I'm a huge fan of 9 inch circulars for colorwork socks. No ladders, no pausing, no switching needles. Thanks for the footage of Spain, and especially the accompanying music. Perfect.

Thank you for sharing pictures of Spain!!

I didn't realize there were bobbles on the top of the santa hats on those socks. it's such a cute touch

I'm a big fan of Sitges too! Loved the Spain footage..... and your poncho.❤😊

The Nerdy Knitter just did a podcast about using 2 circulars for making socks. For her she has less laddering.

I like the look of the Boughs of Holly pattern.

I’m a fan of knitting small circumference knits using two circular needles.

@patiharville8210

7 ай бұрын

Me too!

@katpraeuner9794

7 ай бұрын

I too love the 2 circular needles for socks but I recently found 12" circular and I enjoy using those also. I did find the 9" are good for holding stitches or for picking up stitches for an afterthought heel.(one for each side then transferred to your working needles). Andrea Mowry recently addressed your exact issue with your socks. You might check out her videos for that but I do think she recommended pulling the second, not the first stitch tighter. I don't knit colorwork socks so honestly wasn't paying a lot of attention. It just struck me because it wasn't the 1st stitch. I have been obsessed with the 'tube' sock knitting and for mindless knitting it can't be beat. Then I separate them and add heels and toe and cuff. Love the poncho! I just finished my very first textured slipover and love it so cast on for another.

I too am a fan of double pointed needles for socks and working inside out helps with spanning the gap between needles. But the truth is do what works for you.

Hello, wonderful lady, and thank you for this new and excellent episode. I think the poncho is beautiful and the colour of it is ideal on you, in perfect harmony! I like it, I like all your projects, I have too a gnome in work but I adore also the sequences of Spain. I was in Barcelona, Sitges and Sevilla a few years ago and I adored all of these unforgettable places. So, thank you again for another sweet episode! I wish you a wonderful year, with health, joy, harmony and many, many beautiful knitting projects, good movies and books!

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Thank you!! All the best to you in the new year as well!

@andreea6347

7 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! 😊🤗❤️

add 1 more stst between gnomes and minus 1 gnome tip: tug yarn on second sts after turn not first

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Interesting idea. Thank you!

Hi Selma, don’t be too hard on yourself re: need to frog some of your projects. I am glad to see that experienced knitters make mistakes like this much less experienced knitter does. For me I get so much when you talk/show how you fixed the problem. Thanks for being real 😊

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Glad someone benefits 🤣🤣

That purple colour suits you so well, Selma. Your lipstick colour also works with it and your fair colouring. A win!

A lovely vlog again Selma. I love your poncho, beautiful and it looks so wearable. I think Spain is great too. It would be wonderful if you could stay there for a longer period of time in the future :)

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Thank you! 😊 oh I’m still thinking about it so let’s see what happens.

I use magic loop on my colourwork socks. I haven’t noticed an issue but I do think I give the yarns a bit of a tug at the end/beginning of the rounds. Good luck. Cute socks are so special. 😀

My preferred technique for knitting small circumference colourwork without getting a ladder is to use travelling magic loop. That's when you only pull out the cord on the left needle (less than 1/3 of the total stitches works best, any more and the stitches have trouble moving around the cord). The right needle never has a "gap", so you get the best of magic loop and small circumference in the round knitting.

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

That's a great idea!

@jenniferbarrett3272

7 ай бұрын

I am going to try this.

@thegrynne

7 ай бұрын

@@littlebigknitsdo let us know how it works for you! I find I’m using it more and more for stranded knitting because I don’t like the jump between needles on magic loop, but I’m also too lazy to switch cords when I’m working on the body of a sweater.

@helenstrickland3894

7 ай бұрын

This sounds like a great idea. I’m having the same issue as Selma with colourwork sleeves using standard magic loop.

I've knit lots of colorwork socks all different ways. The best for me is 9 or 10 inch circular needles 1 size larger than I usually knit socks. If that is uncomfortable for you, my next suggestion would be flexiflips. It is the best of both circulars and double points. You will not have the problem at the sides that you are having with magic loop. Good luck.

I found your channel through my friend Irina on Fiberchats. Yay for another Canadian yarncaster! I’m hailing from Jasper Alberta where I live and looking forward to adding your videos to my queue! Cheers Selma!

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Welcome!! Glad you found me 🤗🤗 fellow Canadian!

This is quick -I really enjoy your podcast and look forward to every episode. But....your gnome socks I have 2 suggestions- the first is to move your magic loop position so that you are not at the "side seams" but in the middle of a motif. The 2nd and I believe the most important is to catch your floats- I am aware that they do not need to be caught if lass than an inch but I was taught to catch every 3rd stitch. This will probably require you to go up a needle size for gage but....the gnomes will be crisp and you will eliminate the problem you are having with the "side seams" . Many thanks again.

I am not a sock knitter, but I have knit a lot of mittens. When I knit on double pointed needles, I make sure to pull the first stitch very tightly when I’m changing Needles. I do the same thing with magic loop. I pull the first stitch very tightly after I move the cord to reposition the needles. I find that this eliminates ladders and loose stitches.

When i made the Outfoxed Mitts in December i found the only way to avoid that gap was to use small circumference needles, I bought a few needle sizes in the 9" for future projects too.

Wonderful! Beutiful knits and the footage from Spain is so beautiful. Thank you for taking the trouble to share!

I was wondering about using Mohair with cotton. Can’t wait to see the vest.

such a soothing voice😌

As always Selma your knits are Gorgeous, and I love the footage of Spain, always so nice to be taken along somewhere you may never get to. 🤗

You could try the "tomte" socks on 2 circs of 24". I took a workshop with Earthtones Girl and have never looked back. there is never any ladering provided the back needle not being used in under the front needle being used. I did a panel of colour work with 2 circs and it worked out really well.

You’re making a Smurf !😊

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

🤣🤣 I may just be!!

I love knitting with dpns and I think the best way to avoid ladders is NOT to pay attention to tension😀

@zephyraK

7 ай бұрын

I agree with the last part: since I don't pay attention to it, it goes well. Might also be just experience. First socks were very laddery, at some point they became more even and ladders disappeared.

@vivianpowell1732

7 ай бұрын

This sounds like Arne and Carlos's advice about the jog that happens when you change colors in circular knitting. After letting Arne go on about this method and that method of avoiding the jog, Carlos spoke up and said that the best method was not to make the jog a problem in the first place. Just leave it alone. It's not a problem.

Love u poncho. As for socks I personally think dpns are the best as all stitches are on needles at all time rather than slipped off. Second best r 9 inch ones as u end up with no corners but they r acquired taste maybe knit vanilla sock with the first to get into it and if still issues knitting inside out is always good. Blocking works magic, but the real truth is ... practice, practice, practice ... if u give up u will never learn but with practice u will be surprised how fast u will be pro at color work. One final note place BOR always at the back of the foot. That way if it dos have a small jog it will be in a place u hardly notice. Good luck

I usually knit my socks toe-up two at a time on magic loop, except for colorwork socks, I knit these inside out on 9 inches circular needles, only for the colorwork part and then I switch back to magic loop for the unicolor parts. Surprisingly, I do not need to go up a needle size for the colorork when I do use the 9 inches circular but i find the knitting very slow and I constantly check for my floats stay quite stretchy. Thanks for all the knitting inspiration. The Pelto collar is calling my name. I was glad to see the other part of your Spanish trip. Have a great Christmas with your family ! This will be a very special Christmas for me, great news, I'll be celebrating with my pregnant daughter, yes, I will become a grandma. I am so excited.

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Oh Nicole! Congratulations!! That is so exciting!! Colourwork knitting on socks is definitely slow!

Oh Selma … I’m sitting n knitting, savouring every bit of ur podcast. ❤ I knit colourwork socks using long cord ChiaGoo circulars, magic looping with different starting points every few rows so as not to cause “laddering” … keep changing the needle “start” position on the rounds. Also, for socks, I’d “catch” the floats after every 3 stitches as it’s a small circumference, than say, a top down colourwork sweater. Just my 2 cents! Lol. Have A very merry Christmas. 🎄🙏🏻🎄🎉🎊🎅🏻🎅🏻🥰

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Same to you ❄️🎄❄️ and thank you for sharing!!

I’m knitting some stranded colorwork socks using magic loop and also have the last stitch on each needle too loose. It helps to manually redistribute the tension around that stitch or put the sock on for a fit check which also redistributes the tension. Maybe try blocking the socks over sock blockers to see if that redistributes the tension the way you want it before starting over?

I usually do 9 inches, but you can get 12 inches which will sometimes work if you have more stitches on the circumference. I have never done this, but I've always thought it would be interesting to knit a sock flat. I could never work out how to do the heel, maybe knit that in the round and just the leg and foot flat? Although most people would run from knitting colorwork flat as well! Haha, but those socks are too cute!

The Practice of Knitting is an ever blooming and welcoming garden for all... Thank you for your wonderful podcasts... Emblematic of our Practice... 🫶 ( looking forward to the pattern for the poncho too 😊)

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

You are so welcome! Nicely said!!

Hi Selma. I was never a fan of small circumference knitting but with colour work socks I have just stuck to it and got comfortable with 9” circ. I do go up a size needle til colour work is done then go back down to my regular needle. I have not found gauge off with the 9” circular needle but some say theirs does. So something to keep in mind.

Such beautiful photos!!!!!!! It's so cool to see how much you enjoy the places you go. The world is full of amazing things.

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

I totally agree!

Hi Selma! For colourwork socks or small circumference, I knit magic loop because I don't like the small circulars! I just always move my cord so I'm always knitting without passing a gap in the colourwork. Hope it's helps!

@redappleaday

7 ай бұрын

Exactly what I do too

Hi Selma, Thanks for catching us up on your knitting 🌟 When I knit color work socks I use magic loop but make sure to keep BOR at the center of one needle so I don’t change colors in that spot where I tuck and pull the needle - does that make sense? This way I can control the wonky sides. Also when knitting from one needle to the other I spread out the fabric. Hope it works, the socks are super cute. God jul from Ida, Denmark 🎄

I highly recommend using 9 inch circulars. I think you'd have 4 problem areas with dpns, not just 2. Take it slow, and try to enjoy the process. I would never use magic loop with colourwork, for the reason you mentioned.

While watching your podcast my 7-month-old granddaughter comes to say good night and when she saw you it was like she knew you. She was so excited watching you talk and cried when her mother took her away. She had to bring her back so she could see you again. It was so funny, as if she knew you.

@theknittystew

7 ай бұрын

Aww that’s adorable!

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

That is so sweet!! Thank you for sharing that!!

I love Spain and need to go back someday. Thanks for the memories. Happy Holidays!

Hi Selma, I have the same style of knitting stranded colourwork as you do (continental with both strands over my left-hand finger separated by a ring) so I relate to your frustration with small circumferences while not being able to make those tiny short needles work . I suffered many failed attempts and eventually I ended up using addi flexi flips (or addi crazy trio - as it is sold in Europe), but I use them in a way you would use double points. I usually use 4 or 5 needles (so 2 sets instead of 1 have to be available) and to make the tension even at points of transgression from one needle to another (especially when longer floats are at play) I slip the last-worked stitches onto the free needle including the one with colour that needs the longest float (3-5 stitches usually) and continue knitting the unattended stitches from the next needle. I must say that it is not extremely fast, but feasible enough to tame the tension. Also, it is easy to get confused about where the beginning of row is., which then can be remedied by a marker. placed in fabric below (rather than on the needle)-

The footage of Spain was absolutely fabulous! My husband and I lived in Spain in the mid 70s and we’ve been back once for a visit, but this makes me wanna go back again…

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Me too!!

Earthtones Girl has excellent tutorials on Colorwork socks. Such cute socks!

What a colourful gnome. Very interesting.

I use 9 inch circs. for colorwork socks and sleeves. There is never any tention issue since i never have to move the needles. I just go round and round.

Work with 2 circular needles rather than one. Where you knit the stitches from one circular needle to the other.

I think dpns are the key with color work socks. I've made several pairs

Love all your purples!!!! I enjoy a lot this new episode!!!! 😘😘😘

I use double pointed needles. 2.25 mm. On all my socks. Thicker yarn 2.50 mm. 64 stitches.

Thank you for another lovely episode.

Loved your footage from Spain, brings back memories as well. Spent a month there in the spring of 2001, our base camp was in Torreveija, but we made a wonderful trip through the white villages of the Alpujarras and on to Granada and saw the spectacular Alhambra. The moorish architecture is fabulous.

I love your footage from Spain (in addition to your knitting content). Thank you for sharing and for posting the music as well.

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoy it!

I Prefer for socks Addi lace Socktober. And when I have to do heel or toe I use DPN

I love your poncho and the purple suits you well ❤ and I do enjoy double pointed for small circumferences or magic loop

So excited you are making one of Sarah’s Gnomes! I have made so many. My favorite gift knit. When you showed us the Tukuwool fingering. I thought Gnome! The classic wools make stunning Christmas Gnomes. My favorite is still my first. Called Here we Gnome again. Enjoy! Thank you for sharing Spain with us😃🎄 I am going to send you some pics on Instagram of some of my Gnomes.

Selma, I loved your podcast, as always. I particularly liked the footage from Spain and the beautiful music in the last segment.

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it!

I have made colourwork socks and I have the same issue as you when using circulars. Five DPNs work best for me (four on the sock and one to knit with). Good luck.

Love you and your knitting! I knit many colourwork socks and always use 4 double pointed needles. I feel, looking at the sock you have started you might also use slightly smaller needles. I have never come up against the problem that you are experiencing with your technique. I really don’t like the magic loop technique, but we are all different!❤️

I'd go with the pooling for the galaxy socks. They'd look good that way.

That same gnome pattern would look great on a hat.

So nice to see another poncho color. I am anxious to do one but so many things in the line up. As always impressed with your knitting projects!

I use Addi flexi flips for small circumference knitting and I don’t seem to get any laddering in my sleeves. I always feel guilty about not doing much baking anymore. But I find that we are just not eating as much of it these days. That being said, my sister is coming this weekend and we are baking pulla. 🇨🇦🇫🇮

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Yum!!! I used to make pulla every year but am also finding we just can’t eat it all!! Hyvää joulua my dear!

Ahhh 😌 got to enjoy some knitting and peace while watching this calm and lovely episode Selma thank you! I definitely see a Coorie In poncho, Pelto Collar, and Gnome in my future!!

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

You got me on the Dickie train and maybe you’ll join me on the gnome train 😀

Your colour choises look beautiful on you Selma.🥰🇨🇦Sharon

Lovely podcast again 😀. I use dpn‘s for colourwork socks. With magic loop I had the same problems as you.

The galaxy sock is so pretty! It reminds me of a nebula.

That is a lovely poncho and that color is so beautiful...it's your color! Loved the footage at the end and the inside of that church was spectacular. Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas.

Selma, Thank you for another lovely podcast. Your version of Amy's poncho is truly inspiring... Wishing you a peaceful (and hopefully snowy) holiday season.

Your poncho is gorgeous. I love the color and the whole poncho looks like velvet.

I also like two circular needles. Seems like the joins dont ladder as much

Bonsoir à vous, votre poncho est magnifique 👍 comme tous vos ouvrages... J'adore votre façon d'être, votre univers.. vivement la prochaine vidéo et je vous souhaite très belles fêtes ✨

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Merci beaucoup!

Hello, The socks ARE very cute. A suggestion for the floats would be to twist the strands of wool to make the floats shorter, perhaps every 2 to 3 stitches. It will be quite tedious, but well worth it. Wishing you and yours Happy Holidays!

That bag your mother made brought back childhood memories for me, I made a very similar one in grade 3 with my monogram on it. It’s purpose was to keep our gym clothes in, we had a special outfit for our gymnastics lessons at school and the bag we made in home economics sewing class. This happened back in 1960, growing up in Sweden and it seems they had the same tradition in Finland. By the way, in 1983 I moved to Canada so I have dual citizenship, Sweden and Canada. I lived in Alberta and a bit in BC until 2008. After that I have hopped around in different countries.

@lisadevos1246

7 ай бұрын

I made a similar gym bag in 7th grade home economics. That was in Los Angeles in the early ‘60s.

I adore your poncho- it looks fantastic, and warm! I just bought the pattern so I can make one too!!!

I always get laddering on the EOR side with magic loop. I prefer 9" circulars or dpn's. The 9" are fiddly ar first, but I've heard, and this is true, "make one whole sock and by the end you'll love them." They also are very portable, so they're what I usually keep in my purse for on-the-go knitting.

I like flexi flips for double point jobs. I love how long they are and flexible so there aren’t lettering issues. So that would be my suggestion.

Great episode Selma, I use DPN's for all my socks. I could never use the small circular sock needles or the magic loop technique...I have "Man hands"( Sienfeld episode). Size 8 ladies gloves so I have a hard time using the shorties and thinner needles. 🇨🇦🥰Sharon.

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

I hold the needles as if I had man hands I think which makes the small circus very uncomfortable!!

I use the 9ins circulars and I find that keeps everything neat

Ooh, your poncho looks so good! I've decided to make mine a new year's cast on. For the galaxy socks, they actually look like a 3x1 rib pattern which also looks good. Whatever you do will be great I'm sure, the pooling is actually interesting. My next sock project is a colorwork sock and I was going to try the inside out business, but I've no advice for you, sorry! Thanks for the footage of Spain, I am traveling vicariously through you, and the music at the end was great for finishing my row. Always look forward to your podcasts!

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Thanks for you input anyway!! I’ve decided I like the pooling on this particular sock. The intensity of the colours seems to make it work

For colourwork socks I seem to have more success using 9 inch circulars and knitting in the round.

Beautiful poncho, Selma! I will chime in on the socks: I am definitely a magic loop knitter. I have the same issue with color work socks, and the only solution that I have found that works for me is to knit them on small circulars, which my hands don't love. It takes me longer because I need breaks, but the outcome is so much nicer and worth it to me.

Thanks, Selma!! Love your poncho 💜 Purple definitely suits you! Lovely footage of Spain, I’m glad Spain has a place in your heart. Have a gentle, peaceful and happy Christmas. See you soon ✨💫💛

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Thank you! 😊 and happy Christmas to you too!!

Thank you, there’s so much of interest here. Having watched Amy create her poncho samples at our knit night, it’s lovely to see yours - in more or less the colours I’d been contemplating myself. You’ve put Toledo on my bucket list, and your mention of Cuenca brought back memories of a wonderful choir trip there a few years (decades!) ago. Have a lovely Christmas!

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Toledo is well worth the visit!! And Cuenca for next time!

Your trip is beautiful. Wish I was there.

Colourwork socks: DPNs might be easier for avoiding ladders. However for ladders using Magic Loop, when knitting the first stitch of needle 2, keep the last stitch of needle 1 very close (thus preventing any space), and knit the first 3 stitches of needle 2 very taut.

I like the 9 in circular needles for color work socks. Hated them at first but now I’m use to them . Cutest pattern ❤

Two circular needles changes the wayI knit small circumference! The sides are easier to handle because you don't have the cable of the needle pushing the stitches apart. It's a great solution! ❤

Love your poncho, beautiful color. Your Gnome is going to be so cute. So sorry you had to rip back your cardigan but you will be so much happier with the mods you made.

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Tried it on and it will now have good positive ease!!

Love your poncho! 💜

Your videos were basically my life in a nutshell. My parents-in-law live on one of those hills behind El Monasterio de El Escorial, and 2 streets over is the dLana yarn shop where I buy wool from transhumance sheep flocks (which UNESCO recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage just last week). In Toledo, my mother-in-law was born on C/ Santo Tomé and baptized at the Iglesia Santo Tomé, where the El Greco painting lives. There was also footage of the local high school (which you probably did not even notice was a school 😆) near the arched gate at the bottom of the hill near San Juan de los Reyes, and across the Tajo is the road to our house. Lovely footage of Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca, which is my favorite spot in the casco histórico. Glad you enjoyed your visit! I hope your son did, too.❤

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Wow!! I really was in your backyard!! Thank you for sharing all of this!

Sponsored by the color purple. 🤣I love it. Good one. What a wonderful video at the end. You do beautiful editing.

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Thank you so much 😁

Thank you for the beautiful Spain footage. Your trip looks delightful. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say: What kind of paid work do you do?

Hola, Selma! Qué alegría que disfrutases de España y sus elementos de interés! Todo lo que enseñas es precioso. Tu podcast es maravilloso, se disfruta de principio a fin! And now, in English. If you are considering a future visit to Spain again, I would like to recommend the north of Spain, where the landscape is different and amazing at the same time, especially in Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria. You'd probably have heard of the Way to Saint James (Camino de Santiago de Compostela), a famous pilgrimage route which offers a peculiar way of enjoying the views, food and spirituality either alone or as a family or a group of friends. Looking forward to your next episode! Lots of love from Galicia!

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Estuve en Galicia hace años!! Fue lindisimo!

@rosavillamayor1969

7 ай бұрын

@@littlebigknits Me alegro. Y muchas gracias por responder a mi mensaje. Me ha hecho mucha ilusión.

Hi Selma, love the poncho. Re colourwork socks, I knit them on short dpns, and I pull the second loop of the new needle quite smartly. No too much, though. Good luck with those super cute socks. I may have to make a pair myself xxx I also love and have bought the gnome pattern xxx

Hi Selma. I have the same issue with colorwork socks as my preferred method is magic loop. I have tried 9" circulars and the result was nearly perfect, but like you, do not enjoy the smaller needles (I get neck pain) ... Looking forward to reading what others have to say.

Happy holidays🎄🧑🏻‍🎄🎄. Love, love, love the poncho. Ponchos are my favorite for around the house. I prefer knitting socks on 9” circulars and my 2nd choice is two circulars. Enjoyed every bit of the Spain adventure footage.

Thank you for this beautiful episode - your poncho is amazing! I have it as my Christmas Eve cast-on. I’m totally with you on small circumference colorwork - I’m really struggling with a pair of mitts and really want to complete them but I don’t think I’ll do a small make like it again. Thank you so much for the lovely clips of Spain - during the 1990s/early 2000s my husband and I traveled on long vacations there and enjoyed day trips and overnights around Madrid, Salamanca, Sevilla and Barcelona - it’s an amazing place! Have a wonderful holiday Selma!❤

A great choice of music to go along with your vlog of Spain, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I find it interesting how you explain the yarns you use and some of the characteristics of them. I always mean to jot down the info but by the end, I have forgotten to do so. Oh well, I can always watch the podcast again. Love the little seasonal display.

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

And the show notes below the video also has a good portion of the information I mention 😊😊

What an enjoyable episode, as always. Loved what you showed us from your trip to Spain. It has been a dream of mine to go since I was 18 and hope to go one day ❤

@littlebigknits

7 ай бұрын

Go for it!

Hi Selma, Thanks for another great video! I hate to say it, but 9 inch circulars are the best for colour work socks. Just embrace the weird hands & the nice smooth stitches (and magic loop for the heel)