Sunday, June 18, 2017

51 Yops - Old dog, four new tricks



First of all Happy Father's Day to all who father in whatever capacity. My dh must have liked the socks I knit him for Father's Day because they were on his feet seconds after he received them.

I know I should have been working on Iona squares this week, and I did get one finished and another started, but then as I was making my list of things to do for next year's YOP challenge, one item became a thing I had to cast on immediately.

I have had the Double Heelix in my list of things to do for years, and the Kroy yarn I received a couple of weeks ago seemed like the right combination. I love fraternal socks - they appeal to my weird sense of symmetry. And the helix? That appeals to the math geek in me.

This sock starts......are you ready for this.....at the heel! First new trick.


And to make things really interesting it forms a helix, where the colours chase themselves around the centre using four strands of yarn. This picture is my first attempt which I ripped out and re-did. Second time was better. Third time better still.

Once the heel is done you do a crochet bindoff, and them make a crochet chain bridge (second new trick) so you can go on to knit either the foot or the cuff. These crochet bindoffs are provisional so you can pick up the stitches and knit the other direction seamlessly.

For the first sock I did the foot first, which ends with a short row toe - third new trick.




Then for the leg, it ends with an interlock bindoff - fourth new trick. Thank goodness for Jeny's videos to help me with both the helix heel and the bindoff.



I am almost finished the leg of the second sock and then I will go onto the foot. This means my helixes (is that even a word?) will go in opposite directions. This was a challenge for my left/right issues, but I figured it out with only having to tink back one row of knitting and all the crochet chains to get the helix going in the right direction. (When in doubt follow the directions).



This week I also made a knitter knocker for a dear friend who had a mastectomy earlier this month. I have finished one, and I am making a second a bit smaller. I will mail them off to her, and then make another the size she prefers.
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My doctor started me on a new anti-anxiety med and it seems to be helping (fingers and toes crossed, knocking on wood, etc. etc.) Despite both of us having the flu this past week (I think our honorary grand-daughters passed it on to us), things feel lighter somehow. So that is a good thing, even though the team I was rooting for in the Stanley Cup lost. :(

On a personal note I have had a candle lit all week for my dear brother-in-law who is very ill. If you have prayers or angels or a meditation practice I know he and his loved ones would appreciate all the good thoughts sent their way.





17 comments:

  1. Good to hear the mood is light. Interesting projects! The first foot in partial sock, looks like a sock for open-toed clogs or sandals.

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    1. I have made yoga socks in the past but I have to admit I like keeping my tootsies warm!

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  2. So glad to hear the new meds are helping. The Helix is certainly something to teach all sorts of new tricks. I will senf prayers for your BIL. So nice of you to make the knocker for your friend.

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  3. And now I might have something to add to my sock queue........maybe. I need to look at it a little more closely.

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    1. The instructions are very good. I watched the video and then the written instructions were very helpful. After the heel they are easy-peasy.

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  4. Okay, the double helix socks look like great fun, and I have just the yarn for them. They may have to top my Year 7 list!

    Fingers crossed that the new meds continue to prove efficacious :)

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    1. Yes fingers (and toes) crossed but so far so very good.

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  5. While I was completely lost, I loved reading about your Double Helix socks. I'm now imagining being behind you as you walk and looking to see if the helixes are going in different directions. :)

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    1. Once they are finished I will get my dh to take a picture from behind while they are on my feet.

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  6. I love those socks with the helixes, very pretty.


    I do hope your brother-in-law gets better soon and I send him my warmest wishes for a speedy recovery.

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    1. Thank you. He appreciates all the good wishes coming his way.

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  7. Wow! Your sock knitting seems so technical but the maths is fascinating. Some of the terms you used to describe your process sound like a foreign language to me but I wonder whether I would 'get it' if you were doing it right in front of me.
    Also you got the better of me and I needed to find out: the plural is helices.
    I'm sorry to read about your b-i-l. My thoughts are with you. It's good that you are feeling better with your new meds. May that good trend continue.
    Meanwhile, well done on your socks. I'm glad you shared about the undoing and trying again. That's all a part of learning these crafts and it is refreshing to see that honesty in the Blogosphere. Wishing you warm feet forever! xx

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    1. Thank you for your thoughtful and heartfelt comments. They are always so appreciated.

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    2. I am wondering how you b-i-l is now and that my healing thoughts can reach across the miles.

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  8. I'm sorry to hear about your bil, sending prayers from England.
    Those socks are great, I will add them to my library, but I must do battle with my second triangle sock before I start anything too adventurous!

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    1. Ah yes, the triangle socks - they are an interesting construction. Isn't it great that there are so many ways to knit a sock? I love learning new ways.

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