Diminishing Returns

I cast on, and started the S-I-L sock with great enthusiasm.

Day 1, 2.25 inches ribbing done.

Day 2, a solid 1.75 inches if the leg done, getting the pattern established, and visible.

Day 3, (yesterday) 1.25 inches done...

Do you see the pattern? I love knitting, but sometimes I get bored. There is hope though, I am now 5 + some inches along on a 8 inch leg—and soon there will be a changes! Most immediately, (3 rounds from now), the second decrease, and the stitch count goes down to 76!

Hardy enough to notice, but I will, just because. Then, not long after that, (just 3 inches away!) the heel flaps and then the interesting gussets! Before that, 2 more sets of decreases. The stitch count for the foot is 72 stitches—which is the same number of stitches I used in the pair of socks I knit S-I-L last year.

So I have things to look forward to, and my enthusiasm will return. And I am pleased as punch that I have passed the half way point on the leg!

I might need a to work some additional round, to make the increases work out evenly, though.

I am not using the suggested yarn—but stash yarn, and while my stitch gauge (the really important one in a sock!) is spot on, my row gauge is a bit tighter. I am supposed to be getting 50 row per 4 inches/10cm—but I am only getting 44 rows-- This really doesn't matter much—It's easy (boring, perhaps, but easy) to knit a few extra rounds to get the right length. I already did that to some degree, and have a deeper ribbed cuff than the pattern calls for. These sock do have some leg shaping, I don't have to worry much about them being too tall, or too tight at the cuff end.

I know from last year, when I knit S-I-L socks from the same yarn, on the same needles, (and got the same gauge) that the socks weren't too big—or too tight at the cuff. Yes, those socks were ribbed, and ribbing does wonders and make it easy to generate negative ease—but the bias panels, that continue right down into the toe, do the same thing. They don't generate as much negative ease as ribbing, but they do pull the knitting in.

They change the gauge in effect. When not stretched into the foam forms I used to photograph them, the socks tend to have the back (already 2 stitches smaller than the front) wrap to the front. The front fabric is tighter than the back—a good sign.