You know the saying "desperate times need desperate measures"? Well, I had one of those a few weeks ago.
Well, I probably wasn't really that desperate. But it did involve me taking the scissors to my knitting. And I wasn't doing a steek...
So I've been knitting these socks (RavLink) - just plain stocking stitch toe up socks in my Wendy Happy bamboo sock yarn. I thought I'd try a new tubular bind off method that I'd read in Wendy's Socks from the Toe Up book. I don't know if it was the instructions, or me (I'll hazard a guess it was me!!) but I stuffed it up royally. Far from being the nice stretchy bind off promised, mine was tight tight tight. Just no good at all. I was so cross - I reckon it took me at least an hour or more to work this method - which involved kitchenering (!!) ALL 64 stitches on the needle. 
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!So into the naughty corner the sock went.
And then I finally pulled them out, and pulled out The Good Scissors.
And did this:
Ending up with this:
After about 20 minutes of painstaking frogging and putting the correct stitches back on the needle, I had this:
And then I did my regular sewn-bind off. And all was good with the world.
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Speaking of making things better with the world, this Saturday (yep, tomorrow!) is Earth Hour. If you haven't signed up already, it's not too late. And turning off the tv, the computer, the lights and any other unnecessary electrical appliances, for an hour (or more if you like), and burning some candles, is a really nice way to spend an evening. I guess that means I'll have to cast on a nice easy garter stitch project...
24 comments:
Oh my God, and I thought the tubular bind off was the answer to all toe up problems, I was going to try it next time too. You are very brave, and it does look awesome! Earth hour, hmmm, yes must try that whole knitting by candlelight thing....
One of the reassuring things about knitting is that most things are fixable - well fixed! These socks have such a great colour combination.
Cutting. Your. Knitting. Are you mad woman???!! Glad it all worked out well in the end, but remember, The Good Scissors are not Knitting's friend!!!
Your knitting is so beautifully even and gorgeous!!
So frustrating! I hate when my knitting time goes into the non-knitting parts of knitting! But good for you and your fix - the socks are so cute!
oh you are good. I admire you very much for doing something so brave as this. But you really must steek some time!
I think we will be out when earth hour happens - last year we were with you remember?
You are, indeed, a brave woman! I'm not sure I could have done that. But I am sure it would take me more than 20 minutes to get the stitches back on the needles.
As for kitchnering 64 stitches ... I'm speechless!
I'm still trying to figure out the kitchenering part. I am not a fan of toe up socks because I'm always afraid the bind off won't be good enough.
And thanks for the reminder of Earth Hour. I'll be out this year. But I'll remind folks around here.
I'm impressed it only took you 20 minutes to get all the stitches back onto the needles properly after cutting!
I guess I understand the symbolic nature of Earth Hour, but I'd rather something more practical were done. Instead, we have people here bickering over whether we should put wind turbines in the bay. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
Gah, you are brave! I'm so glad it worked out for you. I've never tried toe up but now I know which bind off to use if I ever do!
Eeek! Snippings!
I'll share my tips for tubular bind-off. Work the last row (or two) K1 P1 in a size bigger needle, then before doing the bind-off, I take the knit stitches and purl stitches onto two needles (K in the front, P in the back).
Then it's a lot more like grafting and I mess it up less. (I almost always mess the first three stitches or so up before I remember how to do it right!)
I love this bind-off and almost always use it. So naturally I want everyone else to love it, too!
Sorry it didn't work out for you this time.
I definitely see an improvement. Brave and commendable use of scissors!
Well done you! I would have painstakingly unpicked the cast off stitches - cutting is so much braver!
Now I remember why I have never tried toe up socks!
Thanks for the reminder about Earth Hour. I guess I won't be working on my current project (blog post soon). Back to my garter stitch blanket - hope it's cooler than last night! The blanket is nearly finished so there's quite a lot on my lap! Don't need that in heat and humidity.
I have admired those socks a few times, so when I saw the first picture I thought OH NO! so glad this story had a happy ending.
I don't have any good scissors, they all get snaffled for schoolwork and end up covered in glustik. I need some Good Scissors.
My good scissors were once taken by son#1 when he was working on sound desk at church, nay years ago. I happened to pass the desk and saw them, realised what had happened as I'd been looking at home for ages. Snaffled them back, much to dismay of operators when they realised they were again minus scissors. He's a lot older now but i don't think he'd try that trick again after my reaction at home when I retrieved them.
This is Ishbel's stretchy cast off. Knit 2 together, slip stitch on RH needle back to left, knit 2 together, slip the stitch back to left hand needle etc... It's quite stretchy.
Love that you took the scissors to the frustrating binding! We should live on the edge now and then!
Thank goodness you had the trusty sewn bind off to revert to - you taught me that one and it's definitely a favouarite - simple and effective
Oooh, you're so brave, I think I would have just given up in frustration.
Well done, they look like they'll be a beautifully comfortable pair of socks for the coming winter.
I think that this is what sets the "real" knitters apart from the rest of us because I would NEVER have thought to do this. Nor would I a clue as to how to accomplish this. This would be the point where I cursed and threw it in the garbage. You are amazing!
Now that was brave but after seeing you do this I really think that may be an option for mistakes for me in the future!
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I don't think it would ever have come out of my naughty sock bin
You have done a great job fixing the sock. I would have just spent the next hour unpicking the cast off. I always cast off my socks with bigger needles & never have a problem with the stretch.
This is a funny story but not! :D
I too have done this before & although I love the Kitchener BO it takes practice to get the stretch, once mastered it's a great professional finish.
Having said that your brave (I unpicked mine.. Grrr) & your BO looks lovely dovely.
Great socks by the way :)
I cannot believe that you did that !
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