Sock Report

Sock class part one went well. I had two participants, one who had knitted on double pointed needles before, and the other who hadn't. The one who had (she had made mittens in another class) got started on her own and pretty much didn't need any help. She was very self-sufficient and was an encourager for the other participant. She might try the heel between now and next Monday (part two), or she might wait. I'm sure she could do it if she read the pattern. She used Cascade Fixation yarn which has elastic in it. I've never used it... it knitted up very soft and looks like store-bought socks.

The other one had never knit on double points before, and it had been a while since she'd knitted at all. I taught her the tip that I had learned when first using double points: cast on and knit a few rows back and forth on straight needles, and then pick it up with double points after you've knitted a little bit. That reduces your chances of twisting the row at the join, and you just have to seam a tiny bit when you weave in your cast-on end. She really liked that idea, and seemed to do well with it. She had a little trouble with the k1p1 rib that makes up the cuff, but once she hit the plain stockinette, she flew. She got Lorna's Laces in the Lorikeet colorway: pale yellow, indigo/blue, and dark purpley red. Her socks will be very cute when finished. Homework was to knit until they were ready to start the heel, and that will be our lesson on Monday.

All in all, it was a good class. We were there for three hours, and I got to work on my Jaywalker sock while they were knitting and in between helping them. I finished and turned the heel and started decreasing for the gussets. I've felt very proud of myself lately when I've picked up stitches. I think I've finally gotten the hang of picking them up consistently. Slipping the first stitch of each row really helps.

When I got home, I finished my seven inch square of eyelash yarn. I'm making this. It's super easy to sew together once your knitted square is finished, but you know how I am about knitting squares. This square took me months to finish, since I can do a few rows at a time and have to put it away and get out something more complicated. My bunny turned out exceptionally fat (pictures later). I have plans for him. Oh yes. Funny bunny plans.

This afternoon I organized all the digital pictures I've uploaded so far. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to keep on top of organizing them, since I don't always erase all the pictures on the camera before I upload any new ones, and I end up having tons of copies of the same pictures on my computer. It seems I have the problem under control for now, with minimal categories, even.

I'm looking for suggestions for knitting projects and paperbacks to stick in my bag for a five day trip to Seattle at the end of this month. Said projects and books will mostly be for the plane, since I have other plans for while I'm there. Any ideas?