O Frabjous Day!

I'm knitting again!

The chiropractic problem with my wrists/shoulders has been solved, and I'm knitting!


This is one side of the to-be-felted-tote. It is garter stitch and a little boring, but I love it! Because I can knit!


This is the side of the bag with the pocket sitting on top. I think the log cabin deal is going to look very cute, and will dress up the whole thing a bit.


These are the two ends of the rectangle. I'm knitting (!!!) them at the same time for speed and consistency (because garter stitch is so very difficult...?).


These are the next pair of socks that I mentioned having cast on. They are the same pattern (.pdf!) I used with my first pair of socks, except I'm working over 64 sts and I've put -- what else? -- a 2x2 ribbing on the instep which will continue up the leg.


The yarn is Socks That Rock Fred Flintstone, purchased at Stitches Midwest last summer. I showed these socks to Heather the other day and she got all googly-eyed and demanded to know what kind of yarn that was so that she could buy some and make it her own THISVERYMINTUE! I told her and then she looked a little sheepish. "Oh," she said, "I have that in my stash at home." Snerk.

And today is frabjous for another reason. Ten years ago today Nick asked me to be his girlfriend. Ten years. TEN YEARS. I stand gobsmacked. And more goofishly in love than ever. Woohoo!

Officially a Sock Knitter

I have completed my Koigu Sherbet-Berry-Sunset socks.



I couldn't be prouder. Or more addicted.



Pattern: None, just Wendy's Generic Toe-Up sock pattern over 60 stitches. Short-row toe, short-row heel. I added a 2x2 rib for a change (and also because I seem to be held in the thrall of 2x2 rib) at the leg.
Yarn: 2 balls Koigu KPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPM, in a colorway whose number is lost to the mists of time. I almost snarked up a storm when I found knots and ravelings in one skank, but gracefully moved on without a murmur. Yes.
Needles: KnitPicks dpn 2.5mm (they're calling it a US size 1). They are pointy and perfect.
Time spent: Begun December 2nd, 2006 and finished February 3rd, 2007. (Except I haven't woven in the ends at the toes yet. I don't know why.) I started these right after I learned that my grandma had died, and knit on them during the visitation. It was nice to be able to focus on something else.
What I learned: Short-row toe, short-row heel, provisional cast-on, patience.
Thoughts: I completely love sock knitting. I love the wee bitty needles and the wee bitty stitches and I adore the way they fit and feel. Does everyone know about sock knitting? Should I be running up and down the street shouting about the benefits of handknit socks? Maybe not?
Bonus: Hey, this yarn has been in my stash since May of last year, so not only am I knitting from my stash (yes!), but that means that I can buy more sock yarn because I just knit a pair of socks! Or did I say I had to knit two pairs of socks? Dammit, it's two pairs. Screw it, I want to buy some sock yarn!

Edit: I forgot to write down what I did for the bind-off. I normally bind off very loosely and don't tend to have problems with final products (and here I speak as though I have a lot of those) being too tight in that respect. However. I tried binding off in my normal way, very loosely, because I wasn't sure how to do the sewn bind off (I have never kitchenered, for those who might tell me it's just like kitchenering). Didn't work -- it was too tight. When did I realize this? After the entire first cuff was bound off, of course. After many tinkings (very frustrating when I wanted to WEAR THE SOCKS IMMEDIATELY and be done), I discovered the perfect bind-off that does not involve sewing: work 1 rnd in pattern in same needles (2.5mm in my case) very loosely, then work bind-off rnd using a needle 2 sizes larger (3.25mm in my case), also very loosely. Put your socks on and dance around your abode.

All the posts about my first-ever pair of socks:

• Beginning
• Middle
• Other Middle

(this post being the end)