Woven Ridge Socks

I cast on a pair of Woven Ridge Socks from New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Book One by Cat Bordhi. I always forget just how different Cat's patterns are until I am in the middle of one of them. They are ingenious and I love them. But since this is only my second pair, there are times when I have to really sit down and read the pattern. And reread. *grin*

I cast the socks on Friday night. And I was wizzing through them. Because the foot is stockinette, it is pretty quick. At the 2" mark, I measured the rows per inch. I did a couple times on Friday, then again on Saturday. I really thought it was 10.5 rows per inch.

I really thought I was done all the increases. I am looking at the number of stitches and kinda scratching my head. I should have 102 stitches. There were 51 on the instep needle. I am good to go. But wait. Why is it only 5 1/2" when DH's foot is 10"? *blink*

I am thinking that can't be right. I remeasured the rows per inch. Now I am getting 11. Hmmm. So I should have made the toe longer before starting the increases. But the difference is only .35". So I am figuring I can either knit that now or say the sock will be a bit more snug on the feet. It will be fine. But it really seems way too short to start the heel.

I am looking at it. Pondering. I decide I will move the wing stitches now in prep for the heel. Thank goodness I did. The instep needle does indeed have 51 stitches, half the stitches that I need for the foot. But there were no increases on the sole needle! That only has the 35 stitches. So instead of the 102 stitches I should have total, I only have 86 stitches! That is 16 stitches less than I should have! Thank goodness I checked.

Since the increases are only every 3 rows, that is still another 24 rows, so another 2"+ worth of sock! That makes a lot more sense. *grin*

So much fun with math! *laugh*

I have a spreadsheet I use to figure out the numbers. I am thinking I will the number on the top needle for next time! So in case it is a while before I do a pair again, I will actually remember this time. *grin*

The pattern is nice. There is just a simple 7 stitch pattern at the top of the foot. It is very easy but enough to keep it quick yet interesting. I definitely like the way it looks. Though the yarn might not feature it as well as a higher contrast yarn would.

I am planning on adding some ribbing up the back of the leg. I figure this way it will stay up better and fit Paul's calves better. I admit that I dislike that so many of Cat's patterns seem to have stockinette legs. I find that means they don't stay up as well. The Coriolis socks I have incorporate increases as you go up the leg which helps. But mine have a tendency to slide down as the day goes onward. So I figure that the ribbing will help these sock stay up on Paul. The question now is more about how wide a piece to do. Given there is a 7 stitch pattern on the front, the easiest mirror might be a 7 stitch rib on the back. But I am not sure that is enough. Have to look at what I want to do with the cuff at the top. I still have to finish the heels so I have time to decide.

Alpaca Moebius Cowl

Cast On:

March 8 2008

Completed:

March 9 2008

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Pattern:

Moebius Cowl by Cat Bordhi

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_other/article/0,2025,DIY_14142_4894528,00.html

http://www.catbordhi.com/documents/CashmereCowl.pdf

Made for:

Me probably. Though I am thinking this project is perfect xmas gift knitting.

Needles:

US 10 Knitpicks Options

Tried 47" as suggested. But went down to 36"

Yarn:

Catalina Yarns Baby Alpaca Worsted in Deep Eggplant

0.7 skeins = approximately 152.6 yards

http://www.catalinayarns.com/

I thought this project might be nice with the Catalina alpaca. I figured it would be good to wear under my coat to keep wool away from my neck.

Casting on and the first row were definitely the challenging part. However, after that, it is basic knitting.

I cast on 80 stitches as stated in the pattern. I think I probably knit them too tightly. I found the 47” circ too large. I went down to a 36" circ and found that was easier for me to use. The 47” was stretching it too much.

I was so glad I saved the episode of Knitty Gritty with this item. I don’t know if I ever would have gotten it started otherwise.

It was a very fast project. I am not a fast knitter yet I completed it within about 10 hours of knitting time. I think I might do the pattern for some xmas gifts.

I have 30 gms of the alpaca left! I really wasn’t sure if I would have enough yarn when I started. I like the overall finished piece. Also, the alpaca is going to be nice and warm. Definitely good. And the yarn is sooo very soft and yummy.

It was nice to have a quick knit like this while I was home with a sick kitty last weekend. And getting to do this while my darling hubby was away was probably for the best as I could rewind the Knitty Gritty again and again to figure out the cast on & first row.

New Pathways Formulas Spreadsheet & Numbers

It seems that the mround function I used in the original spreadsheet does not work on some computers as it is an add on.

I would still suggest using the original one if you can:
http://akasha.onmyweigh.com/data/new-pathways-formulas.xls

I have removed mround from one version of the spreadsheet:
http://akasha.onmyweigh.com/data/new-pathways-formulas-without-mround-function.xls

The original rounds to the nearest 1/2 #. The one without mrounding doesn't do that.

Though I have the negative ease numbers in there, it seems that according to Cat Bordhi on the Raverly board, the negative ease should be built in. She says if they are coming out too large, you measured the wrong part of the foot. She said the midfoot should be smaller than the ball of the foot. So I need to remeasure mine.

I still haven't settled on what I want to do from the book! I am tempted by the Jeweled Step pattern. But I really don't want my first pattern from the book to be one where I have to mirror the steps of the pattern. Though I do think it would look good in the Lisa Souza Mars Quakes I have. Hmmm... Suppose I could do the Wild Things first. But...but...but... *laugh*

Need
to
make
a
decision...

*smirk*

New Pathways Formulas in Spreadsheet

I am a geek. It is indeed true.

I love the new Cat Bordhi book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters: Part One. Seems I have to specify Book One as she is already planning Book Two. She has the most amazing mind. I am stunned by the way she thinks.

The book has all these tables with values for you to calculate the # of stitches you need for various parts of the pattern. It is very cool.

So what did I do? I figured it would be much easier to plug all the info into something so it would spit out all the other numbers you need for a pattern. Easier than looking up figures on up to 6 tables. Also, there are figures that are easier to calculate with the formula, rather than having to figure it out manually.

I spent way too long scanning them in and retyping them as my OCR software blows. My husband was kind enough to proof the tables for me. But of course, not without mocking me mercilessly. *grin*

I have posted the spreadsheet on a website where I have some space:
http://akasha.onmyweigh.com/data/new-pathways-formulas.xls

Please feel free to use it. It won't make any sense without the book however! So unless you have the book, it really won't help you.

I chose Excel mostly because many people can use it. It isn't the ideal method. But it was the easiest to put together with the tools I have at hand.

Please hollar if there are any problems with the spreadsheet. I have locked the most of the cells so folks won't enter data into the wrong areas or delete things. It wasn't out of any sense of propriety of the data. I know this is Cat's info. The password to the spreadsheet is 'cat'.

If you have the book, make sure to check her site for the errata/corrections page. I got the second printing which has a lot less errors than the first. But there is nothing worse that working on a pattern for a while only to discover an error that will mean frogging hours of work.

Her website also has a bunch of super useful videos. They are also on YouTube. I love the demo of Judy's Magic Cast On, the LaRink & LaLink increases. I have started using those for any toes & heels I am doing. They make such a difference.

All in all, I am loving the book. When my Jaywalkers are done, I am definitely doing something from New Pathways. Debating which one would work best with the Lisa Souza Socks! yarn in Mars Quake I got. That is the yarn I want to get on the needles next.