nonaKnits

Pablo Neruda Was Right

I know you've been on pins and needles the last 24 hours hypothesizing on the conclusion of The Grand Experiment.  Well my anxious friends, all I can say is, Pablo Neruda was right.   Today I woke up bright and early, put the Classic Sock -- knit cuff to toe -- on my right foot and the Eastern Sock -- knit toe to cuff -- on my left.  I wore clogs, I wore shoes, I sat at my desk, I ran errands, I cleaned the bathroom, I walked around in my stocking feet, I even visited my LYS to show them off.  Well wouldn't you know, there was no damn difference -- both wonderful.  So to quote Neruda in "Ode to My Socks"

The moral
of my ode is this:
beauty is twice
beauty
and what is good is doubly
good
when it is a matter of two socks
made of wool
in winter.

For all the pictures check out The Grand Experiment Photo Spread.  While nona was showing off her socks this afternoon, she picked up some more Julia yarn for her next project.  What do you suppose nona is making?  Two clues: 1.  Not socks and 2. Think about my recent posts and be observant.  Perhaps that was really 3 clues? 

nona's next project

Cuff Is To Toe And Toe Is To Cuff

Tomorrow is a grand day, it's the day nona gets to complete The Grand Experiment.  The socks are done -- the cuff made it to the toe and the toe made it to the cuff.  For those lost in the dark, nona is conducting an experiment to compare two socks.  The Classic Sock was knit from cuff to toe and the Eastern Sock was knit from toe to cuff.  Which fits best?  Which wears best?  Only tomorrow will tell.  My plan is to wear the socks with both clogs and closed back shoes and to chronicle the day's adventures from the sock's perspectives.  No, nona is not bored!  She is simply curious.  The Grand Experiment Photo Spread

Nona, what did you like best & worst about knitting the Classic Sock?

The heel shaping qualifies as both the best and the worst .  I love the entire production of working a heel flap, turning the heel, picking up stitches, and shaping the gusset -- nona thinks "gusset" is a grand word.   But at the same time, it is a production.  I always have to do a few calculations  and refer back to Nancy Bush's Folk Sock book to remind myself of the 4 steps.

Nona, what did you like best & worst about knitting the Eastern Sock?

There is something simple and elegant about shaping both the toe and the heel using the same short row shaping.  Once you get the shaping down, these socks just fly off the needles without much thinking.  When binding off at the cuff, I had to be very careful not to be too tight.  To help keep it loose, I k2tog to bind off instead of the traditional bind off.

In Response to Nona-Niece The Best's Comment

First, nona must go on the record that 'nona-niece the best" is self proclaimed.  nona thinks all of her nieces are the best.  This nona-niece likes the Wavy pattern from knitty.com.  Nona would like to knit this scarf for nona-niece, but I have 2 questions:  What color would you like?  and Which nona-niece are you?

The Experiment Is To The Heels

The Grand Experiment is well on its way.  I've made it to the most exciting part, working the heel of each sock.  For the first sock -- call it Classic Sock, you know the one knit from the cuff to the toe -- I'll shape the heel by working a heel flag, turning the heel, picking up stitches, and then shaping the gusset.  For the second sock -- call it Eastern Sock, you know the one knit from the toe to the cuff -- I'll shape the heel using short rows. 

Classic Sock on the left and Eastern Sock on the right. 
Both ready for heel shaping.

Look Mom, nona can model two socks on one foot.
Just don't ask me to walk!

An unexpected finding from this experiment is that nona loves working with the Julia yarn.  I've been eying the cover sweater from the current issue of Interweave Knits (Winter 2004).  That sweater, Colorwork Classic designed by Kristin Nicholas, is knit using Julia (Kristin's line of yarn).  The Colorwork Classic sweater is now doubly on my wishlist, once for the design and a second time for the yarn.  Ah, observant reader, you've noticed that nona used the circle and swirl design from the Colorwork Classic sweater in her footlet socks.  Nona's proud of your discerning eye. 

The Grand Experiment

In the American tradition of head-to-head competition, nona is embarking on the Grand Experiment.  Like those who came before, investigating whether Coke or Pepsi tastes best, I will conquer the age old question -- which sock fits best?  The classic sock, knit from cuff to toe replete with heel flap and gusset?  Or the Eastern European sock, knit from toe to cuff with short-row shaped toe and heel?

To maintain the illusion of impartiality, I'll be knitting the 2 socks at the same time -- cuff to toe and toe to cuff.  Which will be the most comfortable?  Which will fit the best?  Only the Grand Experiment will tell.

Yes, yes I know, I'm obsessing a bit with this sock thing, but sometimes you just gotta go with the flow.  By-the-by, my LYS just started carrying Julia by Goddess Yarns.  Quite nice and perfect material for some quick to knit experimental socks.  I believe my colors are called "Blue Thyme" -- what the heck? -- and "Espresso" -- the new black.

The Grand Experiment 
Toe to Cuff on the left and Cuff to Toe on the right