Sock Size List:

I'm developing a bit of a queue here, so before I forget, I'll start a list. If you are not on the list, and would like to be, please leave me a comment!

• Dafyd: 8-8.5 (9.75"/72 rounds in homespun)
• Alinore: 7.5 (8.75"/63 rounds in homespun)
• Tristan: 12 (11"/80 rounds in commercial)
• Alec: 11 (10.5"/75 rounds in commercial)
• Mom: 6 (8.5"/56.25 rounds in homespun)
• Kendi: 6 (8.5"/51.75 rounds in commercial)
• Teresa: 8 (9"/58  rounds in commercial)
• Chris E: 8 (9"/58 rounds in commercial)
• Zig: 9-9.5 (10"/69 rounds in commercial)
• Serina: 7 (8.75"/55 rounds in commercial)
• Gwenyth: 9.5-10 (9.5"/63 rounds in commercial)
• Red: 10 (9.5"/63 rounds in commercial)
• Corrigan: 7.5 (8.75"/55 rounds in commercial)
• Dianna: 8 (9"/58 rounds in commercial)
• Pixel 9 (9.25"/66 rounds in homespun)
• Mysie 9 (9.25"/66 rounds in homespun)

Day 3: Men's Size 11

Well, since I didn't have to go to work yesterday, I finished off the second sock on the first pair (Lady's size 7.5) and this morning sent them off to their new home with the Accounting Services Lady in my office. (She lives on a farm and has given me wool from her pet sheep to play with, so she definitely deserves a pair of wool socks!)
Today's thing, as should be obvious from the subject line, is a Men's Size 11 sock, which has already been claimed by Brandon, our Administrative Associate. (I thought about giving it to him as a single, since his other leg is in a cast right now, but I'm pretty sure that he'll eventually want the second sock...)
Also, for your viewing pleasure, I made a little video of my sock machine in action: http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x214/Mighty-Jesse/fiber/?action=view&current=VID_20110202_231044.mp4
You can see Moodles in the background, passed out cold from all the trials and tribulations of making teeth. Even the THUNK of the weights hitting the floor didn't wake her.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Day 2: Ribbed, for your pleasure.

So in today's entry we see what is probably going to represent an unprecedented amount of progress on the sock machine learning curve. (Thank you, Snowpocalypse for this unplanned furlough day...) Please don't expect this kind of progress tomorrow.
I had been using the 54 needle cylinder and fingering weight arcrylic yarn because the sock weight wool was too lacy with that few needles, but too big on the 72 needle cylinder without any ribbing. I had tried the ribber on the 54 needle cylinder, but couldn't get it to go. Due to some other inconsistencies with the 54 slot cylinder, I wasn't really convinced that it was the ribber's fault. (The 54 just doesn't seem to fit the machine like it should. I'm wondering if its a frankenstein piece from a different model year machine or something.)  Anyway, I swapped out the cylinders, which is a far more involved process than that wee sentence suggests, and gave the ribber another go. There were still issues, but this time there were knobs to twiddle that would resolve them.
So. I moved the yarn carrier so that it would clear the ribber needles, tuned the ribber dial (This was what appeared to be off on the 54 - I couldn't adjust this, as the lever arm wasn't touching the screw. Instead it was just swinging around free and not holding the dial alignment at all.) And lastly, adjusted the timing. (On the knitting machine list, most "experts" tell you not to mess with the timing, but we all know how well I follow instuctions like that. May as well put a sign on it that says "Please do not push this button again....")
Clearly, I am sufficiently lucky, and/or mechanically inclined to get the ribber working as you can see the sock that I completed using the thing. This was no small undertaking. I probably frogged that sock like 4 times, but I finally got it done.
Ta. Da.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Day 1: Lace Sock

Sadly, this sock is too big for me and anyone I know. It is probably about a lady's size 9.5. Once I've made this sock a mate, I'm sure I'll be posting a "give-away" to ensure that these practice socks go to a good home.

Some notes (mostly to myself) about sock construction:

• Toe up "Sweet Sock" construction
• 2 rows after toe, start lace pattern
• 3 repeats and 10 rows, start heel
• finish lace pattern and 3 more repeats for calf
• crank 10 rows for ribbing and cast off
• rib for 9 rows, starting 1 row of plain knitting after last lace row.

Thing-A-Day Mission Statement...

Welcome to my combination test mail and "Mission Statement" for this year's Thing-A-Day.
I've done this in years past, but I've never really had a THEME for my activities, beyond maybe clearing out my half-finished-project closet. This isn't really a BAD mission to have, but this year, I received a toy in the mail JUST IN TIME to make this year's TAD very interesting.

Two weeks ago, I bid on an antique LeGare 400 sock machine on EBAY, and won it. I have now assembled it and determined that it does, in fact work (as can be seen below in the simple pair of "test socks" I managed to assemble over the weekend.) So this year, I shall try to complete 1 sock per day on my fancy machine, thus I shall learn more about it's operation, AND hopefully, end the month with 14 pairs of socks!

See and download the full gallery on posterous