Watermelon Socks, knit flat

slisen.blogspot.com

(Click on photos to enlarge)

 

30 Nov 2016

Well, blogger is at it again.  I've been trying to reply to a nice comment left for this pattern and it won't let me post, so I'm answering the comment from 'Unknown' from earlier this afternoon and hope it helps the rest of you too.

 

The comment was:

I know this is a old post but how many sts did you increase to for the ankle? you start with 66 and it looks like you increase by about 10 (5 each side) but can't be sure.
And my reply is:

Thanks for your comments and bringing to my attention that my schematics might have thrown you (and others) off.  I don't increase any sts for the ankle.  In the case of 66 sts CO, the total number of sts remain at 66, the same throughout.  My schematics appeared that there was an increase so I 'fixed the schematics' diagrams and replaced them to what the actual knitting should look like.  Sorry if I caused some confusion but it should be clearer now.  Again thanks for looking at my blog and bringing this to my attention.

 

 This is what happens when 2 teenage granddaughters put their heads together and sweet talk their grandmother into making them a pair of socks that they just ‘have to have’.  They, of course, knew they’d win.  ☺

It was a fun project but they didn’t happen overnight.  I couldn’t find sock yarn in colors that I needed so that meant dyeing yarn, which also meant ordering dyes and a cone of sock yarn.  Then I had to wait for the weather to warm up a bit so I could be outside to do the dyeing.  So during the wait for things to come together, I planned my attack and decided on a g-carriage pattern and designed it in DAK.  Then I needed to come up with correct sizing.  The new cone of yarn I got was heavier than the last one I got from the same company and it didn’t gauge out the same.  So I spent a few days working up the pattern and frogging a couple socks until I came up with what I thought would fit one of the girls.  I basted it together and had one of them try it on and, voila, it fit.  So I am a happy camper.

I started with the cuff ribbing, then worked the ankle with the g-carriage.  I wanted the ankle seam to run up the back so I scrapped off ¼ of the stitches on each side of ‘0’ and continued with the garter pattern on the center half of the stitches to the toe.  Then because I wanted the facing garter pattern to be on the public side, I turned my work with a garter bar and I proceeded to shortrow the toe, knit the sole and worked the shortrowed heel in stockinette stitch.  To be able to graft the heel seam and have the pattern continue, I turned the fabric and then scrapped off, to be grafted later.

I randomly worked the ‘seeds’ with duplicate stitch with a strand of black 4 ply yarn split into 2 strands.  I had thought about using glass beads for the seeds but both girls thought they'd prefer the comfort of duplicate stitch.  I seamed each side of the foot, the back of the ankle and lastly grafted across the heel.  I tried a couple different methods of SAYG on the foot sides but they looked too conspicuous for my liking so I opted to use a Bickford seam on the public side after they came off the machine.  Much better.  On one edge of the fabric, I came up thru a loop and down the next knot, then moved over to the other edge and did the same thing…came up thru a loop and down the next knot.   On the back ankle seam, I used the same method but worked from the wrong side of the fabric. 

I soon learned that adding the duplicate stitching for the ‘seeds’ was much easier if done before the sock was seamed up.  I worked the 'seed's vertically so they wouldn't get stretched too much horizontally while wearing.  I seamed one side of the foot, did the duplicate stitches, then finished the seaming. 

What a fun pair of socks!  But there is a lot of hand work after they come off the machine.  I have one more pair to make for the other gal and I'll post pictures when they're done....stay tuned.  I've included my schematic pattern for the first pair I made that might help you get going if you want to make a pair.  This is for a size 8 narrow foot, 9.5" long.

I've also included my DAK 'melon' pattern but you may use any g-carriage design you like.

P.S.  I should add that I use Pro Chemical Pro One Shot dyes.