I don't like to swatch-especially for socks because they are most usually stating the gauge "in the round", so I just go ahead and knit the sock as if it were the gauge. In this case, in order to decide which needles to use, I swatched small swatches back and forth. I settled on the size 0 which were giving me a near perfect gauge.
As the sock knit up, the STR Rooster Rock colorway was looking awfully cool and I was really liking this sock.
Then I tried it on. It seemed a bit tight. Crap.
I decided to go up to size 1 (Clover, so they are 2.25, not 2.5mm...). For some reason, I think that going up a size needle made the gauge bigger not just by virtue of a larger size, but also because my hands somehow started knitting looser. (Or perhaps, the size 0 encouraged a tighter knitting?...or the lovely tiny pointed ends and slick smooth surface of the 0's encouraged a tighter grasp or playing the stitches closer to the tinier tips of the needles making for the tighter gauge?...) Of course, this (acheiving a looser gauge) was the point, and the fit "seemed" to be better. The colorway started out looking interesting and I kept knitting despite the fact that they appeared to be pooling. I kept thinking, "this isn't really pooling, it will just end up a broader, twisted type striping!"
I got to the last repeat of lace and guess what? I don't see the pooling becoming streams of ribbon colors!
I'm not one to get all upset about pooling, but look how much more gorgeous Sock 1 is to the larger gauge sock?
So again, I decide to try on Sock 1 without the needles sticking around in it. I put the stitches on waste yarn and, though a bit snug, I decided it fits afterall! Yeah, it fits 'afterall'! (I decided it really isn't as snug as I first feared or imagined, but I will admit it could be a bit roomier...) But guess what? I'll sacrafice a bit looser fit for that awesome striping I'm getting with Sock 1! Shallow, aren't I?
Of course, I won't frog Sock 2 until I am *really* sure Sock 1 is a go! Somehow, I fear this could be the beginning of a very long frogging adventure. I hope not. But then again, this could all just be a swatch, right?...
![](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2183/2231567415_20d3195b2d_o.gif")
4 comments:
Could you add a pattern repeat or two on the size 0's to get a looser fit, but still have the striping? It might be worth a try.
I couldn't get any of my variegated yarns to work with this pattern. I knitted the first pair using plain yarns and hit the deadline for the second pair because the pooling.
I like the striping better on sock #1 too. The yarn might relax with a washing so don't go too big or it'll get saggy.
The pattern has a 10 st repeat, so I think adding another repeat will make it too big. I think a looser tension on the 0's should help.
In all the socks I've knit over the years I've had only *one* pair get smaller, Socka Cotton/Wool. All socks seem to grow just a bit. I'd definitely stick with the ribbons! Can't wait to see them finished. Pretty!!! --syl
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