Socks on Circulars

Maybe expereimenting on a sock meant for submission isn't a good idea, but why wait to learn a new technique? Knitting the second sock, glove or whatever begins to smell of production knitting as the second one needs to be like the first one. Some intrepid designers knit the second sock in the same colors as the first but put them in different places. Cool idea and I'll probably try it. But these socks are the same eggplant color throughout and messing with the spaces between the Michelin Man rings would just look weird.

Back to circular needles. After reading Cat Cordi's book I gave the technique a try. After a few rounds I noticed that there was no worm hole in the leap between the two needles. Hot dog! An excuse to add some Addis to my collection and whip up on that lace stocking I'm doing for the Vintage Knit-Along! But first things first. I had to finish Michelin Man.

A minor irritation of this technique is the part where you come to the end of the row. At that point you have to pull the working needle through so the work sits in the middle and the ends dangle, thereby becoming the resting needle. Then you flip the sock around with a tinkle and a rattle like Jacob Marley dragging his chains, push the new working needle through so you can get to the business end, and start knitting the other side.

Then came the heel. I've just learned short row heels/toes and the idea of doing one on a circular needle did not appeal. Back and forth on a circular for large projects is OK, but 24 stitches on a 29 inch needle? No way. Two dpns for me on that.

Another problem. Crossing the gap between the top of the heel and the instep. Next thing I knew there were a couple of evil eyes staring at me. Now how do you mess with gap stitches on two circular needles? Each needle has its own set of stitches and never the twain shall meet. Back to the dpns to fix this problem.

And what did I see then? MOLE TUNNELS! There was a funky ridge where I snugged up the yarn between the two needles. Yuck!

Is it Frog City for this one? Please, God, not that...