amputation
As I was finishing the second sock, I tried the first one on again and realized it was too short. Instead of picking out the woven in end, undoing the grafting, and frogging the entire toe, I had some fun with scissors.
It was so much fun to cut off that toe. I felt like I was doing something I was definitely not supposed to do, which added a bit of pleasant danger to the snipping. More danger than cutting a steek, because a steek is a planned thing. Cutting off toes is not. It reminded me of my work-study job in college, when I worked in preservation at our library. Taking a blade to an old book feels incredibly wrong and naughty at first, but once you get over the initial shock of mutilating something you've grown to worship, the thrill of feeling the materials moving under your instruments of destruction is intense and fulfilling. Of course, it helps that you know the slicing and dicing is a means to a good end.
the specs:
Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, in the color Fall Flight
size 0 needles, 64 stitches, 3x1 rib, plain old top-down construction
edited to clarify: I just discarded the toe I cut off, attached new yarn (since I had plenty leftover), and re-knit the end of the foot and the toe. Marina asked if I grafted the old toe back on. No way! Not worth the trouble.
Next time I use size 0 needles with Lorna's Laces, I think I may use 68 stitches. I like snug socks, and since 64 stitches on size 1 worked so well with Lorna's Laces, I thought they'd be even better on size 0 needles. They're fine, but maybe a tad too snug to be absolutely perfect. I think I also realized why I always get different figures when I measure socks on and off my feet, when trying to calculate when to start the toe. I have fairly high arches, which means the socks have to be slightly longer than the flat measurement of my foot. I must have started the toe on the first sock based on a flat measurement. I won't make that mistake again.
I've started knitting the baby hats, which are easy and a bit boring, but not terribly so. It's an excuse to work with yarns I haven't touched for a while. I didn't realize how much I missed touching Cherry Tree Hill Supersock. Whoever gets that first hat will be a very lucky baby. There will also eventually be a baby born in Keene who gets a hat to match my Fall Flight socks. The thrill of knowing that babies around the area will have heads to match my feet is enough to get me through the rounds and rounds of 2x2 ribbing and stockinette.
It was so much fun to cut off that toe. I felt like I was doing something I was definitely not supposed to do, which added a bit of pleasant danger to the snipping. More danger than cutting a steek, because a steek is a planned thing. Cutting off toes is not. It reminded me of my work-study job in college, when I worked in preservation at our library. Taking a blade to an old book feels incredibly wrong and naughty at first, but once you get over the initial shock of mutilating something you've grown to worship, the thrill of feeling the materials moving under your instruments of destruction is intense and fulfilling. Of course, it helps that you know the slicing and dicing is a means to a good end.
the specs:
Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, in the color Fall Flight
size 0 needles, 64 stitches, 3x1 rib, plain old top-down construction
edited to clarify: I just discarded the toe I cut off, attached new yarn (since I had plenty leftover), and re-knit the end of the foot and the toe. Marina asked if I grafted the old toe back on. No way! Not worth the trouble.
Next time I use size 0 needles with Lorna's Laces, I think I may use 68 stitches. I like snug socks, and since 64 stitches on size 1 worked so well with Lorna's Laces, I thought they'd be even better on size 0 needles. They're fine, but maybe a tad too snug to be absolutely perfect. I think I also realized why I always get different figures when I measure socks on and off my feet, when trying to calculate when to start the toe. I have fairly high arches, which means the socks have to be slightly longer than the flat measurement of my foot. I must have started the toe on the first sock based on a flat measurement. I won't make that mistake again.
I've started knitting the baby hats, which are easy and a bit boring, but not terribly so. It's an excuse to work with yarns I haven't touched for a while. I didn't realize how much I missed touching Cherry Tree Hill Supersock. Whoever gets that first hat will be a very lucky baby. There will also eventually be a baby born in Keene who gets a hat to match my Fall Flight socks. The thrill of knowing that babies around the area will have heads to match my feet is enough to get me through the rounds and rounds of 2x2 ribbing and stockinette.
posted by Rebekkah at 1:02 PM
9 Comments:
Did you graft the "old" toes to the lengthened sock? I think it's very empowering to cut your knitting and know that it's not going to fall apart as it can be fixed and that it might even be quicker than ripping and reknitting!
And all this time I thought I was sick and twisted because I like to cut knitting. A few years ago my feet actually changed size so none of my socks fit. I just cut off the toes, picked out the yarn, put the live stitches on dpns and knit another toe.
I love the fall colors of your socks!
Oh, the naughtiness of knitters. But worth it.
Sliced up books?? Oh no! but I suppose it must be done occasionally.
scissors! how scary!
I can see how scissors can fit into an eventual plan of improvment for a sock. Cutting up books as a means of preservation? A bit of a mystery to me, I admit. I'll take your word for it, though.
So you really do have latent destructive tendencies, don't you?
Sometimes it's fun to live a little dangerously, even if it only involves scissors and some knitwear.
"I won't make that mistake again."
.....ha,ha,ha,hahahahahah. I don't know about you, but I've learned not to make the mistake of saying THAT too often :)
But perhaps your memory is better than mine. Still, though, you shouldn't tempt the knitting demons so much!
I don't think I've seen that color of Lorna's Laces before. I may have to look into this.
Your socks look fabulous.
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