...And the Angels Sang...

When last we saw my Sockapalooooza socks, sock #1 had been bound off with a modified tubular bind off and, quite frankly, I, for one, was less than satisfied with the end result. Yes, it was still not pulling its weight, so to speak, and was (albeit just a tiny bit) too binding a bind off.

There was some mention of a possible toe-up epiphany of sorts, and my friends, I think I have seen the light!












(If you think the modified tubular bind off is a pig, try undoing it!)












Original bind off taken out, and stitches ready to give it another go...













But, what's this? Who is this hero on the horizon?


Why, yes, it's humble old Rainbow Elastic, available, oddly enough, in a rainbow of colors!













Will it work?

Yes, my friends, it does! It does leave you with two extra ends to weave in, but this really does seem to alleviate the binding bind off. I used the good ole modified tubular bind off, but this would also work with EZ's sewn bind off or even a standard bind off (colormatching would be more of an issue with this option, as you'd actually have basically a round knit in the elastic) knitter's choice!

I know I can't be the first to have thought of this, but it really has opened the previously self restricted door to all those lovely toe-up patterns out there I had been avoiding due to my picky-ness about achieving just the right bind off!

I hope my sock pal is as happy with it as I am!

Flaming Monkeys and Glacial Anastasias

The Monkeys are, indeed, done. And not a bad use for a hank of Jitterbug!
Pattern: Monkey, by Cookie A
Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug in Fire
Needles: 2.5 mm (US 1.5)
Modifications: Mostly just the heel flap. I have a hard time reconciling a stockinette heel flap; makes me worry the socks will wear out before their time, so I threw in an eye of partridge heel flap on these. I think it works.











Speaking of socks, my Sockapalooooza socks are coming along. I swear this whole sock swap thing is feeding into my neuroses big time. I so want these socks to be special for my pal. So, first I busted out the Trekking, then I decided to do toe-ups with short row toes and heels (I am normally very much a top-down, flap and turn kind of gal). After worry-fest 2007 about how best to bind off, I did a modified tubular bind off which I will be taking out (not stretchy enough to satisfy) but, boy, do I have an idea! This could revolutionize toe-up sock knitting as we know it! Or, it could be something all you toe-uppers already know and just figured was too obvious to go crowing about. Or, it could end up being too big a PITA to bother with. I'll let you know.

Speaking of PITA, see that meager toe up there? See how the completed sock is ever-so-cleverly overlapping said toe? It is concealing a fatal flaw induced by commencing the spiral eyelets at Knit Nite and not paying particular attention to the pattern or my knitting. Ripping commenced mere moments after this photo was taken, and the sock is now back on track.

Okay, So I'm Not a Photographer

If you've ever wondered why you rarely, if ever see FO pictures modeled by a human body around here (other than socks, anyway), this next series of photos should lay all your queries to rest...

Yup. I'm lousy at taking pictures of myself, and when I hand the camera over to someone else, I immediately become a bit stiff and uncomfortable (that and it's hard to get the DH to focus on the handknits and not try to get all artsy).

Here is Bianca's Jacket from the Fall 2006 Interweave Knits.

Pattern: Bianca's Jacket, by Michele Rose Orne
Yarn: Reynold's Mandalay in (now discontinued) denim.
Needles: US sizes 6, 7, and 8
Modifications: I knit the sleeves as 3/4 instead of full length to a) conserve yarn and b) preserve my sanity, as I would have been dragging them in everything if they were longer.





I do have completed Monkeys to show you, but they are still drying... But, have you seen the new Knitscene? Those green and yellow Ribby Retro Socks were knit by yours truly!

I'll be back with an update on my Sockapalooooza socks (one down, one to go!) and some sweet itty bitty knitting in progress.