Well, not exactly a sprint at this point...
I've started my Baudelaire socks for the Tour de France Knitalong. Started both of them at the same time, actually. And yes, if you look closely at the picture, you'll quickly realize that they don't match.
For once, that's on purpose.
Start number one involved my Sz. 1 Addis and the increases as specified in the pattern. And then it involved some disappointment. The yarn, needles and increases just weren't melding together in the kind of yumminess I was expecting. I'm using Koigu for the first time and I've got to say, so far I'm kinda disappointed. I was looking for 'sproingy' and I got 'crunchy.' The yarn seems really rough and tumble, especially as I was coming off some super soft Wooly Boully yarn that I'll show you later.
I decided to try the larger, pointier Sz. 2 Knitpicks and I'm much happier with the feel of the stitches, although there's still the crunch factor. Not to be a princess with a pea, but I don't like the feel on the needles.
Just for my records, I ended up increasing on every row as opposed to every other row and went up to 68 stitches. I like the fit of this toe but I probably should have done some straight stockinette rows before jumping into the lace, just to put the lace a little further away from the end.
I suppose I'm rather nonplussed at this point. I still really like the pattern, love the yarn color and am okay with the progress on the larger needles. I'm trying to meet some major writing deadlines in the next two weeks so in all honesty, it's likely I won't even get the first sock completed, let alone a pair. I wouldn't be surprised if I need to rip this first start and try a different combination of yarn and pattern. As wiser knitters than I have noted, ripping is just a chance to do more knitting and we like to knit.
I'm giving this project one more night to impress me before it goes into the break-up pile.
Anyone with Koigu experience? Does it soften up? Is the crunch a good factor in the final product? Am I just being overly-sensitive?
5 comments:
I must admit that this comment has absolutely nothing to do to the entry to which is attached, but rather is in reference to your blog in general. I happend to trip upon your blog while doing a memory check on Dickens and Blessingtons salons, about which influence I am making a passing mention in my masters thesis on silver fork novels. Finding another student working on the silver forks was far too interesting a coincidence to pass up. Where are you studying? I'll begin work on my PhD at University of Florida next month and continue concentrating on the silver forks, along with other, more contemporary interests. Anyway, just a random shout out. There are far too few of us silver fork fans around, so I had to say hello.
Hmmm...I've used Koigu twice and thought it very pretty, but it didn't make me rush out to buy more. I'm more in love with a yarn for it's feel on the needles and hands as well as the eyes and feet, of course! Maybe I'm using the wrong needles? I don't know. I also found that one of my Koigu colorways was softer than the other, so maybe different dyes make the yarn softer or crunchier? Maybe I should end here or else end up writing a paper on the subject.
I was just thinking that the buadelaire's are knit with 4 ply yarn. Isn't 4 ply a little heavier than fingering weight? And I find koigu to be on the light side of fingering weight to begin with. Could it be that you're not liking it as much because of the difference in the yarn weight from the pattern? Sorry, that's the only thing I can think of.
I would love to be able to help, but ehmmm... will have to leave that to the experts!
Your blog doesn't appear to publish an rss-feed and I haven't been able to add you to my www.bloglines.com!
Just want to check in and see if everything is ok. It's been awhile.
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