Wednesday 14 September 2011

What are the Chances???

Most of the time when I make socks from self striping yarn I don't bother trying to get the second sock to be exactly the same as the first sock.  I know how to, and I have on occasion bothered, but most of the people I make socks for have been convinced (bullied?) by me into preferring the more casual look of the 'fraternal' sock.

So imagine my surprise when I was a couple of inches into the second sock of this pair and realised it was coming out EXACTLY like the first.

Totally randomly.

I finished the first sock, cut off the yarn and cast on the second sock and through some little knitting miracle it started in EXACTLY the same place in the striping pattern. 


My rusty stats skills say that the odds of randomly picking the same place in the pattern from the yarn is  about 1 in 1039.

I only wish I was so lucky when it came to picking lottery numbers. 



Now that I've accepted it's fall I need a good mindless-ish knitting project for DVD watching.  (I've still got the final season of 24 to devour!)(And I'm way behind on The Office.)(And Downton Abbey is due to start again this week.....)  Anyway - I'm drawn to the idea of another afghan.  (Not that I need one - but they are satisfying knitting.)

Any interesting blanket/afghan/throw patterns to suggest??

12 comments:

fleegle said...

That happened to me exactly once!

How about The Great American Aran Afghan? It's gorgeous and interesting to knit. Or so it seems--I never had the energy.

Kate said...

I love it when that happens. :-D Tends to work for me with Opal and mansize socks.

No pattern suggestions, but am very excited about Downton Abbey coming back, too. :-)

Jessica said...

Wow- can't believe that worked. How nice. :)
Also, glad to see you're past the 50 million mile edging on the princess shawl.
As for afghans, my only attempt at anything larger than a baby blanket was a throw using a pattern from Victorian Lace Today. A lot of those patterns would make great blankets, unless you prefer blankets with multiple motifs.

Maureen said...

I know you said something "mindless" for watching DVDs - last winter I purchased lots of different yarns all in the same color family. I made a large garter stitch afghan by knitting three rows of this, four rows of that...whatever I felt like - in whatever combinations I randomly choose. I knitted the ends and made 6" fringe. It's similar to the afghans/throws made by Colinette...and it's beautiful. Just a thought...happy knitting!

Maureen said...

Oops...I knotted the ends...not knitted...but I'm sure you figured that out!

Maureen said...

Please forgive another comment...I recently purchased Tweed Baby Blanket by Brooklyn Tweed...will enlarge it for an afghan...I love it and thought you may, too...good mindless knitting and a beautiful pattern!

LittleBerry said...

**shudders & breaks out in cold sweats - non matching socks!!!*** socks have got to match in this house if I'm knitting them pattern permitting ;o)

I'd crochet an afghan much easier and lots and lots of nice patterns out there too...

Yarn Changer said...

gorgeous socks. love the color. I did the American Aran afghan a couple of years ago and it wasn't mindless. You really get going and then it is another square. The border is mindless but it takes a while to get there.

Emily said...

What are the odds? Maybe you should go out and buy a lottery ticket ;) As for afghan patterns, how about Lizard Ridge (Laura Taylor), Easy Baby Blanket (Carole Barenys), #41 Blanket (Sarah Ann Thompson), or for something different, Ten Stitch Twist (Frankie Brown)?

teresat2t said...

my two fav afghan patterns currently on needles/queue
Free pattern:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quilt-square-counterpane-with-leaves

Jared flood:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/umaro

Happy fall knitting!

Anonymous said...

I trust your math but I LOVE the socks.

aimee said...

Hee hee. It was meant to be, I guess! Accidentally identical! Love it.