Part 2 of the Afterthough Heel Adventure

For the past 2 weeks I have been spending a lot of time in a VKH.  A VKH is a Virtual Knitting Hangout.  We meet in a hangout on google+ every day and I love it!  They inspire me, motivate me and cheer me and I hope I do the same for them.

In the VKH this past week we have had a Week of WIPs, to inspire us to clean up some of the WIPs that have been sitting around for way too long in our project bags, baskets and closets.  I completed FIVE!!!  It was such a great way for us to clean up WIPs that we decided to have a WIP weekend in our VKH on the first weekend of every month.

One of my WIPs that was completed this past week in my Nanner Socks.  This pattern is by Wendy Johnson and was inspired by the dancing bananas on Plurk.  The yarn is Ripe Nanners by thechickswithsticks.  Unfortunately her shop is inactive at the moment.  I started these socks back in 2008, but only got the toe on one sock done before I set them aside and ignored them.


When I picked them up this week, I had just completed the socks from the last post with the afterthought heel.  I decided that I would do a "true" afterthought heel on this pair.  The difference being that with the previous pair of socks, I inserted a waste yarn as I knit the sock so I could go back to remove the waste yarn, pick up the stitches and knit the heel very easily.  This time, I didn't use a waste yarn.  I just knit a tube and then went back to snip the yarn (yes, I cut my knitting!!!), pick up the stitches and knit the afterthought heel.  It was liberating and the resulting heel is wonderful.  I am so happy that I tried this and I need to give props to my VKH ladies who advised me, and insisted that I could do it!  Thank you so much!

Are you challenging yourself with your knitting?  Do you take any challenges with your crafts?  I am determined that this year I will challenge myself to knit, crochet, spin or whatever, outside my comfort zone.  It is so rewarding when it works and educational when I fail.  I promise that I will let you know about my failures too.  My next challenge is to knit a shawl.  I have crocheted shawls, but never knit one.  Check back to see how it goes.

Happy Creativity to you all!!!

I Love Afterthought Heels!

I don't know where my head has been in the sock knitting universe, but until a few weeks ago, I had never heard of an afterthought heel.  When someone told me that I would have to cut the yarn in the sock, I decided I would never be making one! 

Then I recalled my resolutions for the year, one of which was to learn to steek, and I decided that this would be a small first step in cutting my knitting.  Be brave Beverly.  Take a deep breath.  Watch some youtube tutorials.

My first attempt at an afterthought heel wasn't a "true" afterthought heel.  I used the Knit Girlls tutorial  for  adding a waste yarn where I wanted the heel to be as I knit the sock, and then going back to insert the heel afterward.  I know what you are thinking... I didn't cut the yarn.  Hey, I'm taking baby steps.

This sock was knit from the top down, 2-at-a-time, on US size 1 circs.  I just cast on 80 stitches and worked a k2, p2 rib for about 6 inches, switched to half of the stitches ribbed and half stockinette stitch.  Added the waste yarn where I wanted the heel and knit on.  Super fast and super easy.  (The yarn is Regia Galaxy Saturn.)

Going back to work the afterthought heel was super easy and stressless.  I love this technique!  I don't ever want do work another short row heel in my life.

Ok, I had some success, but I didn't really cut my knitting, did I?  Time to be brave, take the next step, yada yada yada.   Tune in tomorrow for more adventures with afterthought heels.

Happy Creativity to you all!