working 9 to 5

After slogging away at 24 rows of ribbing for my 9 to 5 socks, not quite 2.5 inches the called for by the designer, I began to wonder if I had mistakenly picked a ribbed sock pattern. I don't like ribbed socks, not because they don't have impeccable stay up power, but the thought of knitting MORE ribbing was draining. I currently have all the ribbing I require thankyouverymuch.

However, before I go very far into my sock saga let me show you the original pattern first. The pattern that enticed me with it's swirly columns and dainty perforations.

(This photo property of allbuttonedup -rav link.)

I began the pattern portion of the sock, which looks like cabling, but is really a clever M1 stitch from Barbara Walker's treasury. However, my sock is nothing like the above model's. I was getting the twisting columns, but they weren't the loose flowing kind. They kind of looked like the wringing of a wash cloth kind and they hurt my hands to knit. (see Original Pattern)

(Photo is grey scale for clarity.)

So I changed all the M1s in to YOs. (see New Pattern Attempt 1) This gave my three little holes, which totally relieved the burning sensation in the back of my hands and giving me the delicate perforations I claimed to haven seen in the original, but completely altered the columns flowing out of each other. Instead, each column had a clear beginning and ending point and therefore totally ruining the original attraction of the pattern. Something had to be done. Surely a balance between lacy open work and flowing columns could be reached.

That's when Revised Attempt 2 happened. I changed the first M1 to a YO stitch and kept the second M1 stitch, giving me a solid "base" for the column to flow out of on the left, but adding in two little visual reliefs lined up on the right and recreating what I thought I saw in the original. I couldn't be more happier. My hands are enjoying the ease created by the new YO's, and my eyes still like the design.