72st sock rib: (P1,K2,P3,K2,P2,K2,P3,K2,P2,
K2,p3,K2,P2,K2,P3,K2,P1)

The charts are correct for the leg pattern.
But on the written directions Row 1 it
should read...
*P1, K6 (7), P1* repeat around.

Toe directions where it says to repeat
these 2 rnds until you have 38st remaining.
Well this is suppose to read 36st (18 each needle).
Then work Rnd 1 until you have 20st remaining
(10 each needle).

These socks are sooooo soft. I really enjoyed knitting them. I used circulars and they made up very quickly. I am so glad we have a sock club now and look forward to meeting everyone Tues. night. Happy knitting! J.J. Sisco