SOCKS!!

I made my first pair of socks!  I'm so excited.  I used Diana Sullivan's Sock DVD and book and my Studio 700 standard machine with ribber.  The video was very helpful.  I really like to see things done.  They have always helped me understand the written word better.

The first sock took my 3 1/2 hours.  Yes, and I had many many problems.  All operator error.  My first mistake was after the ribbing was done.  I got the sock turned rehung for circular knitting AND I forgot to put the yarn back in the carriage and 3/4 of the ribbing fell off by the time I noticed.  At that point I though it would just be faster to rip it out and redo the ribbing.  I've got 1X1 ribbing down and I'm pretty fast in needle set up and casting on.

The 2nd mistake was after I turned the sock for circular knitting I didn't weight it down and 4 stitches came off the needles.  After much digging around and latching up I got them on and weighted down.

Now came the circular knitting.  I've only done it once and following all the directions I forgot to put a side lever to the triangle or arrow and some have called it.  I did 3 rows of ribbing.  I had to undo the 3 rows.  After examining the chart and settings I was able to get back to circular knitting.

About 10 rows into the circular knitting I encountered a knot.  Now that I think about it this wasn't my fault.  I did have to rip the knitting back to get the knot undone and reknit the row.

Finally, I was at the toe.  Again a few stitches fell off and had to dig around and rehang.  The stitches falling off all had to do with inadequate weight.

I'm not telling you about my mistakes as discouragement, but more to let you know that we all have problems.  One can get past them and be successful.

I decided after I made the first sock to immediately make a 2nd sock.  With all I learned the first time around the 2nd sock was much easier.  I knew how to set my machine for circular knitting.  I knew a good amount of weight was very important.  My 2nd sock took me exactly an hour.  No dropped stitches.  No ripping back.

All I have left to do is side seam the ribbing and Kitchener stitch the toes.  It's late though and I'm going to go to bed.