Friday Knitting Blog (06/8/2012)

Friday Knitting blog time, with an actual finished project! 

The Hermione's Everyday Socks are finally done! I learned a new technique for these, knitted Kitchener stitches. You can learn this trick here. It's a video from Garnstudio Drops design, and there is no audio. My understanding is that none of their video demonstrations have audio; that way there's no distracting jabber in a language you might not understand, and they're more universal. For the record, I don't mind Kitchener (or grafting as you may call it) with a regular tapestry needle, but I like to learn new things, and this was definitely something to learn. I think that, if you find yourself at the toe of a pair of socks while in a waiting room or somewhere where you might not have your full tool kit with you, knowing this way to graft a toe closed could prevent you from having to wait to finish your sock. Unless you're working your sock on magic loop and don't have a 3rd needle to work with. In that case, you're essentially screwed. 

Speaking of things that are screwed, my Lingerie sock currently fits into that category. It took me 6 tries to get the heel turn to look the way I wanted, and there was much rejoicing when I finished that part. However, once I'd done a few rows of the foot chart, it was time for the last big test. Did they fit? In my experience and opinion, if you're knitting a sock from the top to the toe, you can't know for certain how it's going to fit on the leg (will it be too tight or too floppy at the cuff? Just how far up the leg does this thing reach?) or the ankle/instep area (too tight, too loose, or just right) until you've turned the heel and gone into the foot a bit. And that, my friends, is a difficult place to be and realize that the sock you've been pouring your knitting heart into just doesn't fit. Which is what happened to me. It was way too tight.

So I ripped it out, rewound the yarn, and the project is in a very temporary time out. I decided to finish the pink socks (above), read the newest Charlaine Harris, Southern Vampire (Sookie Stackhouse) book, Deadlocked, which I currently have from the library, and then restart. So, probably tomorrow night or Sunday. I haven't started Deadlocked yet, but I will tonight (after dinner), and I read really fast, so I can't imagine that it'll be later than Sunday before I'm done with it. 

I'm also looking at sweater patterns lately, since I did manage to purchase almost 2000 yards of worsted weight wool (for less than $50 total) all in the same dye lot recently, and I should have make sort of plans with that yarn, no?

Are you knitting anything right now?