Finished Number Two

I finally have evidence that two of three (sounds like a Borg name, right?) is done, done, done. I was so happy that I saved them for their inaugural wearing for my knitting group last Saturday. Silly me I did not point out that they were new. I make so many socks even I don't know how new some are, you can not blame a room full of knitters for not noticing.

I thought I had started these on our camping trip back in May, but I started them just after that, in June. See what I mean about old project cleanup? I know they went back to South Dakota with us in July because I have never been so happy to have Ravelry then. My knitting journal was home, I don't travel with it amazingly, and I wanted to know something about how I made the heel, which it turned out I had noted on Ravelry. There was much rejoicing (but only by me).

Now on to the details. The pattern is Stepping Stones by Clara Parkes. I will admit to changing up many things. The pattern is written for DK weight yarn, which is quite a bit thicker than the sock yarn I used. The pattern was written to get people into sock making and it is quite a leap to go down in yarn and needle size to what is normal for me, hence it being written for bigger yarn and needles. I know for most fingering weight yarns my stitch count should be around 80. The pattern was a 6 stitch repeat so I ended up using 78 stitches for my thinner version.

Part of the reason these were in time out was the heel, I don't remember why but I know a normal heel for me is 40 stitches and I used 36 in this case. The original pattern also has two bands of the leg pattern continue down the foot but I knit it plain, as my mind would not refigure where they should go. Sometimes simple is better.

The yarn is a local dyer Periwinkle Sheep, I think the color name is Pond Scum but the label went missing so I may be wrong. It is a nice grey green mix of colors. In keeping with our psychic link, I do believe that Kisknit also bought the colorway. But she bought it as a manly color for her husband, and I kept it all to myself. See what selfish knitting gets you? Socks!

Speaking of socks D does have two more socks on the needles now. Lucky guy I guess it is true bragging about your socks will get the knitter to make more for you.

What I'm knitting

It is summer and a hot one so far. My knitting has slowed down considerably. This means I have a few things on the needles but they're not going anywhere fast.

First up we have a lovely sock that I talked about before but now have a better picture. It is Stepping Stones from the Knitter's Book of Socks. The yarn is from a local dyer, The Periwinkle Sheep. I was grooving on this one till I hit the heel. Since I added a few repeats my count is off if I do my standard heel. I love my standard heel it fits me so well that I am now unwilling to experiment with other heels. So I need to sit down with the pattern and figure out how to fix my problem, I'm leaning towards just adding a couple of stitches, seems like the easiest route, but is it the best one? So this sock is sitting in time out. 

Now my first sport weight socks are not in time out. They got to go to the movies and see The Avengers with their knitter and their future wearer. The were so pumped that they behaved and finished up lickity split. Since these were made with my non standard weight yarn I changed things up a bit. I bought three balls of yarn and knit one sock till I ran out of yarn. They were put on hold and I knit to the same point on the second sock. I finished up a couple of toes and before I knew what happened he had a pair of socks that he can not wear till it cools down. OK so my timing is a bit off, but they are lovely thick socks that I'm sure he will appreciate in the winter.

Also sitting in time out because I misplaced the pattern is my Holden Eggplant shawl. I can not tell you how many times I've had to rip back and redo portions because I kept screwing up the center line of stitches. If I could just find that pattern...

Once I finished D's socks, my purse went without knitting for a week, can you believe it? Good thing I had my Kindle or I would have been a very impatient person. Don't worry I have a new sock started that should be a good purse project. I was questioning my sanity for a time.

Gus update: We started him on insulin injections this weekend and except for a tiny bobble he has been responding very well. I think he may be getting sick of getting checked on frequently. String was fun the first 20 times now he just looks at me as if to say I'm fine go back to your knitting/sleeping/whatever you were doing! It is tough having a Mommy some days.