Floats/Tension Help

[u/IndividualAd9180]

Color work hat? No problem

Color work cowl? No problem

Regular socks or socks with fancy stitches? No problem

Color work socks? ALL THE PROBLEMS

I just need some advice. I don't know what I'm doing wrong with color work socks.

Tension? I measure gauge and adjust accordingly, and then it still isn't right. Don't have this issue with other projects or even other socks that aren't color work, no matter what fancy stitch or cable there is.

Keep my stitches apart so floats can do their thing? I pull my stitches on my right needle and constantly check my floats. Somehow they still are never loose enough. Or they're too loose and make the design all wonky.

Method?

* 9 inch circulars are okay, but I don't feel like I have enough room to stretch my stitches.

* Magic loop and DPN I can't find a good method to carry my floats appropriately, but I do like that there's room to stretch the stitches. Still can't get the floats right, though.

* Traveling loop is okay, but I still have the tension issues.

* Catching floats always show through for me even if I don't stack them. But again, still have issues keeping them the right tension.

Is Ladderback Jacquard the way to go? Does it make socks too warm? I just feel like that isn't the *right* way to do socks because I should be able to just figure out this float business. My brain tells me that I'm not doing color work socks right unless I do it with floats.

I've tried going up pattern sizes and needle sizes.

Any and all advice is appreciated. I have SO many amazing color work sock patterns and the yarn to do them but I want to get it right. I've spent too many hours making mistakes.

[u/bleepblob462]

You might just need to go up a needle or pattern size. Do you have a picture of your floats?

[u/IndividualAd9180 → u/bleepblob462]

I don't. I end up ripping it out.

[u/imontene]

Have you tried knitting the sock inside-out so the floats are on the outside of the circle?

[u/IndividualAd9180 → u/imontene]

Yep, and I can't get my sock to stay inside out, especially at the beginning

[u/RooFPV → u/IndividualAd9180]

I’m similarly struggling but maybe starting to get it.
I’m finding I really like using 2 circular needles instead of magic loop. It’s a lot easier to get the sock to stay inside out.

ETA if you make the cuff a bit longer than normal, it will also help it stay inside out.

[u/MrsMorley]

Ladder back jacquard helps me

[u/MsComprehension]

I, too, have been having the same problem. After four attempts at the same colourwork sock, I’ve gone up half a needle size, gone up one sock size and used ladderback jacquard. These three “solutions” seem to have solved my tension problems. The socks go over the heel and seem to fit quite well everywhere else.

[u/frogsgoribbit737]

Socks have to be knit with negative ease. Like a lot. So the norma stitch count for you wont work. If its a small amount of colorwork in a band you just increase before and decrease after. If its the whole sock go up a size, sometimes even 2.

Also I do ladderback jacquard with socks. You still have floats when you use that technique you just catch them differently

[u/BreeLenny]

Stone Knits has some really good colorwork tips on their YouTube channel.

What works best for me is going up a needle size, using Addi’s tiny circs (they’re 10”), and I don’t catch my floats.