Last night, I pulled out my trusty 2.25mm Signature Needle Arts DPN’s and cast on for a new pair of Hunter Hammersen socks. Then, I made peace with the fact that the chart is 34 stitches wide and a truly smart knitter would be magic looping. So, I switched my shiny green DPN’s for addi circulars, only to realize that the stiletto tips had been terribly handy given all the lovely twisted stitches. So, today Lisa and I headed to an LYS to hunt down some addi sock rockets.

Now, I’ve knit more than a few socks. The majority of these have been Hunter Hammersen patterns. For most of her patterns to fit my foot, I check the gauge and end up knitting with 2.25mm needles. The yarn shop had 2.0mm needles and 2.5’s. The owner kindly ordered my preferred size.

Here’s the conversation in the car on the way back from the shop:

Lisa: So, 2.25mm. How did you discover that was THE size for sock needles? trial and error?

Me: I don’t use 2.0mm because wooden needles that small break too frequently, Signature Needle Arts doesn’t make 2.0mm DPN’s, and sometimes they give me hand cramps.
2.5mm needles do not give me a fabric as dense as I like.

Lisa: I just wonder if .25mm could matter that much?

Me: Well, Elizabeth Zimmermann knit a sock on four different sized needles to prove that it could be done and needle size doesn’t really matter. But, I think we both know I’m not Elizabeth Zimmermann.

She did not disagree.

Tags: handknit, knit, knit socks, knitting, sock, sock yarn, socks

I test knit these for Louise Tilbrook. The hardest part was choosing a color that would do the pattern justice. I also wanted to pick a color that would match several outfits, but in the end, I wasn’t in the mood to knit khaki socks. Cause this color is so much more fun!

Pattern: Comb Gill by Louise Tilbrook
Needles: 2.25mm Signature Needle Arts DPN’s
Yarn: String Theory Hand Dyed Caper Sock
Colorway: Juice
Note: When you begin, these are not going to look amazing. Just keep going, and once you have a few repeats, the magic happens.
Right after I finished these, my parents visited and we headed down to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

I talked them into lunch at Torchy’s and my dad said it might have been the best taco he’s ever had. (It might have been because we were starving, but Torchy’s is really good. )

Then, we went antiquing in Georgetown before meeting up with The Husband at Casa de Metzroth for a 42 tournament. It was a perfect day.

Tags: caper sock yarn, handknit, knit, knit socks, knitting, sock, sock yarn, socks, string theory yarn

Tags: handknit, knit, knit socks, knitting, sock, sock yarn, socks, yarn