Soleful Socks on the needles

Back in January I found a new book on knitted socks, one with a new type of architecture.  I keep trying new ways, because anytime I can find something a little easier means I can just make more, with the added advantage of learning something new and pleasing the little gray cells.

This book is Soleful Socks by  Betty Salpekar.  The method is neither toes up or cuff down.  One begins by creating the sole and then continuing on up over the top of the foot and up the leg.

I misread (or just misinterpreted) the decrease instructions when I started onto the tops.  What emerged greatly resembled the snout of a rhinoceros!  I was fortunate to find a group dedicated to this book/method on Ravelry and was able to contact the author to ask what I may have done wrong.  Betty lives in a neighboring town and suggested we meet for coffee and 'knitting'.  

On St. Patrick's Day I met her at a Starbucks and had one of the most delightful times I can recall. We recognized each other right off-must have had that knitterly look.  I started laughing, I pointed out that we were dressed alike, with the same colored turtlenecks and the same color coats, additionally, we both have the same color hair and eyes.

After chatting about many things for quite a while, we dragged out my rhino sock and her teaching samples.  Betty was able to discern where I had gone wrong and point me in the right direction.  Let me say I have seldom met someone more generous and enjoyable than Betty.

Making the corrections involved ripping out many rows, all the way back to the sole. Thankfully, I had used a lifeline - how apt.  I have since made some progress, but am stalled out because of some life issues that intervened.  

 

The turquoise is the lifeline and is placed through the stitches of the final row of sole stitches

Moving up the foot to the ankle and leg

Recently, Knitty has published one of Betty's Soleful patterns, one that doesn't appear in the book. If you like trying new types of socks, or just hate heels, you might want to take a look at the article, or check with your library for the book.

See more knitting projects on JudyL's blog.
 

While I haven't been posting, I have made a few things. 

One was a knitted hat that I had hoped to give to one of my sons.  I found the pattern and checked on the projects page at Ravelry to see what others had done.  I was glad that I did, as it was almost unanimous that the instructions as written made the hat too shallow.  I read how several others adjusted to fix this problem and did likewise.  For me, it is still too shallow/short. If I try again, I will make it much deeper.  Had I followed the directions to the letter, I would have had a cabled yarmulke, which is not what I was going for.

Another project was a Reading and Knit Along on one of the Rav groups, the book being a Miss Marple mystery and the project was named Miss Marple Scarf. I liked that it threaded through itself so that it would fit warmly around the neck and STAY there. Where it narrows and appears to be ribbed it is actually two layers, so one pointed end can thread through. Unfortunately, scarf met new puppy, fun for puppy, not so good for the scarf.  Guess I'll just have to make another.