Aug 15, 2006

New Projects



Out of the blue, I decided to start on my first sock last week. I was in between projects for about a day, so it seemed like a good idea at the time. I've finished knitting my Fuzzy Feet and they just need to be felted and they were pretty much like knitting giant socks so I figured I could handle a real one. I've had some Bernat Sox in my stash for quite some time so I pulled it out and decided to follow the pattern on the label (which you almost need a magnifying glass to read). The size is a Child's, but my feet are pretty small and even if they don't fit I can frame them or something. I think the colors are very pretty, all stripy and such, but do I hope this sock knitting thing grows on me. Knitters go on and on about knitting socks and some rarely knit anything else, but so far I don't find it quite as enthralling. First of all, I don't especially like dpns, I tend to really slow down when I'm using them and I have trouble with ladders, no matter how tightly I pull the yarn. I guess I can try the 2 circular thing, but somehow I don't think I'll care for that either. Secondly, I'm using size 3 needles and it seems to take forever to get an inch. Anyway I digress, it actually is progressing pretty well seeing as how I've finished turning the heel on the sock and I only left a small hole on one side. The photo is out of focus, but you get the idea.

I swore that I was going to finish the Candle Flame shawl before I started on Lady Eleanor and I intended to do just that. At this point the only thing I need to knit is the border, then I can block it and it will be finished. I put all 300+ stitches on a lifeline (checking several times to make sure I did have all of the stitches), pulled it off the needles and held it up to get a sense of how big it is going to be. I started putting the stitches back on the needle the next day, when lo and behold, I discover 2 or 3 dropped stitches! I've gotten much, much better at correcting mistakes in the past year, even in complicated patterns, and I wasn't afraid to play around with the dropped stitches. I tried different ways to re-incorporate them, but it wasn't working. I decided to look at it again in a few days and in the meantime my Kureyon arrived and I couldn't stop myself from casting on yet again.

Lady E looked a mess after the backward loop cast on and the first few rows, but she's maturing rapidly and has completely stolen my heart. There were a couple of mistakes in the first row that I'm too lazy to correct, but I figure most people won't see them anyway and I like to think a few imperfections make her more "real". In the photo she looks more like a purse, but that's just because of the circular needles. I might do an entrelac bag in the future though. I went with color 124 because there were limited choices in the WEBS closeout. Several other knit bloggers have used this color and it is mighty pretty. When I am sitting in my house this Winter all wrapped up in my jewel-encrusted Lady E, I will envision myself strolling the drafty stone corridors of a walled castle city. Can you tell I'm enchanted? This is after one skein (I have 10 in all), isn't she lovely?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the way the pattern on Lady E looks like patchwork. Thinking about those drafty stone corridors made me get another cup of tea!

Sarah W. said...

Entrelac, huh? No comprende. But it is sooooooo pretty! The sock looks cool too. Maybe you and I just like the same colors.

Anonymous said...

Ohhhh, Lady Elenor is looking fantastic, the colours are stunning, it'll turn out beautiful, I know! :)