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Sock Toe Progress

Just a quick post so I can make notes on my sock in progress, so I can replicate it for the second one. (No, I’m not into two at once. Most knitting gets done in the car, where it’s too hard to wrangle two balls of yarn in my purse.)

I increased from 8 stitches on each needle to 28 stitches on each needle. I am doing the Toe Up Monkey Sock pattern, and to do two full repeats on the top of the foot I would need at least 32 stitches on each needle. since my foot is so small I’m going to try one repeat up the center of the foot and see how that works, and then increase at the ankle to compensate (my ankles are fatter anyway so my theory is that this should work).

Anyway it is very late here so I had to stop after round 3 of the pattern and will pick up with round 4 tomorrow morning. Hopefully it will look cute when it starts to come together! Wish me luck…

July 8, 2008
Sock Toe Update (for a good laugh!)

Yes it’s true; I’m a slow knitter. I managed a few more rounds on my sock toe at yesterday’s knitting group, but that’s about it. I could have done more today, but I do have this brown ripple afghan I’m working on. So I did a little on that, too. And I do mean a little. I don’t know what it is with me lately; I have all of these grand intentions of knitting for long stints and then I get distracted. Usually by the computer, of course, which, coincidentally, is where I am now… could blogging be eating into my knitting time? I’m sure there are thousands of knitters out there now who are with me on this conundrum.

Yesterday at knitting group, Shelley gifted me with this:

It’s Socks that Rock Lightweight in the Mystic Kelp colorway. Yum! It’s all purple-y and, and, and… I love it! Thanks, Shelley!

While at the bookstore yesterday I picked up one of these:

It’s a Moleskine Small Sketch Book, and I got it for keeping in my knitting bag, so I can make notes and quick little sketches of my knitting projects along the way. I heard Kelley Petkun talk about these little books once on her podcast, and I didn’t really think I’d need one until the other day, when I found myself needing to do some math related to the baby sweater I’m working on. The sweater is constructed using percentages, and since my gauge and stitch count are different than the original pattern, I wanted to make notes about my own numbers. I didn’t have any paper in my knitting bag (bad me!) and wound up writing in the actual book that the pattern was in. So when I saw this little thing in the store yesterday, I snapped it up. My percentage calculations will be the first thing in the book.

I’m feeling bummed tonight. I’m coming down off of a week off from work and now I have to go back tomorrow. I feel the stress creeping up on me. Ack! Make it stop!

More next time…

July 6, 2008
Something I Noticed at Knitting Group Today

Everyone was knitting socks:

Even me!

And the thing is, even though we were all knitting socks, we were all doing it differently. Shelley was knitting top down on DPNs. Lola, who happened to be knitting way cool purple socks, was doing top down on two circulars. Rhoda was doing a second striped sock top down on magic loop. And me? I’m doing one toe up on magic loop. Isn’t it great how the same thing can be done in so many marvelous ways? That’s the coolest thing about knitting to me. I’ve learned that there’s no right or wrong. I don’t have to be concerned that my hands won’t work a certain way to use this certain tool or that certain method. There’s always another way. And that’s cool!

Shelley and Lola both like spinning and had lots to talk about. Lola reported that she just got a new spinning wheel.

Rhoda knits away on her second striped sock. Looks like she’ll be done soon!

I of course could not get out of the store without buying another book. More on that tomorrow.

July 5, 2008
Book Review: Afghans and Throws

I just got the book, Afghans and Throws, by Luise Roberts, in the mail this week. Oh my GOSH it has been ages since I have waited for a book so impatiently! This is my kind of knitting book. It doesn’t so much give directions for specific afghans, as it does give you tons of ideas for great afghans. Anyone who can knit can knit a big rectangle, right? Well, this one gives you ideas on how to plan that rectangle, from how to create random stripes that really aren’t so random, to planning the size of your afghan, to planning the shapes and colors that will make up your finished piece.

There is a fair bit of crochet in this book, so if you’re put off by that don’t buy it. I had hoped for a little less crochet, but some of the joining methods described for joining squares or panels are genius and worth having the whole book just for that. If you’re a creative knitter who doesn’t mind knitting really big rectangles, but wants to get inspired to make your rectangles unique and fun, this book is for you. Go get one! I know I’m going to be using mine lots.

Onto another subject, tomorrow is my monthly knitting group and I am excited. I’m really looking forward to sitting and knitting with everyone. See you then!

July 4, 2008
Summer Knitting and Sock Shoes

After hours of yarn sorting and photographing yesterday I was tireder than tired, but the kids and DH wanted to go to the pool. I thought about staying home, but it was such a nice night, I went. And I’m glad I did! The weather was GLORIOUS, and it was built-in knitting time for me.

I managed to finish the yoke of my baby sweater! Now onto the interesting part. I decided to do the sweater in stockinette stitch, all except for the front panels which will have a cable and lace pattern band on each front. I still need to divide the sections of the sweater so I can decide where to place the stitch pattern. I love cables, so this will be good for me. I haven’t had a project with a cable in it for a while. So, I’m doin’ the happy dance.

Show Yer Socks!

Just had to share these new shoes I got from Journeys. I first saw them on the day I went to see the Yarn Harlot in a shop window. But alas, they didn’t have them in my size. I tried to order them online but my size didn’t even show up as available until about a month ago, and then when I ordered, they were out of stock. So, at long last, I got them this week.

Yet another reason to be a sock knitter. Cool shoes to show off your socks. Niiiiiiice.

July 2, 2008
Stash Containment

Today was a really productive day. My knit buddy Rhoda came over with her daughter, Sarah. They were on a mission. Today was the day that we were going to organize every ball of yarn I own, and all the little doo dads that go with it.

They arrived at about 10 a.m. and before I knew it, every bit of yarn in my house was dumped onto my den floor. Rhoda said she thought there’d be more. People always say that about me. Turns out my yarn stash isn’t that bad.

We decided to organize my yarn by type. So, all the wools are together, all the cottons, all the sock yarns, etc. I had attempted to organize my stuff recently and even started a box numbering system, but now, knowing that all of my cottons are together in one place, it’s somehow easier. I had enough wools to fill two Rubbermaid tubs, which didn’t surprise me. So that had to be split up. It did surprise me that I had as much cotton yarn as I did. Equally surprising to me was that I had such small quantities of both luxury yarns AND cheap acrylics, so, oh the dichotomy! They are in a box together. Also placed neatly into crates are my UFOs (that’s UnFinished Objects, for non-knitters who might be reading). I have one crate for the really hot, active projects, and one for the longer term projects. Now, everything has its place.

I also reclaimed a rolling cart/bin thingy from my kids, which has my needles, accessories, and related crafting supplies all neatly arranged. Now I have a place for all of it, it’s not in a huge jumbled mess, and I can reach it all! How cool is that?

We didn’t tackle the knitting library today. That’s a huge project all its own. But I feel like I’m well on my way, with a huge thanks to Sarah and Rhoda! Huggers!

July 1, 2008