This will be the last time I ever knit with Noro Kureyon Sock. Never again will I be tempted by its lovely colors. I hates it.
Why? Because it breaks.
The first time it broke was during a detangling episode because not only does it break, it also emerges from the ball in copious amounts of yarn vomit. I tried to be very careful detangling the stuff, but as I was closing in on the toe I was left with this.
I wasn’t really bitching about this though. I figured this would happen as the yarn is a single ply and it seems to me to be a very fragile single. It also isn’t very hard to fix. What really had me bitching was this:
oy.
After much bitching ensued, I managed to fix it and finish the sock. I tried to get a close-up picture of the area where the hole was repaired but I encountered some difficulties.
ouch.
Suffice to say the first sock is finished and I’m working on the second sock. I’m ready to kick this yarn’s ass. Game on, Noro. Game on.
As for difficulties during my photo shoot? There is still no anger for the Sammy because he still wears this face.
sleepy sammy is so deceptive
Happy Thursday everyone! Friday is right around the corner. :-D
September 25th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
I’m sorry that yarn is being so Noro, Opal. I’m with you on the never again stuff, though. Life is too short.
Love that little face.
xo
September 25th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
That mean ole Noro! Do you need me to kick it’s butt for you? Better yet – let Sammy do it!
PITA, though the yarn may be, your still sock looks pretty!
September 25th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Ooof. And I thought I had it bad with my yarn-vomiting Zitron. At least the yarn itself is soft and lovely and generally delightful to knit with!
Also, your cat is adrorable!
September 25th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
That one picture makes me wonder how you could possibly have gotten a hole in your sock! ;-)
September 25th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
I’m glad you wanrred me about the Noro or should we call it Ohno! Your Sammy is cute in the way the rest of our various babies are cute so that we don’t boot them into next week!
September 25th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I knew it Noro is a sneaky bastard. Trickses with pretty colorses.
September 25th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Thanks for the warning. My ball of Noro is working its way back in the stash now….
September 25th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
You know, I keep picking that stuff up at the LYS and putting it back down – I just can’t do socks with a single ply yarn. I’ve heard other complaints, but I’m glad to see the photographic evidence.
Do you think Sammy is giving you his expert opinion? (Little bugger is cute as a button!)
September 25th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I’m with you, Opal. I frogged my Noro sock early in the week. Just couldn’t take it any more. I’ll use it for shawls, scarves, wraps, etc. But never, again, for a sock. Drove me nuts. Give me some good old Shibui, Koigu, LL, etc. Sammy is so adorable. That face could launch a thousand awwwws.
September 25th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Love the last picture – what a cutie! Isn’t it amazing how innocent they look when they are asleep? What a drag about the yarn – where was that hole and what caused it?
September 25th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
i had the SAME thing happened with my noro sock. i threw it in the corner never to be seen again… you have more determination than i do, opal. :)
September 25th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
They ALL look sweet when they are asleep! LOL
Well, I think we know how I felt about NORO. It sure is beautiful, but it sorely tests our patience.
September 25th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
I conquered Noro and just finished my first pair. Never again…never again. HATE the yarn vomit!
September 25th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I love the pictures of Sammy! Those colors are nice, but, I agree, its way too fragile for sock knitting.
September 25th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I think Noro is a conspiracy against knitters. Pretty and we want it… but it sucks ass.
Good luck with the second sock.
September 25th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
yikes! i’m afeared cause i have some noro sock….i do love how your socks turned out though, but i don’t know if i’d be able to handle those mishaps like you…..
September 26th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Ugh! I have been sorely tempted by the colors, but so far, I have refrained from buying any. It feels awful. And I don’t need any iatrogenic holes, thank you very much!
September 26th, 2008 at 12:56 am
Your sock is lovely, and I commend you, because I couldn’t get past 3 rows on one sock with this yarn. I am going to try to knit it into a Shetland Triangle – it probably won’t be any less annoying, but at least I won’t have to make two!!
Sammy is exquisitely beautiful.
xo
September 26th, 2008 at 1:45 am
So many people find Noro sock lacking. It’s great for shawls!
September 26th, 2008 at 2:03 am
noro sock yarn killed my hands.
your kitty looks a lot like my rajah :-)
September 26th, 2008 at 2:39 am
Sammy seems to have the right idea about what to do with that yarn! But I have to say that you certainly are persistant! If I had to deal with such yarn, I would give up on the second sock and stuff the first one with catnip! Gotta love that Sammy! Adorable!
September 26th, 2008 at 3:06 am
Believe me, I can imagine how frustrated you were. If it helps, the colors are still gorgeous – even more so now that I can see more colors. I went through the exact same thing with the Silk Garden – and the item I made with it, though only 4 years old, is falling apart.
I’m curious about Patons SWS – self-striping soy/wool. I can finally get it locally – have you ever used it and (if you have) what did you think of it? It looks very pretty :)
Sammy, of course, will be forgiven any and everything for this period of being “new”. When Jade came here to live, I’m afraid i forgave her many things I wouldn’t have let Goldie get away with. You know, because she was “new”. Now, though I still love her to pieces, I’m able to see the feline “evilness” (for lack of a better word) that lurks behind the plaintive meow and the emerald eyes :)
September 26th, 2008 at 4:37 am
When it breaks that easily, one must wonder about it’s suitability for walking upon. I’ve seen some beautifully rustic shawls on Ravely using the stuff.
September 26th, 2008 at 5:54 am
OH, No! So sorry Opal, but thanks for the warning. I’d already heard enough negative things about the yarn to put me off buying it, and you just sealed the deal. For socks, I’ll stick with yarns I know I like, Essential and Cherry Tree Hill, for example.
Sammy is too cute though!
September 26th, 2008 at 7:30 am
oh man, that is *really* sucky!!!
September 26th, 2008 at 8:08 am
So…does Sammy’s teeth break/cut the yarn? He is such a sweetheart…
And thank you for the warning – I’d already thought the yarn felt scratchy, but if it’s also break-y? Nope. Not for me!
(((hugs)))
September 26th, 2008 at 9:26 am
you know… you can just “spit splice” noro together – just tear the yarn lengthwise in “half” about 2 inches for each piece you’re attaching, get your hand wet (spit if you’re not grossed out!) and join them end to end – rub vigorously and they’ll “felt” together – joining beautifully and everything can continue.
I have done this a few times – removing knots or joining new balls…. and with noro, I have decided it’s OK that the colors don’t ALWAYS go slowly from hue to hue… it’s OK that sometimes it abrubtly changes – in the end, they things we knit with them are gorgeous :)
hang in there – get that second sock done! :)
September 26th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Sammy is adorable!!! He has such an angel face.
As for Noro, I love the colors, but what a high price to pay for an exotic looking sock. A single for socks? I mean really! If the heels and toes wear out after a few wearings, I hope you get a nice refund from Mr. Noro. I still can’t figure out the hole that came about as you knitted it. Your blog has confirmed my suspicions of this pretty yet delicate yarn.
September 26th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Yeah, it’s pretty….and that’s all I can really say about the Noro Sock that isn’t negative… Your sock does look nice though! Have a good weekend, O.
September 26th, 2008 at 10:42 am
You kick that yarns ass, girl! The nerve. I had a ball of that in my hand not too long ago and it just seemed kinda skimpy – glad you were able to fix it.
September 26th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
If Opal hates it, we hates it too!! Bad crappy yarn!
Hi Sammy! :)
September 27th, 2008 at 6:49 am
Gasp! The breakage of the yarn already knitted? Ouch! Glad you were able to repair it. And Sleepy Sammy(tm) is teh personification of cute :)
September 27th, 2008 at 8:53 am
I love the Noro socks, even if they were a pain to knit. They’re beautiful! What a sweet cat, too….
September 27th, 2008 at 9:35 am
You have no idea how much better you just made be feel…I was feeling pretty deprived at the fact that no stores around here carry the noro sock yarn. Thanks for your post :)
September 29th, 2008 at 2:02 am
Aaaarrrrrgggghhhh! What is it with all this breaking yarn all over the place?? You have my full sympathies.
September 29th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
How frustrating to have it breaking all the time!
September 30th, 2008 at 5:12 am
The colors are gorgeous, and I know you can conquer this yarn.
I was fortunate to experience only one break in the Noro sock yarn I used for a Shetland Triangle. I was two rows from finishing, and close to a bead placement, so I sweat a bit over fixing the yarn. I re-wound my ball before knitting it up because I had heard so many tales of woe with this yarn.
October 21st, 2008 at 1:58 am
But… but…. it’s so pretty. And the stripes lined up perfectly!
I bought a ball last month, I’m keeping my fingers crossed.