It's a shame really, these socks are going to be perfect when they're done. I plan on giving them to my dad for Christmas and I know that they are going to be comfy and cozy and loved by him. But still, I kind of hate them right now. According to Ravelry I started these socks on July 3rd, so the fact that they are still lingering means that clearly I'm not that smitten. These socks have a few things working against them; first off, the yarn, though it has a beautiful soft texture (it's 10% cashmere) and a gorgeous, rich, dark colour, it bleeds... like crazy. Normally I keep socks as a purse project to work on in waiting rooms and away from home, but after a few rows of working on this pair my finger tips are completely blue. I could have easily remedied this problem by setting the dye a bit better myself before I started, but I didn't. Lesson learnt, deep colours like this (especially with the hint of turquoise) are notoriously hard to set. I'll give these socks a really good soak before I give them to my dad, and if that doesn't work to get out the excess dye I'll let them simmer in a pot of hot water with vinegar for a bit to see if that helps. For the record - this yarn wasn't dyed by me, it's by another fantastic dyer who's work I'm a big fan of, but this skein unfortunately is just a tough colour to set... I don't blame the dyer, I should have tested it first.
The other big negative working against these socks... I apparently hate 3x1 ribbing. I don't know why, it just doesn't flow for me. 2x2 ribbing, 1x1 ribbing, we're cool. 3x1 ribbing makes me want to just quit. This is another issue that could have so easily been avoided if I had just remembered that I hate working 3x1 ribbing and had instead made these socks in a ribbing that I enjoy. I don't know what I was thinking.
Oh well, despite all that, I know that these socks will be beautiful when they're finished, and my goal is to work away on them this weekend so I can finally wash the blue dye off my hands and move on! Dad had better love these socks.
They look so cozy and your dad will love them! Hope you can get rid of the excess dye. Love the color!
ReplyDeleteoh I'm the same with socks, although I love to have a pair going at any one time, I think on average socks take me about 6months to knit!!... and the hardest part for me, ribbing, I totally agree with you...
ReplyDeleteHe better love them is right ;)
ReplyDeleteWell Daddy will have blue feet hihihi!
ReplyDeleteGinette from Ripon
Funny!
ReplyDelete3x1 is my go-to pattern right now when making socks for guys whose foot size I don't know. (as it turns out, that's for anyone getting a surprise pair of socks!) It like the stretchiness it offers when needed, and it looks more upscale than straightforward stocking stitch.
Yours are a nice deep shade of blue! Hey, what are those hanger-thingys?
They're sock blockers! http://www.elann.com/Commerce.web/product.aspx?catID=&id=126199 I suppose they're designed to hang the socks when drying, but I've never once done that. Still, they work well for photo's!
DeleteAh yes, blocking! Confession - I've never blocked socks before. I have considered it, though, which is a step in the right direction. It would give them a more polished look before gifting. I'll check my LYS to see what they have.
DeleteHa! I have a confession to make too... I have two sets of sock blockers and I've only ever used them to take photo's of socks for the blog. I've never washed and laid socks out on blockers to dry... but I should too, they really would make for a perfect, polished, finished pair.
Delete:D
DeleteI feel your pain, plain ribbing socks take FOREVER for me. I get bored with them right away. I guess it's not mindless enough for me. It requires enough attention to not mess up the ribbing. And of course my grandfather, father, husband and brother all LOVE socks that are ribbed bc they are so stretchy.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do love the yarn :-) Hopefully they don't bleed once you try setting the dye.
totally with you on the sock frustration! I'm knitting my dad a blue pair for Christmas too and not loving them! My goal for this weekend is to get the the end of the gusset of the first sock.
ReplyDeleteThe yarn looks lovely and snuggly, hope you manage to set the colour so Dad doesn't have blue feet! :O)
On the plus side, they really are beautiful! Lovely yarn and, of course, perfect knitting job.
ReplyDeleteI know it's incredibly rude to laugh at someone else's frustration, but I did. I know you are venting, but you sound so much like me and a hat I was working on last week. I was making it for my son and all my, "in the round," needles are too big and we're stretching it. I know there is a nice, neat way around it, but I am too frustrated and lazy-pants to pick up my Vogue Knitting Tomb and try to puzzle my way out. Thank you for the shared frustration and I would love to make such lovely socks!!!
ReplyDeleteOh yikes, I was in the same situation a few weeks ago, except I was knitting some wrist warmers. The yarn I have is a blend of purple/blue/turquoise and it is staining everything! I read that I could set the dye by simmering the warmers in vinegar water... but won't that make them shrink? I always keep hot water/the dryer away from anything I knit.
ReplyDelete3 by 1 ribbing is a pain, I agree! The colour is lovely, hopefully is can be set again and won't bleed too much more after (potnetially several!) more baths. The pattern does look like the perfect, no-frills 'guy socks'.
ReplyDeleteYou can do it! Push through! : )
ReplyDeleteI'm also knitting a pair of socks. I am on the second one and have just worked out that I have knitted 10 too many rows....booo! Hope your fingers are recovering
ReplyDelete