Thoughts on the Jaywalker Junior Socks

I started out making these for Laura, and they fit rather snugly, so they went on to Julia instead, as she didn't have a knitted pair of her own yet -- these are still on the big side, but I can almost see her growing as I watch, so I think they'll be fine after only a few months!

I used 68 sts -- one st less per each side of the bias -- a simple matter.  The bias pattern seems pretty forgiving, and can be sized down quite a bit.  (Grumperina offers some suggestions about resizing up here.)

The Shepherd Sock is lovely yarn to work with -- it feels wonderful in my hands, makes a beautiful fabric, and the colors are rich and intense.

But here is proof positive that when it somes to space-dyed yarn, I have no idea what I'm talking about -- I remarked earlier with great confidence after the first sock that since I was making the pattern in a smaller size, the stripes were coming out slightly thicker than they would have done.  You will notice that the second sock I worked, on Julia's left foot in the photos, has the stripes in a fairly narrow pattern.  So much for predictability!  And the socks in a yet smaller size -- casting on 60 -- did not stripe at all, merely blobbed, and so unattractively that I tried again two more times before I gave up in despair.  (Another reason that I gave the socks to Julia instead of Laura.)

The second pair started out very promisingly, but then started to go up straight -- at the center shaping line in the photo on the left, the purple is on one side and the green/blue on the other -- very disconcerting.  So I've ripped them out and hidden the yarn away for another day, and decided to enjoy the ones I do like, the ones that Julia is so pleased with that she wanted to take a photo herself!

Comments

[Rose Red]

I am knitting adult sized jaywalkers in Lorna's Laces too (Black Purl colourway) - the stripes were perfect on the leg, but in the gussets and onto the foot - blobbed rather unattractively in the way you experienced. I only rip when I absolutely have to, so on sock 2 I'm going to alternate the yarn when I'm doing the gussets (I have enough of first ball leftover) and hopefully this will alleviate the blobbing...(fingers crossed!). Julia's pair is lovely!

[Guro]

Beautiful socks! Hope she does not outgrow them too fast. The Jaywalker pattern is very good, althought it often has some surprices in stock in the pooling department, as you've noted. (I love all three of my pairs)