Short Rows are killing me again. NO, not that Short Rows. Sock heel short rows. Yesterday I attempted both Wendy’s version and Alison’s PG-R version and while I enjoyed the short rows – I didn’t enjoy the holes that formed when joining in the round again – no matter how many stitches I knit together or how many stitches I picked up. Also, when I tried it on, holes and all, I don’t think I liked how it fit. Damn Short Rows! They’ve become my white whale for sure. So I started doing a regular gusset heel – I mean, I like it so far in the socks I’ve made and it works for the master, so who am I to argue, right? I would like to try an afterthought heel though. That might work.
Anyway, the sock’s going a road trip today. We’re heading to the beach for a little sun and work, believe it or not. I’ve got a beach shoot. Yipee!
First, I got my cards AND I LOVE THEM!!! I am not sending ANY of them to ANYONE… Are the matted cards a standard size, so I could go grab some frames from A.C. Moore?
Also, I really miss the good ole Oregon Coast, and your beach shot has me a bit wi(sh/t)ful for a good ocean-y pic–Do you have any good moody shots that I could buy in a 5 x 8 or 10 x 12 or sumpin?
A beach shoot. Sigh. I would give a lot for a beach shoot right about now…
Have fun!
I feel your pain with the short rows. I’m officially short row challenged, and determined to beat it. Good luck in your quest and keep posting. Maybe you’ll learn some secret trick and share with the rest of us. Please?
No beach here today; it’s only in the high 50’s.
I like the fit of a regular heel better, too. After about a zillion tries, I finally got a sort of acceptable looking short row heel, but it’s tight on my foot, so back to gussets and heel flaps.
I’m sure it’s the sickness, but I read, “Agony of defeet.”
That looks like a western coast.
Chelsea’s not alone in hoarding those cards (and loving the Oregon coast)! So funny — I’ll send multiples, but if I only have a single, well, it stays with me.
Have a great day, Cara!
I’m with Lee Ann, we should all get together and do shots on the beach! 😉
Cara, that picture is amazing. I miss getting to go to the beach. Whoever invented land locked states was just mean.
I am knitting my very first sock (ok, so I’ve started MANY socks but I think I might finish this one) and I have really liked doing http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_3484730,00.html that heel. I’m a visual learner and watching Karen Baumer turn her heel helped me to visualize it so much better. I haven’t gotten the short row heel to work for me though, just like you. If you figure it out, let me know.
When you get to the part where you start picking up stitches again, try knitting into the backs of your loops & the stitch. That sometimes works for me.
Can I come watch you shoot the beach? I LOVE the shot above. Truly.
I know it is too late, but I do almost exclusively short row heels and love them. When I get to that tricky join it all back together spot I pick up either the bar of yarn between the sts, lift it onto the needle and work it together with the knit together sts. I closes the hole right up. For the next time. If there is one. Oh- and if it isn’t fitting just right you can always make it shallower an wider by leaving more center sts, or narrower and pointier by working more rows and leaving less in the center.
Hey-I have two digital cameras, one is an SLR and the other is a small one to carry around, not expensive. I just read the manual the other day at the beach and found it absolutely gripping. That thing can do a TON! Even a panoramic assist, so I took a pic of the entire beach. Of course it wasn’t so hot, no tripod and I am the queen of the tremor. I’m getting some good photos with that cheap-o thing. My good friend’s husband is a photographer and he took a cheap-o on vacation and got some awesome shots. He was my inspiration on the cheap-o thing. More to play with!
I did an hourglass heel recently and I couldn’t stand it. I don’t know what to do about the holes in the short row gussety kind of heel, but jeez I hate the hourglass heel.
THE HOLES!!! THE GODDAMN HOLES! I still {{heart}} short row heels though.
What beach is that?
When I started knitting socks again, I really wanted to try the short row technique. I use PGR’s short row heel and toe and love it. I was also getting a hole at the second join, but like a previous poster, I have learned that picking up the bar in between the two stiches you a going to SSK, and slipping it knitwise eliminates the whole completely. I also find that this type of sock lends itself very nicely to the magic loop method. Alison at the Blue Blog has a very good tutorial on the PGR short row heels. Hope this helps!
The beach shoot sounds lovely. Funny that you’re playing around with Wendy’s toe-up socks, as I am, too. I’ve never tried toe-ups and thought it would be fun. The socks are looking cute, but I think the double wraps are a bit bulky for the yarn I’m using. Still, it’s just a sock, right? Enjoy the beach!
I tried short row heels several times and I just don’t like them–the holes and the tight fit around the ankles–can’t get them on and off easily. Or at all if they felt a bit and lose their stretch.