A Tale of Two Circs

I believe that socks should be knit on dpns. I think it's important to be clear on that point.


I don't look down on 2 circular needle sock knitters. I simply pity the socks. Sure, once they're done they're ok, and can't be distinguished from their cousins with better beginnings -- but it's the unfinished sock I worry about.



Unfinished socks on a skinny set of dpns are a beautiful sight. On dpns socks look at home, the look as knitting should look to non-knitters - complicated and requiring incredible cleverness of the knitter. Unfinished socks on two circs just look, well uncomfortable, at loose ends and well, silly.

Until this week I believed all socks should be knit on dpns.

And then I faced the Bayerische.

I cast on using lovely Addi bamboo dpns. They were smooth and pointy - but darn it all making those twisted cabled stitches was fiddly. I blamed the 7 inch needles and replaced them with gorgeous Lantern Moon 5 inch ebony needles. Sigh. But the knitting was still less than graceful. And occasionally one of the wooden needles would bend a little... Sigh again.

So, under cover of the night and an assumed alias I ordered two 2mm Addi circulars. Not that I was admitting defeat. No. It was - you know. So I could come to a balanced conclusion regarding their unsuitable-ness for socks.

They arrived yesterday morning.

And ... well ... the Bayerische was tamed. Now I was gliding along each round. I could abandon my many attempts to sensibly divide the pattern among the 4 needles. Now the pattern quite elegantly split between the two circulars. And I sped along to the end. (Note I put the sock back on to dpns for the grafting fairy -- she prefers them as well.)

Happily my tension didn't seem to change, but the knitting was much much easier. So I'll cast the second sock on the two circulars.

Those less stubborn and opinionated than I might think that suggests my dpn stance is wrong. Ha! Never! These socks are just the exception that prove the 'socks should be knit on dpns' rule.

The Grafting Fairy

I'm beginning to think that perhaps the Grafting Fairy doesn't exist after all.... I've added another sock and still nothing. I'll continue to leave my socks on the window ledge for a couple of more nights and see what happens.


Maybe if I leave some chocolate with them....


Blocking a Very Big Aran Weight Shawl

A very big aran weight shawl is drying (very slowly) in the guest room. I cast it off last night after the nailbiting Any Dream Will Do final. (I confess to being very pleased that Lee won. I might even have voted once (or twice). )



Anyway - I'll post another picture when it's released from captivity along some details later this week.