Reference

While this entry could be about how things are going right now (I have a few too many balls in the air at the moment,) this is actually about something I do to make sure my socks are the same size when knitting. Some of the women from the knitting group were curious about it, so I decide (a while later) to post it here in case it serves anyone else.

Sanity lines in STR socks

When someone saw the thread running up the sock, she asked if it was a lifeline. I said no, and then I quipped that it was a sanity line, so that I don’t have to count the number of rows over and over (and over again) while doing the second sock to make sure I did the same number of rounds for each foot when there is no discernible stitch pattern to easily count.

To do the sanity line, I just take a tapestry needle and weave a scrap piece of thread in every five rounds and out every five rounds from the end of the toe shaping to the beginning of the heel. I do the same thing on the second sock while I am knitting it. Breaking all of those rounds up into smaller, consistent groups makes it a lot easier for me to keep track of how many more rounds I have to go on the second sock before I start the heel. I basically do the same thing on the leg of the sock, starting at the end of the heel. Hope this helps.


Comments

6 responses to “Virtual Insanity”

  1. Yes, it helps a lot! Very clever idea. I really like the way the cuff looks on that first sock too.

  2. =Tamar Avatar
    =Tamar

    I use those little plastic safety-pin markers, but for fine work the thread idea would cause less distortion. Great idea!

  3. Well that IS smart! I just count over and over and over. Duh.

  4. how ingenious!

  5. I am one of those knitters who keeps counting and recounting, thank you for the helpful tip.

  6. Very smart. I always break out the trusty row counter, but this is much easier.