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June 26, 2007
Ankle Sidewinders
Summer is the perfect time to sport a pair of breezy ankle socks, which -- by the way -- are an excellent way to use the Koigu in your stash and a compelling reason to buy more. I'm a huge fan of the Koigu almost solid colors and love how the turquoise cuff enhances the colors in the variegated colorway.
My ankle sock was knit using the basic Sidewinders pattern with the following modifications:
- The cuff was worked in Garter Stitch over 6 stitches (instead of 8). I also used a solid color for the cuff stitches and love the contrast it provided.
- The leg is worked over 8 stitches. For an even shorter ankle sock the leg could be reduced to 4 stitches.
- I experimented with the paired increases and decreases -- the decreases are separated by 2 stitches (instead of 0) and the increases are separated by 4 stitches (instead of 2). Although this made the increases and decreases easier to work, I'm not completely happy with the wider look of the shaping. In the 2nd ankle sock I'm going to try 1 stitch between the decreases and 3 between the increases to see if I can find a common ground between form and function.
Speaking of modifications, Maia came up with a really cool one!
June 26, 2007 in Project - Socks | Permalink | Comments (26)
June 25, 2007
An Excellent Egg Sandwich
Two years ago -- after dropping nona-son-the-oldest off for his freshman year at USC -- I parked in the southern most Santa Monica beach lot and meandered my way down the promenade to Venice Beach. A hole in the wall corner deli boasted in thick dark letters of its excellent egg sandwich. Intrigued -- but not convinced -- I took the bait and ordered one. The owner, an old opinionated guy, was not mistaken when he scrawled his boast -- it was indeed an excellent egg sandwich.
That sandwich stuck with me and on subsequent trips to L.A. I was ever at the ready to recreate that perfect moment. During last week's trip the time was right, but the hole in the wall corner deli was gone with renovation in full swing for a sleek and modern bistro to fill its place. Do I despair at the thought of never again or do I rejoice in the memory of excellence and laugh at my folly of attempting to recreate a perfect moment? We all know by now, faithful reader, that I'll go for rejoicing and laughter over despair any day.
OK, enough about excellent egg sandwiches -- on to yarn! While in Santa Monica I visited WildFiber, a shop previously owned by Mel Clark of the Knit 2 Together fame. I was disappointed to hear that Mel had sold the shop, as I would have loved to have met her -- alas and alack. The shop has a large selection and an excellent layout. It was very quiet the afternoon I went in, so it was hard to get the vibe of the place. I bought 4 skeins of Louet's Euroflax Linen to knit the Kilt Skirt from Knit 2 Together and these yummy colors of Koigu for a pair of anklet Sidewinders with contrasting cuff.
June 25, 2007 in nona Life | Permalink | Comments (12)
June 20, 2007
Hurtling Down the I-5
By the time you read this I should be hurtling down the I-5 transporting nona-son-the-younger to his USC freshman orientation. While he orients, I plan to eat a fabulous egg sandwich in Venice Beach, visit Wildfiber in Santa Monica, and make a significant dent in the front of my Josephine Top. I do so love a road trip.
Josephine's back is completed and I'm very satisfied with the results. I absolutely love the contrast of the visually complex lace on the bottom against the sparse textured pattern on the top. I casted on the front this morning at the car wash -- my car was so filthy they had to send it threw not once, not twice, but three times -- and am already through the first repeat.
June 20, 2007 in Project - Josephine | Permalink | Comments (25)
June 19, 2007
Sidewinder Sightings
What fun I've had spotting Sidewinders here and there. I thought I'd share a few sightings for your enjoyment:
- Both socks finished and still smiling: Kathy, Maia, and Sulafaye
One sock done and contemplating another: Eleven Stitches, Grumperina, Irina's ankle sock, Kim's test sock, Kim's ankle version, Malin, Rachel, Sonya, Stacey
In the works: Laura, and perhaps You!
If you've finished a Sidewinder -- notice I said "a" -- and would like to share your photo, Sonya has started a Sidewinder Flickr Group. Thanks Sonya!
June 19, 2007 in Project - Socks | Permalink | Comments (23)
June 09, 2007
Sidewinders: The Grand Finale
The Grand Finale requires you to close you eyes, take a cleansing breath, and conjure up all the bad feelings and emotions you have about grafting. Imagine how hard grafting is and how confusing the front needle, back needle, knit-wise, purl-wise instructions are. Got it? Good. Now open the door and sweep all those nasty images away. Because today you're going to graft, and today you're going to realize it's not so hard, and today you're going to say to yourself, "I like grafting".
Although grafting is not the least bit hard, it does take time, and it does take good light. You'll probably need about an hour for the Grand Finale, so put the tea pot on, get the good chocolate out, and shoo the kids away.
It's now or never -- cleansing breath, positive thoughts, tea, and click...
Sidewinders: The Grand Finale
The Long Vertical Graft
The stitches on the needle need to be grafted to the stitches left by the provisional cast on. This long vertical graft will join your flat, crazy looking sock into a tube.
Prepare to Graft
- Remove the provisional cast on and place the resulting live loops on another circular needle of comparable size. Even if this other needle is a little larger or a little smaller than the needle you knit with your grafting will turn out fine.
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Cut your working yarn leaving a 75 inch tail -- give or take -- and thread the tail on a blunt tapestry needle.
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Fold your sock in half, wrong sides together, and bring the needles parallel to one another. Hold the needles in your left hand -- you'll be working right to left -- with the tail connected to the first stitch on the front needle.
Poised to begin grafting!
Just Once, To Get Started
Front needle -- Go through the first stitch on the front needle -- from the center, out -- and leave the stitch on the needle. | |
Back needle -- Go through the first stitch on the back needle -- from the center, out -- and leave the stitch on the needle. |
Repeat Over, and Over, and Over, and Over
Front Needle -- Go in toward the center & drop the stitch off the needle. | |
Front Needle -- Come out from the center & leave the stitch on the needle. | |
Back Needle -- Go in toward the center & drop the stitch off the needle. | |
Back Needle -- Come out from the center & leave the stitch on the needle. |
Keep repeating these 4 steps over and over and over until you have only 1 stitch left on each needle:
- Front needle -- in toward the center -- drop stitch off
- Front needle -- out from the center -- leave stitch on
- Back needle -- in toward the center -- drop stitch off
- Back needle -- out from the center -- leave stitch on
Always keep the yarn under the knitting needles and try to keep an even tension -- pulling tight enough to close but not so tight that it puckers. Don't worry, you'll find your rhythm. In a nutshell, you're alternating needles and repeating, "In, Drop Off, Out, Leave On"
Just Once, To End
Once you're down to a single stitch on each needle, you simply need to "go in toward the middle & drop off the stitch" on each of the needles. Weave your ends in and you are done!
The Short Horizontal Graft
Hopefully by now you and grafting are fast friends. You have one more short horizontal graft to join the toe to the bottom of the foot. If you were careful to work the slip stitch edge and place your pins as instructed, this horizontal graft should be a breeze!
Prepare to Graft
- Turn the sock inside out and locate the edge stitches that run along the sides of the foot and toe. These edge stitches look like interlocking "V"s. You should have (18, 20, 23), [(18, 21, 23), (19, 22, 24), (20, 22, 25)] edge stitches on the foot between -- but not including -- the pins and the same number on the toe between -- and including -- the pins.
Start with the foot's edge stitches -- the stitches between, but not including, the pins.
- With one of your circular needles and the wrong side facing out, pick up the outer leg of the "V" -- the leg closest to you and farthest away from the opening -- of each edge stitch and place it on your needle.
When you pick up this leg and place it on your needle, the right half of the leg should be in the front of the needle and the left half of the leg should be in the back -- it should remind you of a typical stitch mount.
I found it easier to grab the leg first with my tapestry needle and then to transfer it onto the knitting needle.
Next, the toe's edge stitches -- the stitches between, and including, the pins.
- With your other circular needle and the wrong side facing out, pick up the outer leg of each edge stitch and place it on your needle. Just like you did with the foot's edge stitches.
Remove the pins.
When finished you should have (18, 20, 23), [(18, 21, 23), (19, 22, 24), (20, 22, 25)] stitches on each of 2 circular needles.
Graft
Cut a piece of yarn about 30 inches long and thread it in your tapestry needle. With wrongs sides facing out, graft these stitches together. Weave in ends.
The End
And they all lived happily ever after -- Curtain Down -- The End.
June 9, 2007 in Project - Socks, Serial Patterns | Permalink | Comments (44)
June 08, 2007
Sidewinders: Act IV
Let's recap the Sidewinders' grand plan and see if it makes more sense now that you're almost finished. The sock is knit sideways starting at the center back of the leg a.k.a. center bottom of the foot and is knit back and forth in rows. The flat sock is then joined into a tube using a little magic, which will be revealed in the Grand Finale.
The toe and heel are shaped identically using paired increases to widen and paired decreases to narrow. The sock divides nicely into 4 equal sections -- each concentrating on one particular type of shaping. The 1st and 4th sections shape the heel while the 2nd and 3rd shape the toe.
Several techniques are used to make the sock's leg fit nicely. First, the Double Garter cuff behaves a bit like ribbing, holding up the top of the sock. Second, the back 1/4th of the leg is worked in Garter Stitch to fit snuggly across the back ankle. And finally, short rows are used to widen the top of the leg to accommodate the widening of the calf.
I'm guessing many of you will not be surprised by Act IV. On the contrary, you should feel like you've done it before.
06/09/2007 -- Post updated to correct error in instructions.
Sidewinders Act IV: Heel Out
Instructions
Finishing the Heel
Next Row -- Row (54, 60, 69), [(54, 63, 69), (57, 66, 72), (60, 66, 75)] -- Begin the second half of the heel shaping by working paired increases every row as follows:
Repeat the increase row (10, 11, 13), [(10, 12, 13), (11, 13, 14), (11, 13, 14)] more times. And at the same time...
After finishing Row (61, 67, 77), [(61, 71, 77), (65, 75, 81), (69, 75, 85)] -- Insert a few short rows to add a little calf shaping. These short rows should not be included in your row count. It is also time to switch the leg stitch pattern from Stockinette Stitch back to Garter Stitch. Here we go:
Short Row 2 -- WS -- YO, work 12 stitches to get back to the end of the needle.
Short Row 3 -- RS -- Work 12 stitches, k2tog, k3, Turn mid-row
Short Row 4 -- WS --- YO, work 16 stitches to get back to the end of the needle.
Short Row 5 -- RS -- Work 16 stitches, k2tog, k3, Turn mid-row
Short Row 6 -- WS -- YO, work 20 stitches to get back to the end of the needle.
Next Row -- Row (62, 68, 78), [(62, 72, 78), (66, 76, 82), (70, 76, 86)] -- Continue to work the leg stitches in Garter Stitch. Also, when you encounter the YO from the last short row, knit it together with the next stitch. And although I'm sure you don't need to be reminded, the mother in me must say, "don't forget to continue to work the heel increases".
Last Increase Row -- Row (64, 71, 82), [(64, 75, 82), (68, 79, 86), (71, 79, 89)] -- This should be your last row of heel increases. When finished with this row you should have:
(53, 54, 56), [(55, 57, 58), (56, 58, 59), (59, 61, 62)] stitches between the cuff marker and the center heel marker,
(51, 51, 48), [(53, 52, 50), (55, 52, 52), (58, 56, 55)] stitches between the center heel marker and the end of the row.
For a total of (112, 113, 112), [(116, 117, 116), (119, 118, 119), (125, 125, 125)] stitches.
Work without further heel shaping for (7, 8, 9), [(7, 8, 9), (7, 8, 9), (8, 8, 10)] rows ending with Row (71, 79, 91), [(71, 83, 91), (75, 87, 95), (79, 87, 99)].
Intermission
Are you feeling sassy? Good, keep that sassy feeling going for tomorrow's Grand Finale. And you know what -- seriously -- I'm proud of you!
June 8, 2007 in Project - Socks, Serial Patterns | Permalink | Comments (14)
June 07, 2007
Sidewinders: Act III
My friends, you're halfway through! You've flown through paired decreases, conquered paired increases, mastered short rows, and negotiated stitch markers -- please, take a well deserved MCS. In the next 2 Acts, we'll be doing more of the same.
In this Act you'll shape the second half of the toe using paired decrease like you did with the heel. Did you get that? Just like the heel! As I said before and will say again -- ad nauseum, I know -- what I love about the Sidewinders is that the heel and toe are shaped in the exact same way. Symmetry is a beautiful thing.
Things start off easy today. Shall we get going?
Sidewinders Act III: Toe In
Instructions
Finishing the Toe
Work straight for (7, 8, 9), [(7, 8, 9), (7, 8, 9), (8, 8, 10)] rows.
Next Row -- Row (43, 48, 55), [(43, 50, 55), (45, 52, 57), (48, 52, 60)] -- Complete the toe shaping by working paired decreases every row as follows:
Repeat the decrease row (10, 11, 13), [(10, 12, 13), (11, 13, 14), (11, 13, 14)] more times. You'll know you're done when you're back to 2 stitches between the center toe marker and the end of the toe.
Last Decrease Row -- Row (53, 59, 68), [(53, 62, 68), (56, 65, 71), (59, 65, 74)] -- When working this last decrease row reposition your stitch markers as follows:
Remove the center toe marker.
When finished with this row, you should be back to:
(41, 41, 41), [(43, 43, 43), (43, 43, 43), (46, 46, 46)] leg stitches,
2 heel stitches -- 1 on either side of the center heel marker -- and
(39, 38, 33), [(41, 38, 35), (42, 37, 36), (45, 41, 39)] foot stitches
For a total of (90, 89, 84), [(94, 91, 88), (95, 90, 89), (101, 97, 95)] stitches.
Go back and mark the last toe edge stitch by slipping a safety pin around the edge stitch on the needle. Again, you'll be glad you did when we get to the Grand Finale.
Intermission
Can you see the toe forminig, kind of like a little pocket? Are you tempted to slip your toes inside? Go ahead, no one’s looking.
Tomorrow in Act IV, you'll finish shaping the heel using paired increases. You're getting so close!
June 7, 2007 in Project - Socks, Serial Patterns | Permalink | Comments (18)
June 06, 2007
Sidewinders: Act II
In Act I you finished the first 1/4 of your sock, turning the heel using paired decreases. In this act, you’ll concentrate on the toe shaping, working paired increases every row to increase the toe to its final length. Half of the increased stitches create the top of the toe and the other half create the bottom – think of the center two toe stitches as the fold line.
Finding paired increases that didn't distort the fabric when worked every row was tricky business. I finally settled on the raised bar increase, but please fell free to substitute another if you prefer – I trust you.
That's enough chit-chat, let's get started on the toe...
Sidewinders Act II: Toe Out
Abbreviations
Raised Bar Increases
- Find the horiztonal connecting yarn between the needles.
- Using the left needle pick up the connecting yarn from back-to-front and leave this "raised bar" on the left needle.
- If this is a right side row -- Knit the raised bar.
- If this is a wrong side row -- Purl the raised bar.
- Find the horiztonal connecting yarn between the needles.
- Using the left needle pick up the connecting yarn from front-to-back and leave this "raised bar" on the left needle.
- If this is a right side row -- Knit the raised bar through the back loop.
- If this is a wrong side row -- Purl the raised bar through the back loop.
Instructions
I’m going to stop saying, "Continuing in established stitch patterns", because I have faith that you will continue to do so.Shaping the Toe
Next Row -- Row (18,20,23), [(18,21,23), (19,22,24), (20,22,25)] -- Begin the toe shaping by working paired increases every row as follows:After completing your first WS row, go back and mark the first toe edge stitch by sliding a safety pin around edge stitch still on the needle. You’ll be glad you did when we get to the Grand Finale.
Repeat the increase row (10, 11,13), [(10, 12, 13), (11, 13, 14), (11, 13, 14)] more times. You'll know you're done when you have (13, 14, 16), [(13, 15, 16), (14, 16, 17), (14, 16, 17)] stitches between the center toe marker and the end of the toe.
Row (28, 31, 36), [(28, 33, 36), (30, 35, 38), (31, 35, 39)] -- This should be your last row of toe increases. When finished with this row, you should have:
(42, 42, 42), [(44, 44, 44), (44, 44, 44), (47, 47, 47)] stitches between the cuff marker and the center heel marker,
(49, 49, 46), [(51, 50, 48), (53, 50, 50), (56, 54, 53)] stitches between the center heel marker and the center toe marker,
(13, 14, 16), [(13, 15, 16), (14, 16, 17), (14, 16, 17)] stitches from the center toe marker to the end of the row.
For a total of (112, 113, 112), [(116, 117, 116), (119, 118, 119), (125, 125, 125)] stitches.
Work straight without further toe shaping for (7, 8, 9), [(7, 8, 9), (7, 8, 9), (8, 8, 10)] rows ending with Row (35, 39, 45), [(35, 41, 45), (37, 43, 47), (39, 43, 49)].
Intermission
Congratulations! You're half way done with your sock having worked 1/2 of the heel shaping in Act I and 1/2 of the toe shaping in Act II.
Tomorrow in Act III, we'll work the 2nd half of the toe using paired decreases. Paired decreases? That should sound familiar -- think Act I, heel.
June 6, 2007 in Project - Socks, Serial Patterns | Permalink | Comments (15)
June 05, 2007
Sidewinders: Act I
In Act I you'll cast on and concentrate on the first half of the heel. Paired decreases are used every row to shape the heel from the bottom of the sole to the ankle bone. These decreases remind me of a mitered square and have the same effect -- bending a straight line of stitches 90 degrees, perfect for turning a heel. The cuff is worked in Double Garter stitch -- which simulates ribbing – while the leg is initially worked in Garter Stitch to give the back ankle a snug fit.
Previous installments of this serial pattern include: The Prologue.
Did you get gauge? Great! Let's get started.
Sidewinders Act I: Heel In
Stitch Patterns
Double Garter
Row 2 (WS): Knit
Row 3 (RS): Knit
Row 4 (WS): Purl
Slip Stitch Edge
Row 2 (WS): Knit 1 stitch through the back loop
Abbreviations
WS -- Wrong Side Row. In this pattern, all odd rows are wrong side rows.
YO -- Yarn Over.
Right Slanting Decreases
p2tog -- Purl two stitches together
Left Slanting Decreases
ssp -- Slip 1 stitch knit-wise, slip another stitch knit-wise, return the 2 slipped stitches to left needle, and purl them together through the back loop.
Instructions
Getting Started
Using the provisional cast on of your choice, cast onRow 1 (WS): Place stitch markers to divide the sections of the sock as follows:
Place foot marker,
Purl (12, 13, 15), [(12, 14, 15), (13, 15, 16), (13, 15, 16)] heel stitches,
Place center heel marker,
Purl (12, 13, 15), [(12, 14, 15), (13, 15, 16), (13, 15, 16)] heel stitches,
Place leg marker,
Knit (41, 41, 41), [(43, 43, 43), (43, 43, 43), (46, 46, 46)] leg stitches,
Place cuff marker,
Purl 8 cuff stitches.
Row 2 (RS): Establish the stitch patterns used for each sock section as follows:
Work the leg stitches in Garter Stitch
Work the heel stitches in Stockinette Stitch
Work up to the last foot stitches in Stockinette Stitch
Work the edge stitch in the Slip Stitch Edge stitch pattern, starting with Row 1
Continue in the establish stitch patterns for (4, 5, 6), [(4, 5, 6), (4, 5, 6), (5, 5, 7)] more rows.
Shaping the Heel
Next Row -- Row (7, 8, 9), [(7, 8, 9), (7, 8, 9), (8, 8, 10)] -- Continuing in the established stitch patterns, begin the heel shaping by working paired decreases every row as follows:
WS Rows: Work to 2 stitches before center heel marker, ssp, p2tog, work to end of row
Repeat the decrease row (10, 11, 13), [(10, 12, 13), (11, 13, 14), (11, 13, 14)] more times -- you'll eventually get down to 2 heel stitches -- and at the same time...
Shaping the Calf
After finishing Row (9, 11, 13), [(9, 11, 13), (9, 11, 13), (9, 11, 13)] -- Insert a few short rows to add a little calf shaping. These short rows should not be included in your row count. Continuing in the established stitch patterns shape the calf using short-rows as follows:
WS - YO, work 20 stitches to get back to the end of the needle.
RS - Work 16 stitches, Turn mid-row.
WS - YO, work 16 stitches to get back to the end of the needle.
RS - Work 12 stitches, Turn mid-row.
WS - YO, work 12 stitches to get back to the end of the needle.
Next Row -- Row (10, 12, 14), [(10, 12, 14), (10, 12, 14), (10, 12, 14)] -- Switch the leg stitch pattern from Garter Stitch to Stockinette Stitch. Also, when you encounter the 3 YOs, knit each together with the next stitch to close the gap formed by turning the short row. Continue the heel decreases and don't forget to work the foot’s Slip Stitch Edge.
Finishing Up
Last Row -- Row (17, 19, 22), [(17, 20, 22), (18, 21, 23), (19, 21, 24)] -- should be your last row of heel decreases. When working this row reposition your stitch markers as follows:
Remove leg and foot markers, and
Add a center toe marker 2 stitches in from end of the foot (the foot's slip stitch edge stitch counts as one of these 2 stitches).
When finished with this row, you should have:
(41, 41, 41), [(43, 43, 43), (43, 43, 43), (46, 46, 46)] leg stitches,
2 heel stitches, and
(39, 38, 33), [(41, 38, 35), (42, 37, 36), (45, 41, 39)] foot stitches
For a total of (90, 89, 84), [(94, 91, 88), (95, 90, 89), (101, 97, 95)] stitches.
Intermission
Please take a moment to admire your heel shaping. The paired decreases created a right angled miter that connects the leg with the foot at a 90 degree angle. Too much math talk, I know, but it’s neat!
Tomorrow in Act II, the action will shift from the heel to the toe.
June 5, 2007 in Project - Socks, Serial Patterns | Permalink | Comments (23)
June 04, 2007
Sidewinders: The Prologue
If nonaKnits Sidewinders, than you can too!
Starting today I'll be sharing my Sidewinders pattern with you serial style. We'll start with the Prologue, followed over the next five days by 4 Acts and a Grand Finale. I encourage you, my adventurous friends, to grab your supplies, measure your foot, and knit along.
Acknowledgments
- Thank you to all the commenters who left creative naming suggestions for these socks. I cannot tell you how much fun it was to read your ideas and to visit your blogs. Special Thank-Yous need to go to Monica for suggesting "Sidewinders" and to Grumperina for suggesting "Perpensockular". I love both and have named this pattern, "Sidewinders: A PerpenSOCKular Pattern".
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Thank you to Priscilla Gibson-Roberts for popularizing short-rowed heels and toes for hand knit socks. The heels and toes for the Sidewinders are proportioned based on her short-rowed couterparts, but are knit in the perpendicular direction using paired increases and decreases instead of short-rows.
Thank you to Charlene Schurch for the size chart in her excellent book, Sensational Knitted Socks. I used this chart as my primary resource when determining the "To Fit" measurements for the Sidewinders.
Without further adieu, I bring you the first installment of Sidewinders: A PerpenSOCKular Pattern.
Sidewinders: A PerpenSOCKular Pattern
Gauge
Materials
Yarn
Needles
A circular needle in the size required to get a gauge of 30 sts and 40 rows in 4 inches using the yarn of your choice -- typically something in the neighborhood of a US 2. Why a circular needle? Even though the Sidewinders are knit back and forth, you need the flexibility of the circular needle to accommodate the curve of the heel and toe. A 2nd circular needle close in size is needed for the Grand Finale.Sizing & Measurements
Ease: Due to the difference in vertical and horizontal stretch of knit fabric, the finished foot length is intended to be about 1 inch shorter than the To Fit length and the finished circumference is about the same as the To Fit circumference.
Shoe Size | Foot Length | Circumference | |||||
US | EUR | Width | To Fit | Finished | To Fit | Finished | |
6-7N | 6-7 | 36-37 | Narrow | 9 1/4" | 8 1/4" | 7 1/8" | 7 1/4" |
6-7M | 6-7 | 36-37 | Medium | 9 1/4" | 8 1/4" | 8 1/8" | 8" |
6-7W | 6-7 | 36-37 | Wide | 9 1/4" | 8 1/4" | 9" | 9 1/8" |
7-8N | 7-8 | 37-38 | Narrow | 9 1/2" | 8 1/2" | 7 1/4" | 7 1/4" |
7-8M | 7-8 | 37-38 | Medium | 9 1/2" | 8 1/2" | 8 1/8" | 8 1/4" |
7-8W | 7-8 | 37-38 | Wide | 9 1/2" | 8 1/2" | 9" | 9 1/8" |
8-9N | 8-9 | 38-39 | Narrow | 9 3/4" | 8 3/4" | 7 5/8" | 7 5/8" |
8-9M | 8-9 | 38-39 | Medium | 9 3/4" | 8 3/4" | 8 1/2" | 8 3/4" |
8-9W | 8-9 | 38-39 | Wide | 9 3/4" | 8 3/4" | 9 3/8" | 9 1/2" |
9-10N | 9-10 | 39-40 | Narrow | 10 1/4" | 9 1/4" | 7 7/8" | 8" |
9-10M | 9-10 | 39-40 | Medium | 10 1/4" | 9 1/4" | 8 3/4" | 8 3/4" |
9-10W | 9-10 | 39-40 | Wide | 10 1/4" | 9 1/4" | 9 3/4" | 10" |
Test Knitting
Instructions
Since the pattern has 12 different sizes, there will be 12 different numbers for any instructions that vary by size. The numbers will be formatted as follows: (6-7N, 6-7M, 6-7W) [ (7-8N, 7-8M, 7-8W), (8-9N, 8-9M, 8-9W), (9-10N, 9-10M, 9-10W)]I recommend that you print a copy of the pattern and highlight your size throughout.
Prologue
Gauge is critical for well fitting Sidewinders. Please take the time to knit a gauge swatch to determine the needle size you need to use with your yarn to achieve the required gauge of 30 stitches and 40 rows in 4 inches.Call me mean, but this is were the pattern stops for today -- I really do want you to knit that gauge swatch, because I really do want your Sidewinders to turn out well. Tomorrow, in Act I, we'll cast on and begin shaping the first half of the heel.
June 4, 2007 in Project - Socks, Serial Patterns | Permalink | Comments (51)
All patterns, designs, content, and photographs Copyright 2004-2010 nonaKnits and Carolyn Quill Steele. All rights reserved. If you have any copyright questions or request, please ask -- nonaKnits at gmail dot com.