Well, well, well. Look what we have here. A sock and his half finished little buddy.
More photos
here.
OK. Here I go. I have to make an explanation. As you can see, I have decided that the best route to finishing these suckers involves knitting one sock at a time. I just couldn't handle the tangles from the mega ball anymore. Enough is enough. I still prefer to knit two socks at one time, but it was just too much to use two ends of the same ball. Next time, I will divide the hank as evenly as possible into two separate balls before casting on. At least that way I can keep the two balls separate. It's kind of hard to keep two ends from the same ball from tangling. Lesson learned.
I made some changes to the pattern (most likely the same or similar changes that others have made according to the KAL). I'm pretty sure the pattern had mistakes in it anyway, as I had to correct one for the heel in order to make it even. The pattern said to knit 30 rows for the heel, slipping the first stitch on each row. Then, it said to pick up 30 stitches for the gusset, which did not make sense to me. What was the point, then, of slipping those stitches? Normally, you pick up one stitch in each slipped stitch, not two. So, I did what I've done on every other sock I've knit thus far and picked up 17 stitches (the extra stitches were to keep it tidy and avoid gaps).
The sock is only slightly big on me, which is a good sign that it will fit my mom, who is a size or two larger than me in the foot-al regions. :) I hope they fit her, though. I also hope that they do not pill too much. I've noticed that the finished sock has developed a little bit of a halo just from the knitting and I am wondering if that is going to become a problem with wear. I'm pretty sure that she has a sweater shaver. So, if it gets that bad, she can go to town with the thing.
Gauge. It seems loose for a sock. I'm worried about the strength and durability of these socks, especially considering the halo and possible pilling. I think socks should be knit at tight gauges, don't you? Otherwise, I just don't think they are strong enough for everyday wear. My Child's First Socks were knit in a sturdy non-sock yarn (Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool) at a really tight gauge and I am confident enough to wear them in shoes with backs. My Orange Breeze Socks, on the other hand, I only wear with my Birks. Maybe it is paranoia, but so be it. Max's socks got one hole and another about to happen after a little more than a week of wear. I'm still trying to get over the bitterness of that one. So, I don't know. I keep thinking that I won't be knitting many more socks in the future, but I just love the look of them...and I still have sock yarn that needs to be knit up. I could always do shawls instead, but there are so many sock patterns that I also love. I'm sure I'll knit more socks, but it really helps to think that this is the last pair I'll ever make. I don't know why. ^.^
I know that I said I would talk about NaNoWriMo, but I don't really know what to say other than it was a great experience. It was very difficult at times, but I pushed myself to the limit (or what I, as a huge cry baby, have labeled as the limit) and I pulled off just over 50,000 words one day before the deadline! I am surprised with myself and also quite proud. My story surely needs a lot of work. I have not even read through it yet...not once!...and I probably won't do a read-through until it is actually finished. I'm just now approaching the first of the major climaxes (don't ask) and it will probably get up to 80,000 words before it is actually done. At least that is what I am hoping. Then, I will reread, do the first edit and allow a few close and interested friends to read it over and give suggestions, questions, etc... That probably won't be happening for months because I'm so secretive about my writing. I'm getting over it, slowly and surely, but it is still hard to talk about it with people...especially when they ask what it is about and I just sit there for a while and try to come up with something interesting! lol Well, anyway, I loved NaNoWriMo. I learned that I am capable of doing a lot of writing in a very short period of time and I am capable of writing fiction under a deadline, which was something that had always worried me about becoming a successful writer with a contract from some publishing house. I can do it.
I can do a lot of things...I can finish these socks by Friday!
Another thing that has been going on in the past few days is a little bit of spinning:
I'm planning on devoting more time to it tomorrow, but isn't it pretty? I don't know what to make with it or what it will look like once I ply it, but it makes me feel good all the same. ^.^
Oh yeah, and the new
knitty is up! I want to knit
this! I like
this too, but let's be honest, I won't be making it anytime soon.
OK, a whole lotta knitting love to all. I'm going to enjoy a nice hot cup of ecinacea tea (good for your immune system and tasty, tasty, tasty...it's naturally sweet too!) and my hot shoulder/neck pillow while watching silly internet shows with my charming Russian husband. Life is good...in spite of it all.
