Eureka!

I found the other size 8 needle! Lost in the sofa as I initially thought. My husband was right - it did turn up when I was looking for something else. I found it when I dropped a DPN, and it rolled into the narrow space between the cushion I was sitting on and the side of the sofa. Since I was sitting on the cushion, that space was a little more accessible; when I reached in for the DPN, the size 8 was easily found as well. Very nice! I promptly swatched the wool for my Aran, only to discover that, while I got gauge, I think the wool wants to be a little more drapey. I might have to find a different pattern for it. Most of my other Aran patterns aren’t charted, unfortunately, although I could certainly do a chart myself. Ugh.

The Turn of the Sock:

After an initial bout of confusion, I figured out the mysteries of the short rows and turned the heel. That was actually the easy part. After that, I somehow picked up the heel flap stitches in the wrong direction, and had to play around with a couple of DPNs in order to get everything divided correctly and going in the right direction. Everything’s great now in gusset-land, and it should be pretty easy until we get to the toe.

I really like knitting socks. It’s kind of like hiking. Even though you’re walking more or less as you usually do, the terrain and scenery vary quite a bit, and the going can get tricky here and there. Keeps things interesting.

More Project Updates:

I have three rows and the fringe left to do on the triangle shawl. I should be able to finish that tonight.

The funnel neck sweater will move up in queue after the shawl is finished. Since it is pretty simple (stockinette and shaping), I think it will be a good project to fit in between more complicated knitterly endeavors.

I am afraid I will need to frog the Floral Gathering Sac. I am not satisfied with the increases (yarn-overs) on the bottom. They seem too open to me for something that needs to be sturdy. And with yarn this beautiful, and such a great pattern, I am being an ultra-perfectionist. I am considering knitting and purling in the same stitch for the first few rounds of the increases – just on the bottom – and switching to yarn-overs later, when the eyelets will be prettier and not impact the structure of the bag. I am also considering doing just the bottom on smaller DPNs so it is tighter. Not a huge hurry on this one. I want to be ready to start the color pattern when we leave for the honeymoon on September 1.

Some new projects I am thinking of:

1. The Fake-A-Gamo. Check it out here. I am doing both the handle bag from new yarn, and using the same stitch pattern for a clutch out of stash yarn (two balls of Artfibers “Schooner” in a brown/cream tweed).

2. Reversible Cable Shawl (from Vogue Knitting, American Designers). I have loved this Lily Chin pattern since I first started knitting. I am probably going to do it in Lorna’s Laces “Heaven,” (one of the solids, color TBD).

3. Geometric Scarf (from Vogue Knitting On the Go – Scarves) in the specified KPM no. 2231 (pink).

4. Golf Club Covers for my husband (from knitty.com – probably will do stripes corresponding to the club number, instead of the Fair Isle pattern).

5. Lots of socks.

6. Scarf in Colinette Mohair. As the Yarn Harlot suggests in her book Knitting Rules!, I am going to do a “halfway” scarf in lace – knitting each half in the lace pattern, followed by garter stitch, and grafting the two halves so the lace is symmetrical on both ends. I only have one ball in this color, and I want to use every inch of it. It should be a nice one to tuck into a coat or sweater.