Kilt Hose I've Knit

[DWFII]

a) Are the diamonds and rakers the same size at the top of the hose as at the ankle? I don't have any official argyle hose to check.

b) I have not tried to knit argyle yet I would wonder about using larger needles as you need to increase the size. I would think that this would work if the increase was not too large. String and the other experienced knitters will have to comment on this.

Thanks for the links...have seen those and have them bookmarked.

I think the diamonds and rakers are the same size top to bottom. Looking at the Three-hundred-dollar-plus examples available on the web at various sites, they seem to be. It makes sense...to me at any rate--it's what makes the argyll so hard to do as an over-the-calf hose. It makes sense because you want to match your tartan as close as possible and the sett of the tartan doesn't change size top to bottom.

Of course finding marled yarn...fingering weight with perhaps some nylon mixed in and in the colour you want...is another whole ball of wax.

Increasing needle size was my wife's solution as well.

[Friday]

Im in awe of your talent one and all. Im thinking I might have to learn to knit now.

Blinki I am not expert but there is only one stitch in knitting especially if you knit in the round. (knitting a sock in the round, one knitting needle with a point at each end and a cable in the middle, you make a tube.) This is the knit stitch. You could knit kilt hose using only the knit stitch if you knit from the top down, did a tube sock (no heel) and knit in the round. The hard part would be the decrease in the size of the leg as you go down toward the ankle. To do this you would k2tog (knit 2 together) or put your knitting needle through 2 stitches at one time rather that just one.

If you take your sock tube and turned it inside out you would see that the inside is made up of purl stitches. A purl stitch is the knit stitch done backwards. Once you have mastered the knit and purl stitch you have basic knitting down, because, just about everything else is just a variation on these two stitches.

Stop by your local craft store and pick up one of the I taught myself to knit books. Knit a scarf then a watch cap then kilt hose.

Now I don't want to over simplify the process. Broken down into its parts just about everything is simple. It is when we can only see the forest that we forget that we came to cut down one small tree. The mastery shown by String, Thistlelass and others is how they take all the various variation on the knit/purl stitch and put them together.

There is alot of information on the web to help get you started as well as friendly folk here.


Take a look at Silver's Sock Class for some simple instructions on how to knit a sock.

[Friday]

Of course finding marled yarn...fingering weight with perhaps some nylon mixed in and in the colour you want...is another whole ball of wax.

".is another whole ball of wax." If you knit with a ball of wax don't your hose melt after being worn a while?

Could you make your own marled yarn? One trick I have learned is to take fingerling weight yarn and re-ball the yarn with a toilet paper tube in the center. The center tube from toilet paper fits down over the center of my yarn ball winder nicely. Once the various colors a wound in to separate balls you do once more ball.

To wind a two color marled ball you pass yarn from one color through the center tube on the other color. The top yarn must feed from the outside of the ball, the lower colors should feed from the center of the ball. As the lower yarn feeds from the center vary little twist is imparted. As the lower yarn feed through the center of the upper ball the upper ball yarn, feeding from the outside, it will wrap the lower yarn.

Depending on the mix of color wanted there could be two balls of one color (red) and a third ball of a single color (black). I would play with the order of the balls of yarn to find out the different effects. One Red ball (center feed) passing through the center if the Black ball (outer feed) passing through the center of the second Red ball (outer feed) could give one marled effect. Where having one Red and the Black ball of yarn sitting side by side and center feeding through the center of the second Red yarn (outer feed).

[thistlelass]

Thanks for the links...have seen those and have them bookmarked.

I think the diamonds and rakers are the same size top to bottom. Looking at the Three-hundred-dollar-plus examples available on the web at various sites, they seem to be. It makes sense...to me at any rate--it's what makes the argyll so hard to do as an over-the-calf hose. It makes sense because you want to match your tartan as close as possible and the sett of the tartan doesn't change size top to bottom.

Of course finding marled yarn...fingering weight with perhaps some nylon mixed in and in the colour you want...is another whole ball of wax.

Increasing needle size was my wife's solution as well.

You can increase the size of the needle, but, I would be careful there in terms of keeping gauge and the overall look of your stitches when switching to another sized needle-you wouldn't want to go significantly larger or you'd have stitches that would appear more open-correct me if I am thinking in error on that point fellow knitters.

Jaggerspun has a very nice tweedy yarn that could be mixed with another yarn to make marled,but then you'd have to realize you're making a heavier weight yarn and that might not be the greatest way to go for Argyle. I really have never seen a commercial marled sock yarn that would be good for kilt hose. I've personally spun my own marled yarn and if I were going to make Argyle Hose for Tom, I'd consider spinning the yarn as a laceweight and plying it to make a marled yarn. Still, if you're having someone knit for you there is where the expense comes in. It would take quite some time to spin enough of each color needed for a pair of kilt hose, not to mention the time it would take to knit! Yeeeeow! It boggles the mind-At least $400 is what I'd charge-if not more. It's the lucky fellow who has a pair of handknit Argyles.~

Just found this link to Jamison&Smith Spindrift yarns from UK-this is Shetland 2ply which would work for kilt hose I think. Looks like some nice marled yarns in there, plus just about any solid you could ever want.
http://www.camillavalleyfarm.com/kni...iftcolours.htm

[string]

Explain reverse flap heel please

Well that is a bit tricky, as I have never done it, but I have seen it on the net and I intend to find some directions and try it out in scrap yarn before I attempt anything on kilt hose. It seems to basically look like a regular top down heel flap, but be knit toe up.

I was going to take a wee informal poll about what style heel you prefer to knit,also-which kind of heel do you fellows like to have on your kilt hose... so now seems as good a time as any.
Do you like short row or flap heel? .

I like flap heels for top down socks and short row for toe up, and I knit kilt hose toe up 2 at a time so that means I do the short row more often anymore.

As far as progress I have knit up to the ankle of the socks and am stuck as I still have not been emailed back as far as the rest of the measurements. Taking the time off to knit something warm for me.

By marled yarn, do you mean heathered or different colored plies?

[thistlelass]

By marled yarn, do you mean heathered or different colored plies?

Thanks for info about heel stitches! I'll have to look it up and give it a try too!

Marled yarns are ones that are made from two different colored singles plied together. I think somewhere on XMTS Matthew has a pic of some diced hose his wife knit for him that utilized marled yarn. It's kind of hard to find in those traditonal colors I think...although I've never had reason to look for that kind of yarn. I'd be more likely to spin my own if I were going to make Argyle hose, just to keep the colorway consistent.

[string]

Ok, I wasn't positive, those are harder to find, although I have also spun up some.

[fluter]

Marled yarns are ones that are made from two different colored singles plied together.

Here's one of the few I've seen, in Paton's classic merino. They have solids to match: I'm planning eventually to do a pair of diced hose using an Argyll pattern.

I think somewhere on XMTS Matthew has a pic of some diced hose his wife knit for him that utilized marled yarn.

The ones we've seen were two color solids (like my hose tops in progress, above). The marl is simulated with alternating stitches.

I'd be more likely to spin my own if I were going to make Argyle hose, just to keep the colorway consistent.

This sounds labor-intensive: would your asking price be the same as Mrs. Newsome's (marriage)?

[Friday]

Some listings for Reverse heel Flap

Denise's Toe Up

Duck Pond

Northwest Knitter Universal Toe-Up, Reverse Dutch Heel Sock Pattern

[thistlelass]

Here's one of the few I've seen, in Paton's classic merino. They have solids to match: I'm planning eventually to do a pair of diced hose using an Argyll pattern.



The ones we've seen were two color solids (like my hose tops in progress, above). The marl is simulated with alternating stitches.


This sounds labor-intensive: would your asking price be the same as Mrs. Newsome's (marriage)?

That's a nice marled yarn-your hose will look great! Next time I get Paton's for heavier kilt hose I'll see if there is a matching marled yarn! That is a good tip-re: alternating stitches with the two colors.

I think I love to spin as much as I love to knit- so while it may be labor intensive to spin for marled yarn, for me, it would be pleasurable just to challenge myself to spin for a pair of kilt hose-that challenge is on my "to do" list though. As for asking price, I might negotiate a cash settlement for kilt hose one of these days (after I've knit a few more pair for Tommy)...Marriage? Now there's a thought, my knitting skills are worth a lot...but that might be a pretty price for a pair of stockings!!