"Quick Kilt Hose" knitting pattern

[usonian]

I thought this might be of interest to the knitters around here (if you haven't already come across it!) Somebody took the free Toirneach Kilt Hose pattern and adapted it for use with chunky yarn (or a double strand of worsted weight yarn) and size 11 needles:

Quick Kilt Hose

I started a pair a couple of days before Christmas and finished it in about a weeks' worth of spare moments; I'd never used chunky yarn before and couldn't get over how fast these things went together.

I need to get better photos of my finished pair, but here's one of them:

IMG_0078.jpg

I used Lion Brand "Wool-ease" chunky weight yarn in their burnt orange "Spice" colorway.

Notes:

• I didn't bother to reduce the needle size for the garter section; I'll just use my elastic-and-velcro garters or garter ties.
• I did simple ribbing for the cuffs; I don't think the lace pattern works very well with big heavy yarn.
• Next time I may try to adapt the pattern to use 3x3 or 2x1 ribbing; the 5x1 pattern is pretty huge.
• They looked pretty rough when I finished them; no major goofs, but with the thick yarn and large needles, things just seemed sort of rumply overall. I threw them on a quick gentle wash cycle to block them, and it made a huge difference. Everything evened out quite nicely.
• All in all, a nice way to make a pair of casual kilt hose relatively quickly. I wouldn't wear them in a dressy setting, but for knocking around the house or hiking they should be great.

[sydnie7]

I hope they work out for you. Chunky yarn and big needles do make for a quick project, but the drawback I've experienced (socks my mother made for me, and reports from wearers of kilt hose) is the "walking on a cheese grater" effect of those big stitches on the soles of your feet. Best of luck!

[SemperFyffe]

I second the "cheese grater" effect. The first pair of kilt hose I knit were in worsted weight and I curse myself every time I take them off. The flip side is that I have knit ONE kilt hose (no, not a pair, just one sock) in about three months time using fingering weight. This sock is SO much more comfortable and I am hoping that the mate will not take so long to knit. I started knitting because I was too cheap to pay what knit goods are worth, but I have now realized that they are worth every penny, what ever the asking price!

[usonian]

I'll have to report back after wearing these for a longer stretch/spending more time on my feet. I've found the worsted weight pair of hose I knit last year to be perfectly comfortable for long periods, but having finally started a pair of regular socks in a fingering weight yarn, I can tell they're going to feel quite luxurious by comparison. If/when I do decide to break down and attempt a pair of fingering weight kilt hose, I'm going to make it worth the slog and try something crazy fancy like these.

[Pleater]

The trick with the feet is to knit them on small enough needs so the stitches are small enough so as to feel like one continuous surface.

For sensitive feet, knitting the soles so the purl side is outside can help too.

One way to speed up the process is to find someone with a knitting machine and ribber and have them make two pieces of ribbed knitting to use for the legs, then you only need to do the cuffs and the feet by hand.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[orionpyoung]

For sensitive feet, knitting the soles so the purl side is outside can help too.

You beat me to it! That is what my younger brother did with a pair of sock he knitted for me and I was surprised how much of a difference I felt.
I've been trying get good enough to make my own sock and hose for the same reason as SemperFyffe, but it is not an easy task that is for sure (especialy with a newborn in the house).