Hello WOYWWers!
I have been considering why we do homemade. You wouldn’t be here if handcrafting SOMETHING (cards, layouts, Project Life albums, art journals, home decor, etc etc etc) wasn’t a big part of who you are.
Why *I* do homemade is that I want to create something unique. It’s a given that your scrapbook is going to be unique as it is filled with YOUR photos, and your art journal too. Your cards, possibly, if you are creating from scratch and not just following a tutorial. But sock knitting? OK sure, you can pick a fab yarn, but is it really going to produce a unique item? Maybe it will, but is it unique ENOUGH?
So I wanted to knit some socks for DS. I wanted them to be so unique to him that he would overlook the possible knee-jerk reaction to any colour other than Black or Grey. So what is on my desk, or more rightly in my hands, is the first of a pair of socks that I designed. I used THIS tool. All you do is upload an image, give it some specific info on what you want it charted for (beading, knitting, x-stitch, etc) and have at it. What I designed was a simple snippet of text to surround the sock, and a small pixel art image that I will add with duplicate stitch (frankly after watching a bazillion intarsia-in-the-round videos, I agree with the one stray comment I saw on some Ravelry pattern, which was “do duplicate stitch – life is too short.”)
DS loves League of Legends, playing, watching, casting. And the champion I’ve seen him play most is Graves. You may recall the canvas I made for him at Christmas a couple years back:
OK, so the pixel art image is not nearly so detailed but then it has to fit on a SOCK, and the front only, so at most about 36 stitches of 4ply yarn. I found this graphic out there on the web, originally a design for Minecraft, which I simplified to B&W. That free charting site worked well, although getting the original text in the right font for such a small area was tricky
I’ve actually hacked up the chart, altered a few areas, and am working from that altered chart.
The text is what the character says at various points in the game. The plan is to have THINK I’M then BLUFFIN’? as a two-line phrase on one sock with TRY ME! and the image on the other. The text is knitted in, stranded, and duplicated on the front and back, so the yarn can carry round. I accept the fact I may have to frog them, as I am using the FLK heel template and it may not work. But I am determined to give it a go. Doing the longer text sock first, as you see above, although in hindsight it MIGHT have been a better plan to do the minimal text sock first, have DS try it on, then if it fits, add the duplicate stitch and do sock two. Oh well …..
I am s l o w l y getting to grips with a series of annoyances, the first being a month with crappy internet, followed by a mystery noise from under the hood of the car (I seem to be the only one who can make it happen and never when DH is in the car!) and most recently {shudder} a rat from the fields invading the house. That has taken far too long to sort out – but frankly 10 minutes would be too long – and unfortunately, a smell lingers on.
18/03/2015 at 10:29 pm
I think anything that is made with another person in mind is made with love and that’s got to be good.
Have a great woyww, Angela x 28
18/03/2015 at 6:06 pm
I ADORE the sock pattern you’ve made…he’s going to be made up by those. My eldest boy would like those too but guess what? He can whistle Dixie cos I am never going to knit socks!! But I have so much admiration for those who can and do :-). I’ve made up my own charts in the past, I did some intricate Celtic knot work for a seated for DH….great fun, but it was easier as the scale was bigger.
I’m really enjoying the QAYG…it’s mindless sewing really, after you’ve made the first colour choices. And I’m quite liking mindless at the moment as my life seems to be full of stuff, good and not so good!
Hugs, LLJ 31 xx
18/03/2015 at 3:40 pm
How wonderful you can make something that will be so unique and special for your DS! Very cool. And thanks for the link. I’m actually looking for a cross-stitch app that I could just work in and do my own designing. I bought one long ago, but it is now completely outdated! Happy WOYWW! Sandy Leigh #53
18/03/2015 at 2:38 pm
I think your sock is certainly unique. How wonderful that you are making them. Can’t wait to see the finished pair. Very clever.
I hope you get your noises, Internet and smell sorted soon.
Famfa 57
18/03/2015 at 2:29 pm
Wow! Those are seriously interesting socks. Especially if it’s a bout a character your son loves.
Gosh there is a lot going on isn’t there. Yikes. Rats! How awful!
Have a great week,
Lisca#33
PS I’m thinking of our fellow desk hopper Shoshi today who’s operation has been postponed yet again! I can’t imagine how she must be feeling.
18/03/2015 at 12:36 pm
Socks are one item that I refuse to knit – life is too short to cope with four needles or even one circular needle, so I really admire your work on that design. Thank you for your visit today. I am lucky with the NEC as it is the only one that is close enough to attempt, only 20 minutes ish depending on the traffic. All the others are much too far away. Hope you have a good week and get those socks done. xx Maggie #19
18/03/2015 at 11:45 am
Hi Mary Ann! Love your socks and all the other makes you show us almost every day! I do have a look but at the moment I don’t have much time to comment! I hope I will be able to make it to the crop so we can have a bit of a chat!
Lots of hugs
Cardarian
18/03/2015 at 9:43 am
Some yukky things going on there – but amazing busyness with those socks. Now I reckoned I could knit – and do – sometimes quite complicated stuff – but I confess that, with Mrs C, I didn’t understand most of those terms. Intarsia knitting – tick! Frog? FLK?Duplicated? “The text is knitted in, stranded, and duplicated on the front and back, so the yarn can carry round”? – erm… sorry!
They are going to look great when finished, though!!! I am mightily impressed.
Take care. God bless.
Margaret #3
18/03/2015 at 7:34 am
I am seriously impressed with the unique socks – hope you can make it work! Sorry to hear about the other trials of life, lol!! Helen 11
18/03/2015 at 7:27 am
okay i didnt understand a word of the knitting speak but i do think the socks look great and how cool that DS will have socks unique to him 🙂
Happy WOYWW
thanks for sharing
luv Mrs C.x
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