Knitting: The lure of the Ravelry boards

I really need to stay off the internet and ravelry boards, etc.

I have so little will power and there I go again casting on for yet another project?! Why????? The lure of a possible prize... of course I have to finish the darn project! But I'm getting faster on the sock knitting, so I think I have a chance. I have until the end of February. I've also already decided I probably won't do the February challenge, so... I can certainly give it a shot to finish these socks.

The January SKA challenge is a textured sock. There were several patterns out there I like, but the one I liked best was a toe up and I'm just not in the moode for that right now. I grabbed the BW treasuries and scanned and found a pretty pattern already charted. So I'm gong with it.

I even went into my STASH and pulled out some Alpaca Sox yarn, I purchased last summer(?) maybe. Anyway, I didn't make the pattern that the yarn was originally bought for, so now I'm using it. It's kind of a coral/terra cotta color. I like the color a lot and since it's alpaca, it's pretty soft and buttery however... it's also a very thin, just a 2 ply yarn, so not sure how great this will be... might be a floppy sock, but I'm really trying to tug tight on my stitches to keep it together. The pattern is looking nice so far.

But even though I casted on last night, I will continue working on the socks for Brian. I had a good idea though, I might do Brian socks at work during lunch since it's basic stockinette and I don't have to worry about patterns/mistakes, etc... and then in the evenings, I'll work on the Celtic Pattern sock. I really don't have a clever name for it yet. But maybe when I'm done, I'll think of something.

On to work....

Knitting: Off track again?

Well, I wouldn't totally say off track, but yeah, kind of. I was supposed to be working on the Every Way Wrap... but due to attention span and not having the time or placement of actually concentrating, I have not knit on this thing in over a week. Shame, shame, shame.

But it's definitely a project I have to pay attention to and lately, I haven't had that opportunity, so being a little smarter than the knitting, I decided to do something less attention needing... that would be a new sock. Yes, I cast on another darn sock. However, this sock is using REGIA self-striping, so it is just plain old stockinette from nearly beginning to end. I've decided to do a turkish/afterthought heel because I couldn't bear doing another heel flap right now. I just finished the flap for Spring Forward... and I just hate the flap. Anyway, haven't done the afterthought heel before, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. And these are for Brian and I don't think he'll complain about the look or feel of them. My only worry is they might be a bit to big for him.

I did a c/o of 54 stitches because my long tail wasn't long enough.
I did 1x1 twisted rib for 1".
Next round I increased 10 stitches around with K1FB (64 stitches).

Then just knit. About half way in the picture, you can see the waste yar, it's pink/green/yellow and that is where the heel stitches will go. I have about 5 inches done on the foot so far and that is where I'm worried it will be loose. Also Brian has a very skinny ankle, so we'll see.

In any case, I have to do about 2 more inches and will then start the decreases for the toe. I started this sock Friday evening, worked it a bit on Saturday and Sunday and I'm really pleased with the yarn, the striping pattern and the colors.

Knitting: The Husband sock progresses

Due in large part to lunchtime knitting yesterday, I had a good start done on the heel flap. I then worked on it with the Wednesday gals at Choc Cafe. I would have gotten into the heel turn last night, but ended up leaving early due to problems with my eye ball. It felt as if there was something there, on the surface or under my lid that was causing severe discomfort. So I left knitting early and headed over to CVS for eye drops... which by the way didn't entirely work. By the time I got home, my eye was REALLY red, itchy and ouchy. I took some benedryl to take down the swelling. And after trying to flush whatever it was out, I went to bed early.

This morning, the irritation is back. I'm wondering if I maybe have a bump or something on my eye lid which is causing the annoyance. I'm considering calling the doc and maybe heading over there today to have it checked.

Anyway, off of that tangeant and back to socks. The heel flap is now down, so today at lunch or this evening at knitting I will be turning the heel. Then I'll be down the home stretch and dare I say I might get done with this sock by the weekend, or sometime during the weekend?! Won't that be marvelous?! And if I can do that... then I can cast on and start the 2nd sock. This is the most pull I've ever had to do a 2nd sock. Usually by the time I'm done with the first I just don't want to look at the pattern anymore. This is why 2 socks at a time has such appeal, but darnit I cannot make it work in my favor cause I hate the magic loop. But I think I just really need to get over that annoyance and do it. Cause let me just tell you I have enough sock yarn for ... well, for a lot of damn socks, so I need to do something to get them done.

And speaking of sock yarn... what the H is knit picks trying to do? Bankrupt me?! Seriously has anyone seen the new Felici stripes? OMG... I like practically ALL of them and I really want them. Oh and after seeing Liz's Patina striped socks... you can see the gorgeousness here. I'm seriously craving that color as well and it's on clearance. So ya seeeee.. when the H am I going to do all these socks?

I do have one advantage though... a wonderful book, More Sensational Knitted Socks(also on sale now at knit picks 40%), basically it lets you create your own patterned socks, so that is definitely incentive to make stuff. It allows you to put stuff together and create your own design, which for me makes knitting fun and interesting. Now... to master that 2 at a time thing....

So much knitting, so little time.

Knitting: Serious lack of progress

I knew having lasik/prk would inhibit my knitting for a little bit, but I guess I didn't realize how much. I thought maybe a day or so and then I'd be back to "normal." But, not so much. Could it be that the projects I'm choosing to knit on are small? For instance socks on fingering weight yarn with size one needles? Yes, I think it's quite a strain on the peepers.

So after attempting to work on my blue butterfingers yesterday, I gave up and started working on the husband socks.

Here is a progress shot of those:

This is not the best detail of course, but it will have to do for now.

I made much more progress with Brian's socks, of course it's worsted weight/aran yarn on size six needles... so of course the rounds LOOK bigger. But they are coming along nicely now. I am doing the double fleck pattern which is fairly easy to remember and it's only a 6 stitch x 4 row repeat, so I'll be good until I get to the heel. I'm still not quite sure how long to make the leg. The yarn was pretty pricey and I don't want to run out, nor do I want a lot left over, sooo... I have to judge it right on. Perhaps I can do some research to see how much yarn it has taken from pt to pt and then I can properly guage how much I'll need for finishing. Or perhaps, I can take the other skein of yarn and start a toe up sock at the same time and see how that turns out. I should have done them toe up to begin with. I don't know why I didn't. Oh well, too late now, I'm not undoing the progress I've made. Although, it is still in the infant stages so the time to frog would be now... hmmm... dilemma, indeed.

Anyway, today has been spent working from home. And other than this blog update, I have actually done quite a bit of actual work. Granted, I'd rather be knitting, but who wouldn't right?! I don't know how I'm going to adjust to normal life tomorrow being back to work and all. It's been a somewhat glorious time off with lots of sleep and healing of course. Didn't do as much knitting as I'd hoped, but I also didn't think I'd be qo knocked out from the eyes. Oh well, I have plenty to keep my evenings busy!