Sock Progress

OK, I know I said I would take a break from sock knitting, but I am seriously weak. I mean, it's SOCKS. How can you take a break from knitting socks? Especially when there is Yarn Pirate Booty Club yarn in your stash!
I cast this sock on, specifically to be my traveling sock. Let me tell you, the going is slow when you are only knitting a project while you're out somewhere. It's good, though. The pattern is simple and the yarn is beautiful. It's almost like seeing an old friend when I take it out (even thought I've only been working on it for a week or so).

Speaking of sock knitting, check out these kick-ass shoes I got for fall.

I think they will show of my hand knits perfectly. Granted, I only have one pair of hand knit socks, but I'm working on more. I'm not normally a shoe person, but seriously? Could you resist?

The Toe-up Tigers Are Done!

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Originally uploaded by rhymer573

The Toe-Up Tigers Are Done!

I finished them late last night while watching a movie on the TV machine. These were my first ever toe-up socks and the first pair I knitted simultaneously. I really enjoyed this method--no second sock syndrome! Instead of making two separate balls of yarn, I just pulled the yarn from the inside for one sock and the outside for the other. Once I got the hang of keeping the strands separate, it all went smoothly.

Stitch pattern: 5x1 rib
Yarn: Opal Rainforest
Colorway: Tiger (can't you tell?)
Needles: 2 mm

Even thought I have some really amazing sock yarn in my stash I think I'm going to take a break from knitting only socks for now. I'm not sure what to cast on next, however. Either this or this. Or maybe this.

Oh, that reminds me. Isaac, who back in February decided he'd wanted to be a bat for Halloween, told me yesterday that he'd changed his mind and now wants to be a dragon. Luckily, he has a dragon costume already. Also, if he is going to change is mind every 5 minutes, he's going to have to settle for something NOT knitted (hah).

Summer Fun

Last Sunday, we went to Lake Compounce. It was miserably hot that day, and dreadfully crowded (a surge of humanity). Mostly I stayed with my sister and one or both of the kids on the beach by the lake while my DH and her BF went on roller coaster rides (I'm just not a roller coaster person). I tried to knit. Here are my SIPs watching the children fight over who gets to own the patch of dirt we were sitting on build sand "castles".

Here is the water slide we were sitting under. Isn't the sky a beautiful shade a blue?

Afterward, we were all hot and dirty but decided to go out for pizza anyway. I tried my hand at Kinnearing my sister and her boyfriend. How come it looks like I said, "pretend I'm not taking a picture"? I totally didn't.

Finally, here are my SIPs today. I'll be turning the heels. How about a haiku?

knitting socks toe-up
goes faster if you can do
two at the same time

Making up for Lost Time

Friday was a crazy day. We had a playdate and a friend's house and by the time I'd gathered everyone up and headed home (at 9:30 pm) I was so strung out that I forgot the knitting project I was working on--the second Jaywalker for my MIL. It's not like I don't have any other knitting to do, so it's not a big deal. I was able to work on this:
It was going to be a Jaywalker for my FIL, but you remember how unfortunate that was turning out to be. Now, it's going to be my very first toe-up sock. Let me tell you, I am really enjoying it. Knitting toe-up may become my preferred method of sock knitting. Doesn't it look so much better?

In other news, my Yarn Pirate club shipment arrived on Thursday. Unlike some other websites (damn you Boing Boing!) I don't want to spoil it for other people, so here is the booty if you want to check it out. The yarn is stunning. It literally took my breath away. I can't wait to knit with it.

Finally, my technophobic friend has finally joined the 21st century by starting a blog. Head on over there and leave her a comment welcoming her to the blogosphere.

At the Pool

Jen of Knitting Sutra recently wrote about a pooling issue she is having with a pair of socks for her MIL. Jen doesn't like pooling, not even a little, and is having a contest to search for a pool-defying pattern for the offending yarn. Go over and check it out. I'll wait.

You back? Anyway, I read the post, having my own opinion about pooling in variegated yarns, decided not to enter the contest, and promptly forgot about it. That is, until I ran into this

while working on the jaywalkers for my FIL. Ordinarily, I could care less if the colors pool. In fact, I think it can be attractive. But this... Well, it ain't pretty, that's for sure.

As I re-read Jen's post today, I remembered being amazed that there could be a debate in the knit community about something like color pooling and I thought, "Why not do a survey?" So, what's your opinion? The survey is over there in the side bar if you want to cast your vote.

As for my FIL's sock, I'm feeling rather stumped. Should I frog it and try to start over at another point in the yarn's stripe pattern? Will that make a difference? Should I use a different stitch pattern? I don't know. I've never thought about how to defeat color pooling because I always thought it was kind of neat. But now.... Any ideas?

Houston, we have a problem

I took yesterday off from knitting my Summer of Socks socks and instead read a fun Carl Hiaasen book. (Actually, I was already about halfway through the book, so I only read 1/2 the book yesterday.) I recommend anything by Hiaasen if you are in the mood for some fun, well-written light reading that does not involve muggles, firelizards, Aes Sedai, or any kind of spaceships.

Anyway, the reason I took the day off and read instead of knitted is because the jaywalker was on a timeout. The other night, I was knitting along, watching The Bourne Identity with Mr. Interrupted when I looked down and saw a hole. (When am I going to remember that I am supposed to be a knit blogger and that this is exactly the sort of thing I should be taking pictures of?) It was a massive hole surrounded by random, free-form decreases--I must have been tired. It was a mess, and I had to put the Jaywalker on a timeout while I thought about how to fix it.

I really did not want to rip back the sock, even a few rounds because, while I am capable of picking up the stitches, I find it incredibly tedious and didn't feel like doing it. So this morning I started out by dropping the FUBAR stitches (it was three rounds' worth).

Then, I took out my crochet hook and extra size zero needles and I started knitting up the dropped stitches.

I had to do a triple decrease instead of a double when I got to the top, but I think it'll be OK. The intended recipient of these socks won't notice.

I'm feeling a little tickled with myself, even though I'm positive I'm not the first knitter to fix a mistake this way. Now I can keep on knitting. At least until July 21st when I will probably end up reading instead of knitting.

SoS Progress

I've spent most of the week so far recovering from the flu and working on socks for the Summer of Socks. On Tuesday, we went over to the mall parking lot to hang out and wait for the fireworks show to start. (It's like a huge tailgate party.) I sat with my sister and Ezra and knit while Mr. Interrupted took Isaac to the carnival on the other side of the parking lot. I finished my KAL rows.

I made some progress on the sock.

(The sock is checking to see if it's dark enough for fireworks. Nope.)

Generally, a grand time was had by all. I couldn't remember how to work my camera so, unfortunately, no pictures of the sock watching fireworks. I got this interesting shot, though.


Yesterday, I knit.

Plans for today? The forecast calls for heavy rain, so, mostly knitting.

Finished a Pair!

I finished my first pair of socks for the Summer of Socks yesterday.

Cute, huh? These are plain vanilla baby socks in Artyarns supermerino with a size 3 needle. I am particularly proud of these socks. See those heels? I turned them all by myself--without referring to a book or a pattern or any kind of instruction at all. None except what I could remember from my previous experience. And see those toes? I totally get the Kitchener stitch now. Awesome. Here they are in action:

Nothing beats wool socks in 90+°F weather.

OMG

Ravelry is probably the best thing to happen to the knitting (and crochet) community since the invention of the blog. Talk about making the world bigger! Not only can you keep a notebook of your entire knitting (or crochet) life--including what's in your stash, what needles (or hooks) you have, what you're knitting right now, what you want to knit eventually, etc.--but you can also make connections with other knitters (or crocheters) out there in cyberspace. You can see what others are working on, what's in their stash, read their blogs, etc. Or, you can find a pattern, or see what yarns are popular, or find a knit-(or crochet)-along or local fiber festival.

This is huge, people. Ginormous, even. It's like joining your local guild/social knitting group, but members are all over the world. It's awesome. I can't even form a coherent thought about this because I am so blown away by how seriously amazing this is. I can't wait for it to be out of beta so everyone can join. I mean, wow.

In other knitting news, I will turn the 2nd Monkey's heel today

and finish my first sock for Summer of Socks.

I know, I know. It's kind of a cheat to knit a baby sock, but c'mon! Babies need socks, too!

Summer of Socks

Hooray! The Summer of Socks has begun! Last night, I was thinking that I would have to go out and get some sock yarn (darn) because the Monkeys do not count since I have been working on them for a while. So, I started rooting around in my stash to see what I had in the way of sock yarn and came up with this:

Not too bad, right? I've got some really nice stuff in there. See the Fleece Artist I practically forgot about? Shocking, I know. Now, what I DO need is a few extra sock needles because I only have the one and I am using it to knit the second Monkey. Which, by the way, is trudging along. I've done almost four of the pattern repeats on the leg. The pattern calls for six, so I'm a little more than halfway down the leg. Then it's a quick stockinette heel flap, a turn, and... Well, I have a ways to go. I have been itching to start a new sock, though, and now I know it's because of all that killer sock yarn in my stash.

Anyhow, I ordered the extra sock needles from Knit Picks last night. I do have a US 3, so I will have something to work on until my teeny tiny little teeny tiny needles arrive. Worsted weight socks=awesome. Ooh, I can't wait! It's going to be so much fun!