Saturday, January 01, 2005

The Challenge

Take a lovely yarn just perfect for making slippers:



70% wool, 30% acrylic, 2.75 st/in on size 11 (US)/8mm needles. Fast, thick, cozy, and machine washable!

Socks and slippers need to be tightly knit (for wear), so I started on size 9's. Big mistake! Broke out the 11's (like knitting on broomsticks!



Size 7 in the foreground for contrast.

Zipping along on my trusty Clover 16" circular and Bry-flex (the US made ones that are sort of, but not exactly, like the NZ Bryspuns that are no longer made). Finish the foot, start the cuff. Try garter stitch (to match the sole). Too loose. Rip back. Try a 2X2 rib (as recommeded in the pattern). Nope. Still too loose.

Finally:



Yep, switch to thinner yarn, smaller needles. That's Cervinia Sorrento in a complementary color, but any worsted/Aran weight on size 10's would have worked just as well.

For the record, with this very fat yarn (Four Seasons Susanna), I used the smallest size cast on in the Aunt Alm's dorm boots pattern, but with needles (11's) suitable for the weight of the yarn. The finished boot will be 11.5" from toe to heel.

Now to make another.

Oh, and the knitting of the pair on yesterday's blog is finished. I just need to sew them up.




Comments:
Sandy, I've got to tell you that I am VERY careful of that seam. It's not any worse than (for example) any of the garter ridges.

Another option would be to do a provisional cast on and then kitchener the bottom. OR start at the cuff (something I've been considering) and then 3-needle bind off the bottom.

Really, though, all three possibilities leave you with some sort of seaming on the bottom.
 
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