Ask the Knitters

Dear Knitters,

I seem to have a problem with the second sock closely matching the first one when using variegated/striped yarn.

I always write down what color I start on the first sock.  The first sock knits up beautifully!  Then I start the second sock, starting with the same color spot as the first one.  The pattern is off.  It doesn't match.  It's not even close!

Any suggestions?

Sock Looking for Twin

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Comments

[babyface]

I have a problem with that too.
Someone told me that if you pull
the yarn from the outside for
the first sock, you should pull
the yarn from the inside for the
second sock. I have not done
this so I don't know if it will
work or not.

[Laura]

The only time I try to match the stripes is with sKNITches Syncopation socks. I work both socks at the same time, on two sets of DPNs, to help minimize the impact of gauge variances.
The rest of the time I let striping socks mismatch. I am considering doing the next striping pair with one pair upside down from the other, to emphasize their fraternal nature.

[Anna]

If I have enough yarn with self striping yarn, I begin the fist sock at the beginning of a color. Yes, I have a long tail for that sock. Then for the second sock, I make sure I start at the same color within the color changing.
If it's variegated, and if I have the same color changes on both ends of a ball/skein, or 2 balls with the same color change patterning/rhythms, I work both at the same time, or I just let the colors fall where they may.
It can be fun with socks that are just a *little* out of sync.

[Suna]

If a yarn is dyed by machine (like Opal, Trekking, etc.) you can usually get a close match by starting at the beginning of the color, like the earlier poster said. However, remember you are human and you will sometimes knit slightly tighter or looser--that will make a difference. The best way to get close is to do two at a time.

If you knit one from the beginning and one from the end of the skein, though, you will get the stripes in the opposite order, so that won't work on self striping yarns.

For hand painted or dyed yarns you really can't expect to get a match. Those are dyed by human beings and the nature of the beast is that some pieces of color will be slightly longer or shorter. In fact, many are designed to not repeat, so you get less pooling. I just enjoy these colors for their uniqueness and don't use them for anything I want to match. One way you COULD get matching tops, toes and heels would be to use a contrasting color for those.

[Jan]

I guess I too do it in a way similar to the other knitters. I just eyeball it to the start of the color segement as the first sock. If they are close it doesn't bother me. I use to fret on this but then I realiized I was looking at the socks over and over for hours at a time, up close. Most folks are looking at them much farther away.

[Molly Johnson]

I am really anal about my colors matching up so this is what I do. I got my self a yarn meter (the things that will measure your yarn to tell you how many feet you have) and I cut the ball/hank/skein in half. (Cross my fingers and knock on wood--this has worked out so far) I usually have to measure the whole skein first and then divide the number in half. Even if it tells you how many feet/yards/meters on the ball band, I have found that it does not always measure that. So just to be sure, I measure and then measure and cut. I also start both socks at the same time. I use double points, but I don't suppose it would matter that much with what method you choose to use. (Starting them both at the same time also keep the Second Sock Syndrome away!) Hope this helps.

[Donna]

Personally I consider the mismatched stripes/pattern to be part of the charm of hand knit socks! Occasionally I do get matching socks but it is usually by accident. I do try to start both socks with the same color. One time I knit the first of a pair from Opal Petticoat Cotton & then started the second one - I was pleased that they were turning out identical. And then I encountered a knot - right at the gusset of the second sock. And the knot was not just tying 2 pieces of yarn together & continuing the color sequence - oh no - it "jumped" about 2 or 3 yards - a complete mismatch - very obvious to me. The tops of the socks do match. I have found Opal to be pretty consistent with the color sequencing & the socks that I have where the pair matches are mostly Opal. If you start at the same spot in the color sequence with Opal you will almost invariably get identical "twin" socks. Not so with Trekking - the color sequences generally seem very inconsistent. Also, withyarns that have a long color pattern, you might encounter a problem with having enough yarn for the 2nd sock if you have to avoid using the first several yards in order to match the sequence (or you will have to tie the skipped yarn in to finish the sock - I hate the thought of a knot in a sock). I say just enjoy the individuality of the mismatched socks.

[MARY R]

Stripe matching of both socks is not important to me. I think its fun to see variations.

However, for your info, once I was knitting two socks from 50 gr skeing. It may have been Regia.

While the same dye lot, the yarm must have been wound in opposite directions at the factory for although I started each at the outside, the colors reversed. Mary