Thank you so much for all the lovely comments on my Pomatomus socks. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the encouragement I get from all the positive feedback from you all! They’re especially important to me now that I have seemed to hit a brick wall with my new sock project.
I’m using Socks That Rock Lightweight in the beautiful colourway Mist and the pattern Jaywalker by the talented Grumperina. I find it ironic that after pouring through my many pattern books I ultimately decided on a free pattern from the Internet. I might not be faithful to this pattern till the end though.
Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with the pattern or the yarn as far as I can tell. There’s just something wrong with the way my ankles taper to tiny twigs from my calves. So even though socks will fit me well up top, they inevitably start to sag around the ankles.
The easiest remedy for this would be for me to switch to a smaller needle size when I reach the ankles, which is what I did for the Braided Cable Socks. This worked out really well as these are the best fitting socks I have in my sock drawer. The problem with switching to size 2.0mm needles with this particular sock is that I don’t think the yarn will be able to handle it. I just don’t think there’s enough give to the pattern and the STR yarn is too heavy for 2.0mm/0US needles.
So I’m asking for help! I adore this yarn and I think this pattern really shows it off to great advantage. How do I prevent the slouchy ankles? Or should I move on to a pattern with some ribbing in the pattern?
March 6th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
First of all, that yarn is kniting up quite nicely, color-wise! Secondly, you will be glad to know I am no longer chasing you (your projects) and have, in fact, cast on for something completely different and NOT Jaywalkers! Thirdly, as for the ankle situation… I sometimes feel like I also have a tad too much fabric around the ankles. I don’t have particularly robust calves, but I do have very slender ankles too. I have often thought about trying to work some decreases into the pattern in the ankle area to give me fewer stitches to have to contend with in the ankle-turn area. I have not actually tried to do this yet, however, so I can neither suggest where to put the decreases (and subsequent increases), nor recommend a suitable pattern. But that’s what I would do. (And when you figure it out you can tell me exactly how you did it.) :)
March 6th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
I notice that round 2 of the pattern goes like this:
“Round 2: *k-f/b, k7 (8), dd, k7 (8), k-f/b; repeat from * a total of 4 times.”
Pretty much as Carrie suggests above, I would consider decreases and I would do it by *NOT* doing the increases on the first pattern row when you hit the ankle area. Just knit that first and last stitch instead of doing the K-f/b. That way, when you do the dd, you’ll decrease two stitches in each pattern repeat – 8 stitches total around the sock. Then I would continue exactly as written until the last pattern round before the heel. I would woprk that round like this:
Round 2: *k-f/b, k7 (8),M1, dd, M1, k7 (8), k-f/b; repeat from * a total of 4 times.
Would that work, do you think?
Myself, I’m paranoid about baggy socks and always try to incorporate ribbing, somehow! But I recognize that other shaped feet/calves/ankle than mine have different needs and their owners different priorities than my own :)
March 6th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
I made (and subsequently felted – arrrgh!) a pair of Jaywalkers last year. I cast on the pattern amount of stitches, but then decided it looked too big for my ankles (I am also “delicate of lower leg.”) If I remember correctly, I did one less stitch before each double decrease… Let’s see (cutting, pasting…hmm, mmm, hmmm…)
The pattern reads: “Round 2: *k-f/b, k7 (8), dd, k7 (8), k-f/b; repeat from * a total of 4 times.”
So when you’re ready for the calf shaping to end, you could knit a decrease round: “k1 (instead of k-f/b), k7, dd, k7, k1 (instead of k-f/b); repeat.” This would give you two less stitches per needle. (17 instead of 19, I believe, if you are working the smaller size.)
However, for the pattern to have its “ups and downs” you need that “k-f/b,” increase, so the following Round 2s of the pattern should then read: “k-f/b, k6, dd, k6, k-f/b.” This SHOULD decrease the stitch count by 8, which would be just under an inch smaller in circumference.
The only problem might be the ankle being very small and causing difficulty pulling it on over the instep – mine were workable though. Until they died in the washer, of course.
Hope this helps, and hope my maths aren’t too far off…
March 6th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
I think Robbyn’s idea would work. You could even start off with more stitches between the increases and decreases on round 2 while you are working on the calf. Example:
Round 2: *k-f/b, k9 (or 10 or 11), dd, k9 (or 10 or 11), k-f/b; repeat from * a total of 4 times.
Of course you would have to cast on the appropriate number to fit the pattern, or you could increase to the correct number of stitches after the ribbing is done.
Or you could add a strip of k1, p1 ribbing between two of the pattern repeats that could be placed at the center back of the sock. I would use enough extra stitches to be able to decrease to shape the tapering from calf to ankle and still have just a few (3 probably) stitches in ribbing down the back of the ankle before the heel flap begins.
Can’t wait to see what you do!
March 6th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
omg, that is such a lovely colorway! i’ve done 3 pairs of jaywalkers, and after working the first pair, i’ve pretty much got it down pat. i had to go to the larger size to get it over the instep. also, my attempt with medium weight str produced a sock too dense for my liking…i think you just gotta knit one sock (or most of one) and see how it turns out. because the pattern produces quite a thick sock, i think a true fingering weight sock will produce the best result – i loved how mine came out using opal and regia – i’m contemplating trekking next….
March 6th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Ooooh, nice colorway! Yummmy! No advice for you on the sock front. I always end up knitting a little bit slouchy socks, which I’ve gotten used to. I like the idea of switching to a smaller needle at a certain point, which might just tighten it up enough. I’ve knit Jaywalker in Trekking, but went up to size 2 needles; I think Grumperina prescribes size 1′s? Will we see them on Thursday night?
March 6th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
No advice for you on resizing – I made my Jaywalker from STR, but had to do the large size, and ended up having to buy another skein to finish the second sock. But yours is beautiful – and now I want to make another Jaywalker!
March 7th, 2007 at 5:42 am
I used 2.0 mm with STR light weight (72 sts). For one sock, I used 40″ circular needles and for the other (for my larger left foot), I used my Addi bamboo dpns. So what do you think about trying the 2.0 mm needles? Your petit ankles deserve it and it looks very pretty so far.
March 7th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
[...] Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions as to what to do with the Misty Jaywalkers. I’m going to try Robbyn’s suggestion and do some decreases around the ankle area. I just hope I’ll still be able to get it over my instep! I’ll be working on them at the Aloha Knitters meeting tomorrow night. [...]
March 8th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
i say try going down a needle size (or two) for the ankle area so you don’t have to do math trying to figure out how to work the increases and decreases…and maybe only doing it for half the stitches. just a shot in the dark, really. but i do love the STR. :)
March 10th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
The colorway/sock pattern combination is gorgeous!
March 16th, 2007 at 11:38 am
[...] You might recall that I was feeling really ambivalent about this pattern, but I’ve grown to really appreciate it’s simplicity. I’m not singing the Jaywalker blues any longer baby! [...]