Heal a heel?
So I have been trying to knit. It’s getting increasingly harder as S gets more and more aware of her surroundings. I used to be able to get some knitting time in while she nursed. Not so much anymore as she likes to “help”.
Big help huh?
I started this sock when I returned to work in early May. This is the first of the pair. See where I am? I hadn’t yet even turned the heel in that picture, at least I had not yet turned the heel for the 5th time! You can see my working yarn is all bendy from all of the ripping I had to do.
I have an issue with turning heels. It’s not a difficult thing. It’s not complicated, I’ve done it many times. But every time I get to the heel of my current sock I need to settle in for the long sit. I know if I do not sit and do the ENTIRE heel in one sitting that I will have to go back and rip and do it again. This holds true for short row and heel flap, the only two heels I know at this point in time. (I am on a mission to try a new one for every pair of sock I knit. ) You would think, armed with this knowledge, that I would just leave the sock until I had a few minutes to do it all - nah, I try and try to get it done in multiple sittings and it never works.
In fact, I did not find time to actually finish this heel until the second week in July, a full two-months after the sock was started. Kate Gilbert was in town visiting her family and I had the distinct pleasure of joining her for coffee, half-moon cookies (she called them something different, what did you call them Kate?), and knitting at a local coffee joint. We both sneaked away from our babes (for me this was the first time I had been away from S in 3 weeks! A much needed break) and had a lovely awesome afternoon.
Kate renewed my faith in knitters. This was our first time meeting after learning that we were both originally from Rochester, that we graduated from neighboring high schools the same year (’94), and that her college roommate was a high school classmate of mine. Small. World. Anyway, Kate was just one of those people that I felt comfortable and at home with and I look forward to her next visit.
I am about 2 inches into the second of the pair. We have been spending Sunday’s in the car house hunting. This gives me some MUCH needed knitting time! At this rate I’ll have a new pair of socks just in time for fall.
Socks for Me
Pattern: Made Up
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi (a gift from Elisa)
Colors: 92 River, Dyelot 1489
Needles: Addi Turbo US1 32″
Gauge: 8.5 sts / in, 12 rows / in (pre-block)
Size: Top to Start of Heel = ~6.25″; Heel to Start of Toe = ~5.75″; Total Length = 7/5 Circumference = 6.5″
Pattern Notes: CO 56 Stitches, Magic Loop. Top Down. Roll Top. Short-Row Heel and toe a la Priscilla Gibson-Roberts’s (Fall 2000 Interweave Knits, page 76). (Description on how to do this can be found in the Better Than Baby Booties by Ann Budd (free .pdf via Interweave Knits).)
kate is the bestest
and s looks like a killer “helper” hehe!
30 Jul 2007 at 4:14 pm
I absolutely must knit my heels uninterrupted, from flap to picking up for the gussets. I am just not smart enough to pick up anything in the middle.
BTW, I love all the recent pics of Sophia. Squeezably cute!
30 Jul 2007 at 4:18 pm
kate rocks the house. i heart her.
house hunting sounds like fun!
30 Jul 2007 at 4:20 pm
I have a helper too! Now that he’s seven and a half months old, I can’t knit and nurse anymore, unless he’s fallen asleep
I have a mental block when it comes to short row heels, for some reason I always wind up lopsided, I muddle on through the best I can. Your sock looks great!
30 Jul 2007 at 4:41 pm
Ooooh, you’re house hunting? How fun!
30 Jul 2007 at 5:13 pm
I’m the same way with heels. I HAVE to be able to finish them once I start them. Too many numbers to keep track of. BTW, I love the after-thought heel. It keeps my socks from stalling out in the middle.
30 Jul 2007 at 5:37 pm
black and white cookies! yum. maybe I should make some of those. It was my great pleasure to knit with you too darling. I can’t wait to see you again. (you’re always welcome up here too)
30 Jul 2007 at 6:09 pm
Thanks for the links to the short row heel tutorials. I’ve never tried one and think I should for my next pair of socks.
30 Jul 2007 at 6:18 pm
House hunting! yeah!! Check those dishwashers, baby!
I’m the same way with heels. I have to sit and do it or it won’t get done.
30 Jul 2007 at 8:04 pm
Welcome back, girlie! Moving house/cities is a complete drain and we all understand. Just nice to have you ‘back’. Sorry to hear people were being nasty. That’s the problem with blogging/internet - people don’t get a chance to think about their comments and impact, not to mention cultural expressions often are different even amongst people of the same language group. Take care - S. is looking gorgeous. 6 months?!?! How’d that happen?
30 Jul 2007 at 8:35 pm
I need a full block of time to knock out the heel too. And that S-cute as can be, 6 months? Really?
30 Jul 2007 at 9:59 pm
Of course she’s helping — by holding the yarn like that she’s restraining your tension, LOL.
Glad to hear things are going well in Rochester. Too bad I’m on bed rest and due soon … my company has a meeting coming up there in early Sept. and I would have tried to meet you in person and knit over cookies and coffee!!
31 Jul 2007 at 8:25 am
What if you gave S a little swatch to hold onto instead of your working yarn? Just an idea that popped into my head. Even if she does cut into your knitting time, she’s awfully cute.
31 Jul 2007 at 10:46 am
Even if it was a long time coming, the heel looks great! I love the way the color is knitting up for you.
Eventually, S will be able to sit up and play on her own for little bits at a time, and you’ll get your knitting back. Hang in there!
31 Jul 2007 at 11:33 am
If it’s a short-row heel, I have to do it all at once or the stitches stretch and the heel looks lik A**. If it’s a gusset heel, I can stop after the heel flap, and before I pick up the gusset stitches, if I have to.
My sister-in-law (formerly from Southie) calls those cookies half-moons; in Brooklyn, they are black-and-whites, and my family always called them flat cakes. They are the BEST!
31 Jul 2007 at 12:39 pm
I’m so with you on the heels of socks esp with the turn. If it makes you feel any better I just got through ripping mine out 4 times and the last time I made it done part of the foot decreases when I realized my stitch count was off- little bugger of a stitch slipped off and dropped 7 rows down! Too small of a space to drop down and rescue it. S looks adorable and the sock great!
01 Aug 2007 at 8:13 am
Why don’t you try the “afterthought Heel”…that would give time for you to do it after the entire sock is complete. I love doing them that way and then toe up so I can knit until most of my yarn is gone. I have been using lots of new yarns from all these fab indy dyers on the web so not always sure of what yardage will produce.
I just use some handy dandy crochet cotton (thrift store find) to put in two rows and then knit on until I have just enough left to do the heel.
Sophie is a darling..not long until she is producing socks herself..get those needles going Sophie!!!
01 Aug 2007 at 10:31 am
Hi Wenders !
Little S is getting so big ! Love the sock, my best to Rob and the dogs. Judy
01 Aug 2007 at 4:57 pm
I can not believe how big Miss S is getting! She’s almost knitting!
01 Aug 2007 at 5:28 pm
What a cute helper! Gives new meaning to the expression, yarns to drool over…
01 Aug 2007 at 5:41 pm
I know the same two heels as you and only those two. The short row heel is new to me. I just learned it a few months ago when I did the Lucy Neatby’s Mermaid socks and I can do it in several settings after using it a couple of times. (I keep obsessive notes.) On the heel flap heel, I can do the heel flap over time but I have to do the heel turn in one sitting or I’m lost, even with the notes. Weird, huh? But heels are my favorite part of the sock . . . other than finishing.
02 Aug 2007 at 9:07 pm
Ahh, Baby S is so cute and getting so big. That’s funny that you have to complete the heel flap in one sitting. I tried to do a short-row heel once and it never quite turned out. The heel flap is pretty much my standard. Your sock looks great. Happy househunting.
05 Aug 2007 at 11:47 am
The last pair of socks I knit was my first toe up pair. I followed the instructions to the letter, turned the heel smoothly and perfectly the first time - and they are about and inch too long. It then took me at least 5 tries to turn the heel - like you, I need to do it all at once. And once I’ve failed to do it twice, I need to do it in a quiet room with no distractions. I tried turning it while waiting for a Kaffe Fasset lecture - biggest. Mistake. Ever. I had to rip all the way back to the start of the heel flap.
You would think I’d learn, wouldn’t you? Apparently I’m not as smart as I seem to think I am
12 Aug 2007 at 9:18 pm
How great to find a like minded knitter to spend some baby free time with.
Looks like you solved your heel issues! I take that long to knit a pair of socks and I have no baby — so, really, you should feel great about all the knitting you are getting done.
Good luck with the house hunting.
12 Aug 2007 at 11:06 pm
she has the same look on her face that you often have when you’re thinking or playing or just hanging out…can’t wait to see both of you next month…
09 Sep 2007 at 4:08 pm