Kalajoki - Icey Ver.
Project recap
- Ravelry: PurringYarn’s Kalajoki - Icey Ver.
- Time spent: 40 hours
- Yarn: 4 股手编弹力棉 (Ice Blue)
- Needle: US 1.5/2.5mm (ribbing), US 2/2.75mm and US 2.5/3.0mm (main)
- Duration: -
- Pattern: Kalajoki by Tiina Partanen
Ultra-fine sock yarn: a test of patience
This is my first time knitting socks with ultra-fine yarn, and it was going soooooo slow that at some point I just couldn’t stand it any longer. However, at the end I actually love working with it. How strange!
The yarn is super thin, but the stitch gauge was actually fine. Normally I cast on 60-64 sts for socks, for this yarn I cast on 76 sts, which worked well. The row gauge, however, is a completely different story - the difference is ENORMOUS. I measured my other fingering weight socks and they are appx. 13 rounds per inch, while this one is at least 22 rounds per inch. I mean, come on… One of the main reasons I always keep a sock project at hand is that socks so quick that I can see the progress after almost every single knitting session. With this yarn, it felt like it was taking forever, even I’m a very fast knitter.
In early August I gave up and put the socks aside, and cast on a new pair (Slip Stitch Lines socks) instead. Not until a month later I finally take the courage and finished the second sock. It progressed much faster with a bigger needle. I usually only use 2.0mm or 2.25mm needle, but for this yarn I switched from 2.25mm to 2.5mm, and finally settled on 2.75 mm DPN, and it finally felt a bit more manageable.
When I gave up the project, I was regret buying 6 skeins of this yarn, but I gradually started falling in love with it once I switched to the bigger needle. The FO looks so delicate, wears comfortable, can be threw into washers without concern, and I can wear them all seasons! This beats everything else.
Modifications
The two socks ended up a bit different from each other, as I kept adjusting things along the way.
Right sock
- Regular 1x1 rib instead of twisted rib.
- Needle: I went up from 2.25mm to 2.5mm, and finally settled on 2.75mm DPNs, which felt a bit more manageable.
- I forgot to move the 9 sts before starting the heel, but it turned out great anyways.
Left sock
- 2.5mm for the ribbing (I think) and 3.0mm for the main part.
- Twisted 1x1 rib, as in the pattern.
- This time I did move the sts before the heel, but TBH, I prefer the look of the first sock.
About 9" shorties
Halfway through the left sock I switched from 3.0mm DPNs to my red shorties. My gauge got obviously looser, so next time I might go down a needle size when using shorties.
To my surprise, the Chiaogoo 9" shorties pair very well with thin yarn. Even though the cable + needles are a bit long (23cm), the yarn is so stretchy that I could still move the stitches easily without feeling any resistance.
Project timeline
- – Cast on.
- - Still knitting… The row gauge is testing my patience.
- - Put on hold.
- - Finish both socks.
New techniques learned
Anatomical toe: when decreasing for the toe, decrease on the big toe side every other round, and on the other side every round.
Knitting journal
This is going soooooo slow that I can’t stand it any longer!!! The yarn is super thin, the stitch gauge is actually fine. Normally I would CO 60-64sts for socks and for this yarn I CO 76 sts which works well. However, the differences of row gauge is ENORMOUS. I measured my other fingering weight socks and they are appx. 13 rounds per inch, and for this one it’s at least 22 rounds/inch. I mean come on… one of the main reason I always keep a sock project at hand is because it’s easy and quick, and I can see the result after almost every single knitting session. But with this yarn, this feels like taking forever!! I kinda regret that I bought 6 skeins of yarn, and now… I don’t want to touch them at all 😓
- 3 days later
After giving up on the ridiculous ultra-lace weight yarn on Kalajoki socks, I only have the Emma Top as my only WIP project left, but even that will be done soon and I already got a bit tired of it. So, I’m starting a new new pair of socks with the Slip Stitch Lines pattern.
This is toe-up and I was finally able to do a Turkish cast-on without looking at tutorial. Yay!
- 29 days later
Finished the sock finally!! I switched from 3.0mm DPN to shorties halfway and my gauge is obviously looser, so next time I’ll use a smaller needle size if I’m using shorties.
For the red shorties - to my surprise it pairs very well with the socks with thin yarn. Because the yarn is quite stretchy, even the length of the cable + needles are a bit long (23cm), I can still move the stitches easily without feeling any resistance, thanks to its stretch.