Clematis

Bitten by the sock bug

I am feeling very, very virtuous as I finished FOUR projects while in France... So of course I had the urge to cast on yesterday - and subsequently one Undulating Rib Sock (from Interweave's Favourite Socks) in Regia 4 ply sock yarn is OTN. I am loving it, and even got up earlier than normal this morning to complete anothe half a pattern repeat. Now all I can think about is socks... that DB silk would make lovely silk stockings. That Jaeger Luxury Tweed lovely boot socks. You get my drift. Expect another sock update soon - I am seriously tempted by EZ's suggestion that a commuter could make 26 pairs of socks in a year. Could she be right? Should I attempt?

Felted bag

Cash Iroha socks

The Second Sock

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the second of any pair of socks begun will a) languish for many months as the knitter moves on to newer, more interesting and desired projects and b) that the second sock when begun will be neater and with tighter and altogether better tension than the first.
Dear readers, I am finishing the Cash Iroha slouch socks from Noro Designer Mini-Knits whilst on a few days holiday in Strasbourg. I am hoping to finish a few other projects too, so watch this space.

Nothing that I knit is working out at the moment. When I feel like this, I think maybe its time to stop knitting from patterns for a while. I'm terrible at following patterns, and I always adapt them - then things don't work out. At the moment the list of disasters is as follows:

Convertible Cardigan - keep missing things I'm supposed to do in the pattern. Don't want to do pockets as think it will be too bulky. Don't like the cable. Don't like the selvedge. Its going to be ripped!

Bridie - beautiful pattern but hubbie pointed out (correctly) last weekend that I never really wear those russet-y autumnal colours.

Also knitting a baby hat for yet another newborn in my circle of friends. Using a lovely yarn I won in a Simply Knitting competition - Regia Bamboo sock yarn. However, didn't use one of my usual patterns and the stitch count doesn't work out for this new-to-me pattern.

I used to think it was me (and often it most definately is), but also I've become much more cynical about patterns recently, through talking with other knitters. Sometimes, they're not well written. Sometimes they're wrong. Now I know why - designers are paid peanuts for patterns, and are usually under tight deadlines when producing them. But its annoying when you work on something, using expensive yarn, and it just won't work.

Tonight: a break from knitting and some reading for the (knitting) soul by Elizabeth Zimmerman I think!