When Rowan Rowan 40 came out, I remember thinking that these socks were particularly pretty.
They are the Anna socks. Made from Rowan's 4ply soft yarn. I really liked them and thought that I'd make for myself. And then, somewhere along the way, I changed my mind and decided to make them for Jacqueline instead.
So here's the first sock just after cast on.
And here's a close up of the pattern repeat.
The pattern twists (or maybe slants depending on how you think of it) slightly due to the way in which the pattern is worked. In the image on Rowan's site, the socks look as though the pattern sits straight but having knitted it, I can promise you that it twists. You can probably see it a bit on this picture.
It's not a bad thing as long as you know that it does. I actually rather like it.
The pattern is appallingly written. I haven't exactly knitted a lot of socks by anyone's standards but even I can tell that if you are knitting a knee high sock, you can't use one needle size and have the same number of stitches on the needles without ending up with a sock that just won't fit. The pattern also tells you to break the yarn when you've finished the leg of the sock and then move your stitches around and then rejoin the yarn. I am sure there's a sock school of thought that says that this is a good idea. But I couldn't think of a reason to do this and didn't fancy having any more ends to weave in than necessary so I skipped that bit.
And I also changed needle sizes twice, I started on 3.25mm dpns, changed to 3.00mm dpns after the calf muscle and then finally changed to 2.5mm needles for the foot. And, luckily as I had no idea what I was doing, that worked rather well. Phew. The socks fitted me so I figured that they'd fit Jacqueline.
Here they are finished. And apparently they do fit.
A last picture, just because I can. I sent them with a green ribbon in the top as I wanted them to be the colour of Passionfruit, her favourite fruit. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of them with the ribbon. Jacs, a picture please?
Anna Socks
- The pattern: Anna Socks from Rowan's Magazine 40
- The yarn: Rowan's 4ply soft in Victoria (390).
- The needles: Clover Bamboo dpns in 3.25, 3.00mm and 2.75mm.
- Size: Small. I hummmed and hahhhed about that and have no idea why I went one way rather than the other but it all worked out well in the end.
- Started: February 2007.I started a LONG time before Jacs birthday as I thought it would be nice to finally knit something without getting stressed about it. And it worked. I really enjoyed knitting these.
- Finished: May 2007.
- Thoughts: These are gorgeous socks. Well worth the effort. I wish Rowan had thought a bit more about the shaping but Rowan are really not good at socks at all. Don't ask me why but all their sock patterns seem like afterthoughts. And with these socks, that's a big deal because if you didn't work out for yourself that you needed some shaping, you'd end up with a very loose pair of socks with lots of bunching around the ankles. Yuck. But now that I've worked it out (and kept my annotated version of the pattern), I think that there may be a duck egg blue version for me in the future.
Posted by Amelia at October 28, 2007 09:25 AMI have heard first-hand from the recipient how beautiful the socks are and now that I've seen the photos I am gobsmacked! Beautifully done!
Posted by: Meg at November 3, 2007 06:19 AMthey're lovely. definitely make some for yourself as well!!
Posted by: carolyn at November 1, 2007 03:07 PMYour Anna Socks are beautiful, I love the colour and the Rowan 4ply soft is as, its name, so soft and lush. Well done for figuring out the alterations needed from calf to ankle, always so frustrating when a pattern is so incorrect. Your friend Jacquelaine must be so delighted to receive such a wonderful gift
Posted by: Tracy at October 29, 2007 02:10 PMThey are gorgeous, well done on sorting out the shaping, I would have given up. My sil wants these but I am sure she wouldn't appreciate the effort!
Posted by: yvette at October 29, 2007 07:40 AMThe socks are gorgeous - you a did a beautiful job. Thanks for sharing the need for shaping the socks - you must have done a better job than Rowan.
Posted by: Ann at October 29, 2007 02:04 AMThey do look wonderful. Well done for working out the shaping issue - that's something that's always put me off knee highs. Rowan really don't do socks do they?
Posted by: Mary at October 29, 2007 01:28 AMAbsolutely wonderful, I will definitely be making them with your mods.
Posted by: Elena at October 29, 2007 12:38 AMThey are lovely! the models legs are quite skinny so I suppose they fitted her OK!
Posted by: Lin at October 28, 2007 07:55 PMLovely! And what an amazing friend you are, that's a lot of work.
Posted by: Shanti at October 28, 2007 04:57 PMThey are really beautifull - and funny enough, I've had the same experince with another similar sockpattern. Wonder if anyone is wearing them without that adaption? But maybe you are just supposed to pull them up so much that they narrow around the angles, but I cant imagine that will be very comfortable..
I am also making mine for a friend.
so I think I need to tell you when my birthday is :)
Posted by: stinkerbell at October 28, 2007 03:52 PMThey look wonderful! Jacqueline must be ecstatic! I love the color, too. But I agree about Rowan and socks... And I saw those in the magazine, I thought, well, my legs don't look anything like that model's. :) I am glad you worked it out, because they are super cute!
Posted by: hege at October 28, 2007 03:25 PMThey're lovely! Really beautiful. Did you adjust the pattern then, to put some shaping in around the legs?
Gorgeous colour.
well i have to admit that i love the socks and they fit perfectly. maybe all those years of serbian dancing have filled out my calves....or maybe i am just a chubber.
thank you so much for figuring it all out! i for one am eternally grateful....and yes yes yes i will actually take aphoto of them.....oneday.
Posted by: jacqueline at October 28, 2007 11:44 AMI've did wonder if the lace on that sock was so stretchy that they would accomodate a large calf and slender ankle. (joke!)
Seriously though, one must tread carefullly with knee highs because of scrawny vs muscular calves. The socks are gorgeous and well done you for figuring it out early. Must agree with you that Rowan does not do socks well and I would had probably toss them aside until they were UFO#37.
Posted by: polly at October 28, 2007 11:26 AM