Musings about gauge

Sock gauge, in particular.

I had two sock-tastrophe's this weekend. I have several friends who generally do a "plain vanilla" type sock - they do a few inches of ribbing and then stockinette for the rest of the sock. So I thought I would give it a try. Save some time on that pesky ribbing.

I was using some STR that I had received from a knittinghelp.com buddy. Beautiful stuff. Unfortunately label is long gone, so I am not dead sure whether it was lightweight or medium weight. Nonetheless, I bravely went forth using size 2 needles (inox), and casting on 56 sts. The fabric looked good, at a decent weight, and looked like they might fit....until I got to the heel. I was using the basic opal pattern heel and perhaps that was my problem. It looked gee-normous. Quite wide. Anyway, after I did the heel, the picking up of stitches and some gusset decrease rows...I tried it on.....it was NOT RIGHT..... Perhaps I ripped it out too fast. But I did. IT JUST WASN'T RIGHT, and I knew I would be unhappy with the end result. Then I tried to recast it on....but the yarn was displeased with me so it just wasnt working. Sigh. I still believe the needle size was correct and number of cast on's were correct. I either need to use my normal heel or do some sort of ribbing. So I put the yarn aside and started sock-tastrophe #2.

Plymouth sockotta. Pattern normally calls for #2's, but I am a bit of a loose knitter, so I cast on 56 on addi size ones. Did an inch of ribbing and wouldnt you know THIS one is clearly going to be too small. So now the dillema is this. Do I cast on 56 on 2's? Or do 64 on 1's?

So.....I asked some questions about ribbing on the sockknitters forum. Received many posts suggesting that I should have done gauge swatches. Gag. To me, the sock IS the gauge swatch. Like in sock-tastrophe #2. Lots of math too. I guess I need to do some measuring but I HATE math! Anyway, there was alot of heated discussion over my question (not directed at me). Dang, those ladies KNOW THEIR STUFF! I know they are right but I HATE MATH.

There are no socks in the immediate future for me anyway. It is one week away from tax deadline. The house is degenerating into piles of laundry, clutter and dog hair. No time to fiddle with starting a new pair of socks - which is my least favorite part due to the above issues of size and pattern.