I do not love a short row heel,
partly because I'm so comfortable with the rut I'm in. Working a classic "heel flap" heel is so familiar by now (and also tends to fit me so well), that I generally just launch into it, without considering other options. I don't have to think about it - whereas with a short row, I do. It's not that I don't understand how those other heels to work. It's just that I still have to pay attention to what I'm doing in a more intense way. (Of course, one could argue that this is exactly why I ought to keep working short-row heels until they, too, are second nature. One could argue many things. I may or may not pay attention.)
Part of the dislike, though, comes because I find those wraps so danged difficult to find when it comes time to lift 'em up and knit 'em together with the stitch they've been wrapping. It's an eyesight issue, especially in fine yarn, especially if it is dark or multicolored.
Sometimes, though, you need to stretch a little. Some designs just want a short row heel So I worked this
and by golly it wasn't half bad. I've decided that the most important trick in working a short row heel is to use worsted weight yarn. So much more enjoyable when you can see what you are doing
Of course, this makes for some pretty thick socks, but since this is a Christmas stocking, no problem.
You may ask why I am working on a Christmas stocking on the 30th of December. Lets just say it will be ready for next year, and leave it at that.
*************************
*************************
On the "getting rid of fifty" front, I'm discovering some of my personal obstacles to shedding stuff. Perhaps this will be spiritual as well as physical endeavor, and exercise in self awareness while I clear out the house.
One of my obstacles is "That's a perfectly good _____ and I might use it some day."
Here (#4) are some perfectly good holiday decorations that I don't really ever have room to display because of all the other perfectly good holiday decorations we have.
Off they go. With a couple of perfectly good napkin rings thrown in for good measure. And a couple more tins I found in the back of a cupboard - they were perfectly good, too.
8 comments:
Great looking sock heel!
I resented the 'paring down' exercise I went through this summer, but now that I've settled in, you know, I don't miss most of that stuff at all. I've also resisted buying more stuff and have been operating under the use it up before you buy more law. It feels good to have 'enough' but not so much!
Be strong. (hopefully someone will tell me the same next week when I'm at it).
If only I could get my husband to pare down; the man's a pack rat! I stopped going to flea markets because he doesn't believe in "one new - toss one" while I'm of the "one new, toss two" gene pool.
I'm with you on heel flaps vs. short-row heels. But as you correctly point out, some designs really NEED s-r heels.
Good luck with the paring! There is so much emotional baggage that can get tied up in stuff; that is what makes the who process so challenging.
I don't know about the different types of sock heels. Yours looks pretty good to me! I am determined to learn how to knit socks in 2009.
Good luck getting rid of stuff. I'm a pack rat and have that same discussion with myself about how it's a perfectly good whatever.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your idea of getting rid of 50 things this year. I've been trying to declutter this house for the last few years because it is keeping me in "bondage." So, I will start with 50 things! I have a hard time parting with things for the same reason you do. I do sell my books on Amazon or Half.com and use the money to buy new ones.
Thank you for sharing this great idea!
The clutter guy on Oprah says there's two types of clutter 1)Sentimental and 2)I might need it someday. The FlyLady (www.flylady.net) says if you haven't used it in X months, donate it. If you send it to the Goodwill, you could always go visit it if you really miss it, or even buy it back if you need it again, LOL. I've realized that when a certain space (that I need Right Now) is taken up with an object that I "Might Need Someday" that the Right Now need should win. It's much harder to deal with emotional clutter. I've kept a lot of old letters, etc, for the 'memories' and I'm afraid that if I get rid of them, that the memories will be gone too.
I wanted to comment on the sock heels too. LOL. I don't like short row heels because they don't fit me well. I get around this by adding a few more short rows at the top of the heel. If it's the issue of knitting the wraps, you could do one of the other types of 'afterthought' heels (some knitted while you go)...there's one which uses decreases/increases, I think it's called an hourglass heel.
Post a Comment