Vacation knitting: I finished a sock and started another. I was kind of burned out from the Christmas knitting, so I mostly did it during car rides and while watching TV. I'm following Wendy's Generic Toe-Up Sock, but substituting the short-row toe for Judy's Magic Cast-on, because I think it looks prettier, and I like the feel of it on my foot better. I'm also using helical striping, which I'm finding absolutely charming, and there's a wonderful explanation here. I'm using two colors, teal and tan. They're my Beach Socks.
I had a little adventure while binding off the first sock. To begin with, I've been a little worried about the yardage I've got left in the two balls I bought for this project. I figured 220 yards would cover a pair of ankle-high toe-up socks, with my feet being somewhat small in the bargain. So, I thought, to conserve yarn, why not just do my usual bind-off, which doesn't need and more yarn but what's on the needles? Well, first because doing it was a bitch. I don't mean to curse gratuitously, but I pretty much went cross-eyed while I was trying to do this bind-off with these tiny little stitches, in grippy yarn - and I'm a tight knitter, too. Then I tried getting the sock on my foot once I was done. I'm not entirely sure what I was thinking, since I had long since realized while doing the BO that maybe it would be a little tight, and it had no elasticity whatsoever. But, I thought, maybe it will straighten itself out once I was finished. Right. I nearly amputated my own foot trying to get that &$&%8 BO over my big toe. So that was out. And I then had to undo all those tiny, tight, little stitches, in that grippy yarn, while realizing that I'm probably not as smart as I like to think I am. But now the sock fits like a dream, and it's oh so comfy. Now I just have to finish the other one. Here's hoping there's enough yarn left.
Here's a full list of all my Christmas gifts, since I'm still amazed I finished them all:
1. Slippers
2. Socks
3. Dashing wristwarmers, from Knitty
4. Fetching wristwarmers, from Knitty
5. Spiderman mittens, using a chart from the Yarn Harlot's blog that I am in no way trying to hunt up again
6. Thrummed mittens, using an old mitten pattern which I have no idea where it's from
7. An Unoriginal Hat, by the Yarn Harlot
8. Couvercle, from Knitty
Now that I'm not delirious from sugar cookies and coffee, I actually want to do it again. Something about marathon knitting, where you're trying desperately to reach a deadline you're not sure you can reach, while deluding yourself into believing that yes, you actually can...isn't that the extreme sport of knitters? For those of us who want a thrill? Normally, I wouldn't go for it, since my knitting is for relaxing, but once a year ... maybe. Plus, it's the one time a year where when I glare at family murderously while brandishing DPNs and caffeine, they back away, understanding. (My family is usually the almost in-your-face, 'Who do you think you're brandishing those at, anyway?', but they are accepting when they know it will get them pretty things. Also, they know that 'murder' and 'defending the stash' are almost one and the same during the holiday season. Smart, lovely people, my family.)
I have also finished a hat since you've seen me last. I used brooklyntweed's Turn a Square pattern, which I enjoyed very much. It's just tickling my pink that when you wear it, you have a SQUARE on your HEAD. Mayhap I haven't had enough sleep lately, but I still think it's pretty darn amusing.
That's all for now. I'll try not to let pass another millennia before I post again.
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