Sunday, August 12, 2012

Hand Tooling Lace Socks on My Passap

Passaped Spring Forward Socks


I have wanted to make Spring Forward socks for the longest time. And I decided that I want to make them on the Passap machine as an experiment to see how difficult is really is.
 
Spring Forward lace sock one done
 
Tools of the trade, row counts on kindle
I put the row count and lace pattern in excel, then pasted it into Publisher, made it a whole page, saved it as a .pdf and sent it to my Kindle.

I also needed the yellow prongs and my favourite, most used tool, red hooky.









At a colour join. Put it through the feeder and hold it on the join,
then cast on, both socks will be the same
To get your socks to match, choose the colour match and put it on top of the eyelet and start your cast on.












I chose one of my new eyelets with the metal tip

I made sure I was using one of my new eyelets with the metal tip, I have two of them. I didn't want another broken tip.











I used pushers to identify the transfers

I used the pushers to mark the correct pattern.

I put the two parts of the chart - where the ssk/2tog fall - both those pushers are put back in the rails, so all I had to do was nudge up the two pushers next to them, which made it easy to see where the two needles were. I don't have a better way to describe it, but it was very quick and easy.

I also put the pusher back into the rails that corresponded to the single stitch between the two yos. So I was able to check that I had been following the chart correctly.




there is no way to check


There is no way to check how the pattern is forming on a Passap, whether I had it correct, so after I did one complete pattern, I took it off on deckers to check it.

If I dropped a stitch and couldn't pick it up straight away, it was quicker to take it off, fix it and put it back. This was mainly on the first half of the first sock. I took more care from then on.









Take off on deckers to check the pattern















Progressing well


And here it is under the machine - I thought it was an interesting picture! sorry!

And they are finished:


 
And here they are, all finished

All done!


My old eyelets are on the left. The plastic around the tip breaks
For Raymonde - the old eyelets - the tip breaks off through age. On my lace socks, I didn't want to pick up half a lace sock off the machine - it was tricky enough doing it without equipment failure!










9 comments:

Blonde said...

Hi Ozlorna!

I always knit socks on the Passap and although I've knit a few lace ones over the years, I've never done any that were as lacy as yours. They're gorgeous!!!

P.S: I'm confused, my black eyelets have metal tips, what's the difference with the grey ones???

ozlorna said...

Oh? The original ones (they must be 40+ years old) have a metal ring round the tip, but the plastic around them breaks - mid row!! I do use them, but I wasn't going to risk it on my lace socks.

I'd imagine if your black ones have a metal tip they would be the same as my grey ones. I expect it's what she has in stock? no idea, but they are new.

Blonde said...

My eyelets are at least 20 years old, maybe even more. Although I've never had any problems with them, I'll try to see if the metal tipped ones are available in my part of the world! I'd hate to be caught without an eyelet!!!

ItMakesYouSmile said...

Oh, Lorna. Oh, oh, oh!!! Beautiful. I still don't have a grasp on your very nifty Kindle system, but the lace socks - wow did they ever come out looking gorgeous. What's your take in the end of how difficult/worth it? I'm curious.

ozlorna said...

I have put a photo of the old ones for you - the plastic tip breaks through age. Bad enough it does it but I don't trust them on a project I'm learning on.

ozlorna said...

It MakesYouSmile:

I have wanted to hand tool these socks for a long time. The first half of the first sock - I didn't save any time, I could hand knit at that speed, however my knitting isn't anywhere near as neat.
from the heel to toe, took about 2 hours. I went a little more carefully so I didn't drop stitches when transferring. I will use some thin 3ply sock wool next time, the wool will be easier to manage and they won't be my last Passap lace socks.
I can't buy socks to fit - I'm tall with feet to match!

BJ in So ILL said...

beautiful!

Unknown said...

these are really beautiful - I have never knitted socks so think I will have a go - you have inspired me! Thank you so much for taking the time to post the instructions,

I have just checked my eyelets and - phew- they all have deep metal ends.

O! Jolly! said...

These are very, very lovely! And clever too!