A Sock That's Out of This World // Casual Friday 4-29

[@Hezz6142]

I agree with you on the knitting sweaters in pieces. The top down/one piece craze has been insane. I became so frustrated looking through Ravelry for a pieced pattern that for a while I didn't even attempt to knit a sweater. I am now building a library of some go to patterns that I can knit and enjoy. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge. I look forward to casual Friday so much

[@chet1051]

Lisa Rametta writing- same here ! Yet , I've purchased a whole lot of them :/ Today , I realized why so few get knit - I'm good with purling ( when it's not color work - and tired of patterns that are bending themselves into pretzels to avoid the beautiful stability of well done seams - 😅 Everyone should knit how they like - but I'd love to see more pieced patterns too 💕

[@sewhappysarahr8912]

I am a new knitter (but I am a sewist, so I understand negative ease) and your conversation about your sock blew my mind! Socks are my big goal, but I know I need to start small, so I am not going there yet. I had never considered negative ease in a sock. The idea of "surgery" is fascinating, and obviously an advanced technique that I am not ready for, but a video on that would be so awesome! Thank you as always for this wonderful video.

[@yarn_dragon]

Such a simple fix for something so complicated. Eye-opening. 👍🏻

[@chet1051]

LisaR writing-l That "non- surgical " ;) fix was an absolutely elegant solution Roxanne! You never fail to inspire me . Glad to see you go back to spinning , after a hiatus You were making great progress last year :) The vast "Mod "knowledge in your repertoire, is great to use your hand spun . It leaves you free practice on consistency for sweaters quantity spins in whatever your gauge is :)) Eventually., the intentional making any yarn you choose comes . Your discussion on knitting in pieces vs top down in the round really hit home for me . Both methods have their "best " applications . I sometimes feel designers have to publish top down circular if their pattern is going to sell . I don't always love the outcome of top down. ( ie saggy faux seams & growing shoulders sides& necklines if there's too much weight in yarn ) . Hearing you speak regarding some of the reasons to go bottom up , helped me to Realize how much I miss those bottom ups & why 👍🏻😊

[@renatehaeckler9843]

I love that you addressed ease/negative ease! This is something I think is not discussed enough in knitting, they kind of just say "decide how much you want" which isn't very helpful to me because I have no idea how much I want. I guess there may be a difference between color work socks because they don't stretch the same as regular stockinette socks, but still, great topic and now you've got me wanting to try knitting some knee high socks with 10% and 25% negative ease to see what I like best.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Stranded colorwork needs very little negative ease, because it can't stretch. 10% negative ease at the ankle is pretty standard for classic single-color stockinette socks, where the ankle is the smallest circumference the sock will surround. That means you'll have a great deal more negative ease at the top of the sock, where it is working so hard to defy gravity. For me, the trick was figuring out where to start the increasing for the calf shaping, because I didn't need 35% neg ease around the circumference where my socks usually end, but I clearly needed more than the 10% I had at the ankle. The most useful guideline I have seen was 2-3'' of negative ease around the calf, and because I like a snug sock, I used 3''. I didn't realize until later than I have an unusually small calf, which is why it ended up being 25% neg ease, rather than something like 15-20%

[@valeriebishop561]

I'm impressed you got your foot in the screen to show us! Not sure I could. You go! Love all the info.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I'm very bendy! :-)

[@goswamigeeta]

You fixed that cable in your red sweater like a magic! Its a gorgeous sweater and I guess cables are one of your favorites!

[@sharonking7978]

Your Cheviot looks very nice. You could use Trish's turkey hand technique to ply. The corriedale is beautiful.

[@karencarstairs1541]

I got a real confidence boost from the fixing mistakes section. I am very hard on myself when I spot mistakes thinking "proper" knitters don't make them! Thank you for that! Here in the UK I think Cheviot is pronounced Chee vee ut with a long e. It's a beautiful range of hills crossing the border between England and Scotland with a native breed of sheep. I am really enjoying your channel.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

There are *many* pronunciations for Cheviot, which I found out a few weeks ago when I started the breed study and sought out the "correct" pronunciation. I discovered four or five different pronunciations, which vary by accent and dialect, as well as by region of the UK and the world.

[@Stephlovesnapping]

Your sweater logic makes total sense! Accomplishing segments and allowing yourself a break while feeling good about it. Love it, will definitely implement this technique, thanks! ♥️♥️

[@jenniferrich5292]

I love your fix-or-not philosophy. I used to spend a lot of time ripping back to glaring mistakes (and definitely ignoring tiny ones!) but finally the other day I learned how to ladder down a few rows and fix one, and it made me so happy! I’m really glad you get to have so much fun with those solar system socks🥰

[@444Raine]

You are so very helpful! Thanks for helping me think more clearly about the various approaches to fixing a mistake.

[@ClaireNicole33]

You truly amaze me!! Just listening to your wealth of knowledge and seeing your beautiful creations... Speechless...❤☺

[@OnezumiDaisuke]

I would make the reference blanket into an actual book. So you could mount the swatches to a page that has the information about the fiber used and how you formed it. If you mount just the top of three swatch, you could still flip it up to see the back.

[@lydialady5275]

Beautiful sock! I love it! The guide for length goes like this: knit three foot lengths, one length which is ribbed, knit and purl, for man's regulation length, and then the second of the three foot lengths is the calf shaping, the rest unshaped to the start of heel flap. The heel flap will be knit square, and continue... I've read that in Weldons Practical Knitter. It always works for me, too. I love your fixed sweater.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

That sounds more like a stocking than a knee sock. Is a "foot length" the entire length of the foot, or the portion that doesn't include the heel and toe?

[@lydialady5275]

@@RoxanneRichardson My presumption is the entire foot, toe to heel. Regulation length is 28-32" from the ground up, with the intention that the cuff will be turned over the boot top as required. Also, the proportions work for me as well as a man with size 15 feet. Generally, they are worn as knee socks, even by ladies, but the extra length allows additional length covered.

[@sonjanordahl3158]

Thank you for talking people thru the process of making a technique video. Often people do not appreciate how much planning and work goes into a video.

[@published1789]

Love the solar system socks -- every part of your story, method and result! I am subscribed on Instagram (different name) and somehow missed this ... kind of suspect I never saw it which is why Instagram makes me so darn crazy sometimes.

[@sunrhyze]

I often make the same kind of to-do list, choosing which item to do next and drawing a line through the completed ones. Sometimes I keep the list sitting around for a couple extra days so I can remind myself I actually got some stuff done, by looking at all the crossed-out items. It's a satisfying feeling.

[@teresaallan6841]

Thanks for the notes on your “round trip” socks. I have the same yarn and am motivated to get them started! I found some shaping notes in Kate Atherley’s book “Custom Socks”. 🇨🇦

[@BBaxterSwank]

Ooo so fun re: your socks. I just completed a crochet project (non-garment) based on the theme of Saturn. Outerspace seems to be in the zeitgeist at the moment. Thank you for sharing your to-do approach.

[@MaeInBelgium]

You mentioned in one of your videos, I think this one, that you use a scale to help you determine how much yarn equals how many stitches. Can you tell us more about how you do that and how you use the information you get from it?

[@stitchknit72]

I appreciate your using visible colors in technique videos. So many Vloggers use black! They apologize for the fact we can't see what they are doing, but isn't *seeing* the whole point? I would love to see a video of your surgical fix.

[@paulagrnsy]

Ha ha! Isn't SEEING the whole point? Good point!

[@dianathorpe2280]

I am really looking forward to seeing your finished 1960's sweater.

[@nicolelafontaine1720]

Nice to see how you did the increases for the calf on your sock. Your socks fit you great ! I usually try my socks on as I knit and just change my needle size as my leg gets bigger that is why I prefer toe/up socks. ;-) I don't mind a less dense leg because my socks don't wear out on the leg and it stays warm enough. I do not believe I would like too much negative ease on my leg, would be scared it would cut my blod circulation. -10 % would be acceptable but no less. I have very large calves.

[@elaineenstone6834]

Thank you. I have learnt a lot today. Love the sock.

[@sherithurber7847]

Great episode!

[@alisonsmith376]

So good, all of it. And, btw, I used one of your links from last week (not the solar system, the other one) to order a beautiful “impressionist” sock yarn for a dear friend’s bd/Christmas gift. She’s going to LOVE them. Thank you so much, Roxanne!

[@handled-g3u]

love your sock. its nice to hear your comment about 25 percent negative ease, since i'm just learning about making fitted socks and i had just learned yesterday a general rule of 10 percent negative ease...maybe in one of your videos, i dont recall what video by who. .

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Typically, you use 10% negative ease for the ankle, and maintain the same sock circumference up your leg until you stop the sock, just under the calf muscle bulge. At that point, you might have 40% negative ease. You need that to keep the sock up, but you don't want that much negative ease continuing up the entire sock, and you don't need it, because eventually, the leg narrows, right under the knee. So that's the challenge: how much negative ease do you insert into the sock leg for a knee sock?

[@lw9248]

I really love your two ply yarn. I like thicker yarns with a loose twist. The white is beautiful

[@MonicaLea]

I have made one pair of knee socks and I was so unhappy with them that they are now in my "yarn to be reclaimed" bag. I worked them according to an online recipe/calculator and, while they fit ok, they just will not stay up. Now, I have this pair of socks that took a large amount of yarn and time but I can't wear them because I will have to spend most of my day pulling them up. All this is to say, I would purely love it if you could do a knee sock series like you did with the August Sock KAL.

[@rainieraine1192]

I own a couple of Japanese sewing pattern books from the 60s and 70s and each pattern has its own measurements and you use your own body measurements as a ‘block’ base then you can replicate each pattern to fit you whatever your size, very clever.

[@candygrubisic]

Funny...I was reciting that in my head when you said the wheel wasn't in your office, out of sight, out of mind which happens with a lot of things. It's possible a 2 ply might grow on you after the study since different breeds take on twist differently. If hit the right one, you just might like a 2 ply. Time will tell. Your Corriedale single is looking good :) No help on socks since I don't up the calf.

[@emveecee]

What a gorgeous sock!!😍

[@kristaatkeson6692]

Thank you for another informative video. Your socks are beautiful! When I knit a toe-up sock, I struggle with choosing which bind off to use. Which bind off did you use on this sock? Thank you.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I thought I had put a link in the video description, but I see that I did not. I have updated it to include it. I use the half-hitch BO for toe-up socks, which is a type of sewn bind off. I did a video on the technique here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKexkqJndtiorMU

[@elisabethkronqvist3987]

My usual bind-off for toe-up socks is called Lori's twisty bind-off, which is somewhat of an outsider in knitting circles. I like that it doesn't take a lot of yarn, with my gauge it takes about 1.5 times of a stockinette row, stretches well and keeps it shape without flaring. The only drawback is that I tend to need an extra DPN for handling the stitches.

[@kristaatkeson6692]

Thank you for the link to your bind off. I will try it!

[@thebutchersbill1]

I’m really perplexed by negative ease and how to calculate as relates to socks. I’m a new sock knitter and have settled on using one brand of yarn as one way to keep things simple (and prevent myself from buying all the pretty things I see). I’m knitting on 2.25mm and getting 9.5 st/inch and I like that firmness of fabric for my socks. Having fixed those two variables, I’m left with making adjustments to the pattern in order to get an end product I’d like. Rather than adjusting the yarn or needles to fit the pattern. I would like to try socks with cables or twisted stitches, but how do I use the gauge sample effectively? I don’t know how to use my gauge sample to determine the final fit throughout the lag so I can figure out it the pattern can be successfully modified. Trial and error is one option, but seems inefficient. Is there a systematic approach? And, yes, calf shaping is also interesting. Part of the reason I started knitting socks is because commercial socks are too tight and make my feet cold. I’ve been happy with about 10% negative ease for the whole leg, but I don’t have any systematic way of laying out the plan for the decreases.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

This is a great question, and one that requires more explanation than I can supply in a YT comment. If you want to take the question to my Ravelry group, it'd be easiest to answer there, where others can also learn from the conversation. I do have a tutorial on custom fit socks, called the August Sock KAL, which is focused on cuff down plain vanilla socks (stockinette) with information on heel and toe choices and how to identify fit issues, and then modify the chosen heel and toe for the correct fit.

[@teresaroberts7376]

Another great episode. Thanks so much. I love making lists and crossing things off! Do you know about Must Stash Yarn? Some of the most amazing self-striping yarn ever! I think you might love them. They sell out quickly but that makes it all the more sweet when you can snag one.

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I'll check it out!

[@yippy11000]

Love the sock explaination, thank you!

[@paulagrnsy]

Would you wear the solar system socks around the house for a day and then give us your opinion on the ease you used?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

Funny you should ask that. I have the one sock I have knit on my foot at the moment, to see how well it stays up.

[@JessicaMiller-sd2uf]

Roxanne, please 😂 new thumbnail 😂 29:33

[@enacrt]

I think it's Maryna Shevchenko that has a video on how to read Japanese knitting instructions if I'm not mistaken

[@enacrt]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpXcYmR6pLGqZ9k

[@enacrt]

Another video, by Cletus Chan kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmLUlJ6ogM2Fp5o My take from Japanese patterns is that we Westerners are very dumb 😂😂😂

[@laurielarson3655]

Roxanne i have a question about you doing a swatch with patterned sock yarn. Meaning the yarn is colored with a pattern for instants your solar system yarn starts with the sun. How do you make a swatch?

[@RoxanneRichardson]

You don't have to cut off the yarn from the ball when you do a swatch. I don't typically wash my sock swatches (and I don't make a very big one, either, because the sock itself is so small). In this case, the first foot, which was knit on a needle that was too large, served as a very good swatch. I could check for fit and I could measure gauge, and see that I was off. So I went down a needle size and knit an actual swatch (very small, just to confirm what gauge I would get and whether I would need to change my stitch count). Again, I tried on the sock and measured the gauge as I knit the foot to make sure I was getting what I wanted. I constantly check gauge and measurements as I knit, to make sure I'm getting the size I want.

[@laurielarson3655]

Oh ok that is good to know. I wondered because of the washing i just never reused the swatch.

[@sophierobidoux8160]

Thank you!!

[@valeriekoochin3569]

Did you ever find a good sock calculator? Except for the ease issue with the calf that you had to figure out yourself!

[@RoxanneRichardson]

I'm using my knowledge of gauge, negative ease, measurements, and loss of length (due to negative ease) to guide me. There's a lot of vague, unhelpful information out there, some of which has arithmetic errors. My hope is to come up with more specific guidelines for knitters.

[@valeriekoochin3569]

@@RoxanneRichardson The Rox Sox Calculator! I would be happy to buy it! I am a new knitter who doesn’t have the experience I need yet, and have struggled with all the different “how to”s on the internet. I’m hoping with more practice I will get some sort of even tension for gauge! Then maybe my calculations will actually pan out for my socks LOL! Working on pair number 3

[@knittinginmauritiuspodcast]

Hallo, I love to watch your podcast and all tutorials. alvais when I learn something new I come to you. Thank you. I have question. I got a book where is lots of patterns for laces. But all of the patterns are for flat Knitting. Any suggestion how to change flat lace patterns to Knitting in the round? Is they any super book which is containing bows versions of knitting lace? Thank you for your help. Anna from Knitting in Mauritius Podcast

[@Oliviaplayspokemon]

If the stitch pattern is just purling for the wrong side (which in my experience many lace patterns are) then you could knit those wrong side rows.

[@knittinginmauritiuspodcast]

@@Oliviaplayspokemon Hallo super and thank you for your help!

[@thestitchcafe8295]

in quilting the Amish purposely make a mistake they call it their humility square. If I have a mistake in my knitting that only I will see or know is there I will leave it and call it my humility mistake. :)

[@jp80a68]

Hi I know you are interested in history, so I just want to make you aware that industrial schools often have a very dark story, rather like the schools for Native people's in the US. They were designed to separate working class children from the bad influence of their family, whether they were orphans or not. They were used for boy's as youth offending centres, and places for paupers from the workhouse, to be taught to do something useful. They were also the places from which even small ie, 4 year olds and upwards were sent to the colonies, as white settlers to be virtual slaves. Please do pass over this darkness

[@summerruffini1932]

I love self stripping too! 😍