Eleanora and I come to terms with our unique relationship
As absolutely beautiful as the Eleanora Sock is, the pattern can’t be all things to all knitters, right? Okay. Revise that. As beautiful as the Eleanora Sock is, sometimes a knitter is led to make a yarn substitution based on what’s available in her stash and what appeals to her in terms of color, without giving sufficient thought to the individual properties and personalities of said stash yarn.
I’m in love with this pattern. It’s interesting and elegant. It’s really well written. It’s easy to memorize. And I love the sock that’s growing from my needles. There’s just one problem. In order to get gauge with the Gems Opal, I’m creating a pretty substantial fabric. Sturdy. Noble. It stands up for itself. A bit more than we’d like a sock to do. We like our socks to cling a bit, to rely on our legs and feet to give them shape, yes? This sock, if I keep going, will fit a bit more like a shinguard. And even at that tight gauge, which is the pattern gauge, this thing is way too loose for me. I normally cast on 60 or 64 stitches at this gauge, depending on the yarn and how loose or tight a sock I want. This pattern decreases down to 72 stitches. No matter how much I love the pattern, I will never love the resulting socks.
So do Eleanora and I call it quits? Absolutely not. I’ve got finer yarns in the stash that will also suit her, so I’ll cast on for another pair at some point. And will I frog what I’ve already got? Nope. Get this minor stroke of brilliance: I’ll keep going, and make myself a rather fetching pair of Eleanora legwarmers. They’re going to be a little bit Medici, a little bit Mad Max. You know…that Renaissance Bike Messenger look. I’m beyond excited about them already.
Viva Eleanora! Long may her sepulchral footwear reign.
A good fix as only you could do…can’t wait to see it!!
Posted by: margene
*lol* That’s fabulous! I can’t wait to see them!
Posted by: Miriam
Sitting back, preparing to be dazzled by the Eleanora Renaissance Bike Messenger Legwarmers.
Posted by: Rachel H
I do believe that this is the first time I’ve seen the word “sepulchral” in a knitting blog post.
Well done.
Posted by: claudia
A good fix as only you could do…can’t wait to see it!!
Posted by: margene
*lol* That’s fabulous! I can’t wait to see them!
Posted by: Miriam
Sitting back, preparing to be dazzled by the Eleanora Renaissance Bike Messenger Legwarmers.
Posted by: Rachel H
I do believe that this is the first time I’ve seen the word “sepulchral” in a knitting blog post.
Well done.
Posted by: claudia
I’m not sure why I didn’t immediately buy the pattern when you first mentioned it, but I’m buying it now. I don’t think I have good stash yarn for it, either, though. Maybe the Lorna’s?
Posted by: Em
I have been loving all the sock talk in the last few posts. I finished my very first sock over the weekend (a basic stockinette pattern with 1×1 ribbed cuff in a self striping Lana Grosso) I cast on for the second sock last night. The past couple of weeks I have been buying mega amounts of sock yarn at LYS and e-bay: cherry tree hill, lorna’s laces and the legendary koigu. I will have to wait for Rhinebeck for some Vesper sock yarn and socks that rock. I have sock fever in a big way. glad to hear you are feeling better. there is nothing worse than major puking when pregnant. I ended up at LICH on Atlantic ave when I was 7 months pregnant with food poisoning from a Peter Luger steak (no problem with steak up until then). It ended up being worse than the actual labor. I remember I lost a shoe on the way into the emergency room. My husband was dragging me in and I was too sick to say anything about my poor little shoe out in the road. I no longer live in Brooklyn and still miss it terribly. Brooklyn rules!
Posted by: Kim P
Now this is something I have to see 🙂
Posted by: Alison
Brilliant! I can’t wait to see how they turn out.
Posted by: dana
I like the idea that you’re knitting shinguards.
Posted by: alison
I tried to leave a message for your last entry, but it wouldn’t open for me…but Brittany will replace needles if you email them, maybe it would be worth the time to smail to Crystal Palace. Can’t have too many sock needles, tho.
Posted by: pattie
thanks for the eleanor info! i have been lusting after that pattern, but i must have the same size feet as you 😉
Posted by: vanessa
I’m not sure why I didn’t immediately buy the pattern when you first mentioned it, but I’m buying it now. I don’t think I have good stash yarn for it, either, though. Maybe the Lorna’s?
Posted by: Em
I have been loving all the sock talk in the last few posts. I finished my very first sock over the weekend (a basic stockinette pattern with 1×1 ribbed cuff in a self striping Lana Grosso) I cast on for the second sock last night. The past couple of weeks I have been buying mega amounts of sock yarn at LYS and e-bay: cherry tree hill, lorna’s laces and the legendary koigu. I will have to wait for Rhinebeck for some Vesper sock yarn and socks that rock. I have sock fever in a big way. glad to hear you are feeling better. there is nothing worse than major puking when pregnant. I ended up at LICH on Atlantic ave when I was 7 months pregnant with food poisoning from a Peter Luger steak (no problem with steak up until then). It ended up being worse than the actual labor. I remember I lost a shoe on the way into the emergency room. My husband was dragging me in and I was too sick to say anything about my poor little shoe out in the road. I no longer live in Brooklyn and still miss it terribly. Brooklyn rules!
Posted by: Kim P
Now this is something I have to see 🙂
Posted by: Alison
Brilliant! I can’t wait to see how they turn out.
Posted by: dana
I like the idea that you’re knitting shinguards.
Posted by: alison
I tried to leave a message for your last entry, but it wouldn’t open for me…but Brittany will replace needles if you email them, maybe it would be worth the time to smail to Crystal Palace. Can’t have too many sock needles, tho.
Posted by: pattie
thanks for the eleanor info! i have been lusting after that pattern, but i must have the same size feet as you 😉
Posted by: vanessa