Sunday, July 25, 2010

A simple mind is easily amused.

That would be me, easily amused. On a good day, I'm not complicating things. I'm finding amusement in the banal, the ordinary. On a bad day, I'd probably step over George Clooney, but that would have to be a REALLY bad day. Let's hope it never comes to that.

My current amusement is Wendy Johnson's Laurel sock (Ravelry link). The construction is clever and simple and amazing. You increase on the needle holding the sole stitches, and this creates a gusset. You turn the heel with wrap-and-turn short rows, which I suck at, but that's a personal problem. Then, you work the heel flap while simultaneously decreasing the extra stitches from the gusset. There's no picking up stitches. Genius, I tell you!

I could kill my buzz by wondering how in the world somebody came up with this method in the first place, and why can't I invent something like this. But some of us are meant to be inventors of cleverness and some of us are meant to be consumers. I've accepted my place on the food chain and I'm O.K. with it.

Here's a photo of an almost completed heel flap. Notice how the gusset is elegantly decreasing. In this photo I have four more rows until the heel flap is completed:


This photo shows a completed heel flap, with the sole needle now containing the original number of stitches before the gusset was started:


A backside view of the heel flap:


And a view of the instep side:


These aren't exactly Diane Arbus-worthy photos, but you get the idea. I was too lazy to set up the big-ass tripod and I don't (yet) own a table-top tripod, so these are a bit blurry. I also do not own a light box, or a remote commander, or a wide angle lens... so many toys, so little money.

The color way might be a bit dark for this pattern, but I DO NOT CARE. I love this yarn so much I wish it would breed like rabbits in my stash. There were zero knots in the skein, it's so nice and squishy, and the color is glorious. I don't know who came up with the name Dream in Color Smooshy but I wish I'd given birth to them. Maybe I could get a discount.

10 comments:

  1. With a name like Dream in Color Smooshy how could it not be wonderful!

    I have not done or even heard of a heel like that. It scares me a little, but I'd love to learn it. It looks great as does the entire sock!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know what you mean about so much desirable camera equipment out there. I, too, would love to have a light box, but I lack the space, for starters. Nice looking socks. I have some of that yarn, and it might be the same colorway, in my stash. I'll have to dig it out one day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Out of all the socks I've knitted I have not done one toe up (it scares me) but maybe I should try it. I do not like wrap & turn heels though and that may be why I haven't done any toe up socks yet.
    I know what you mean about all the camera gadgets... I just have a simple camera that my simple techie mind can handle. lol.
    Nice looking sock.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Once again, in spite of your clear explanations and photos, reading about socks other than top down and 4dpns turns into words that look like this

    dirls roi wekrlsn worh eiwhl. Eiht wier sooienslg woirhso.

    They are lovely though and seem very wise but there is a sock block that I can't get past.

    ReplyDelete
  5. LOVE your new sock! I've always wondered about that name too...some people are just way too creative, lol ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love the new socks!! Gorgeous! Wendy Johnson is absolutely brilliant, and I am a happy consumer.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That sock pattern almost makes me want to do a toe up sock again. *almost* lol

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have trouble believing that people who can knit socks top down, and can even properly hold 4 dpns, think they can't knit Wendy's toe ups. They are so easy, even a clumsy old woman (me) loves them. That heel is my favorite. BTW, Wendy has given permission to NOT pick up the wraps. She's a wild woman!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wonderful! I love handknitted socks, they are the best! Too bad I don't have patience to knit them anymore :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ahhh.... socks..... when will my love for it come back to me?

    ReplyDelete

A few people seem to be having problems leaving comments. I have no clue why--Blogger doesn't make it easy to figure these things out. If you are having issues, you can always email me. Thanks for commenting, or trying to...