Here is the latest progress report on My First Sock. Admittedly, my progress on this sock is slow but with the Christmas fall-out and sick kids, I didn’t have a lot of knitting time yesterday. And the sock had to share knitting time with DH’s unfinished Christmas sweater.

I do not yet have the 8 inches of cuff that Silver’s instructions suggests (I think mine is closer to three but I haven’t measured) but I think I want to do a shorter cuff on this sock for two reasons – one, I don’t really like long socks, two I will get finished sooner.
I will probably start the heel turn today. At the very least, I will get the stitches rearranged. I am looking forward to the challenge of the heel turn. Hopefully, it will still look vaguely sock-like when I have completed it.

I am pleasantly surprised how well the sock is staying on the double point needles. I was expecting to constantly be placing stitches back on the needles where they slid off – I mean they poke everywhere when you are knitting. But instead, the needles are staying where I leave them. I am not sure if this is due to the needles I chose (Balene instead of aluminum) or if this is the norm with dpns. I am truly thankful that I am not having to hang onto sliding needles while trying to knit.

BTW, the weird angle at the top of the sock is not a problem with the sock, just the photography (Ansel Adams, I am not). I’m still learning how to use this digital camera and I am not used to taking photos of items that I am holding. I apparently was holding it at a funky angle without realizing it – or I moved my hand after I clicked the shutter. My apologies. Just know that I am a better knitter than photographer 🙂

Happy knitting

I officially began knitting my first sock last night. I have encountered a few minor bumps in the road (I knitted when I should have purled when changing needles causing one section of my ribbing to have too many stitches. I tried to ignore the mistake but I ended up frogging the whole thing). But I now actually have about 1 1/2 inches of cuff. It looks a bit small but it may just be the dpns. Fortunately I have some small-footed people in my household who can wear them if I can’t.

I still find the double point needles a bit awkward, especially the first three or four stitches on a needle, but I am beginning to get used to them. I keep wondering if I am doing something wrong because I keep poking myself with the extra needles. I have seen a lot of posts about others feeling the same way so I will persevere. The good news is that, even though I have needles sticking out in all directions, I actually have made something that looks at least vaguely sock-like. I will keep you posted on my progress. I will probably be slow because I am still working on a sweater for my DH and I have promised myself that I will finish the Mid-December KAL dishcloth before the January one starts.

Clickety, Clickety! Heel turn here I come!!

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Project details.
Pattern – basic sock from Silver’s website – http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/SockClass_Beginning.htm.
Yarn Red Heart Strata Self-striping yarn – worsted weight. Color-Crayon
Needles – Boye Balene size 6

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I have gotten behind on my pleasure knitting in the rush to finish holiday gifts so I have only completed to Day 3 on the KAL. Here is my progress so far. I am knitting in Yellow and Ecru Peaches and Cream (two KALs on one needle). This is my second KAL. It is far trickier to knit than the first December KAL was. It has taken a lot of concentration as well as a little bit of frogging (rip it, rip it) but I am very pleased with the results. The ssk’s and p2sso’s were quite tricky and I am very proud of myself for managing to actually do them and end up with the correct number of stitches at the end of the row. I seriously doubt that these will be gifts for anyone other than me. And I can also practically guarantee that they will never, ever see dish water! I am thinking face clothes for these beauties if I don’t frame them for the wall. The photo doesn’t show the detail of the cloths very well but the stitch is really quite pretty (you will have to bear with me as I learn how to use the new camera) . It has been well worth the difficulty of the pattern. I knew this group would help me improve my knitting skills. I just wasn’t expecting to have to improve so much in the first month!!! Great design Andi (or whoever the correct designer is). I love it.

Keep on Knitting!!

I made this capelet for my daughter to go with her Christmas dress which is short sleeved. She loves it. it is very soft and warm. I was a very quick knit. The pattern is a modification of the capelet pattern in Creative Knitting – January issue. I used Red Heart Light and Lofty yarn with a couple of rows of Fun Fur at the bottom. My apologies to the natural fiber knitters, but the selections at my LYS (Wal-mart) are rather limited in the natural fibers department.

Happy Knitting!!

I have knitted scarves until my fingers are sore. I decided to post a photo before I gave them all to the designated recipients just to prove to myself that I did actually do that much knitting in the last month. Believe it or not, this isn’t even all of them. Hopefully everyone will enjoy their Christmas scarves. If not, maybe I will inherit them. Next year I am starting my Christmas knitting MUCH earlier. I am also thinking socks will be what I knit instead of scarves.

Knit On!!