New Socks = Love!!

Yay!! My February Socks are now complete!

Here is what they look like all knit up and awaiting seaming.

These are what made this pair of socks so easy to work on everywhere: 6" Size 0 (US) DPNs with a couple of tiny rubber-bands wrapped around one end. Kind of a set of do-it-yourself mini straight needles.

I didn't encounter may problems with this pattern, but I do have a couple corrections:

Page 101, under "Upper Toe", step 3 should say:
3) Rep rows 1 & 2 until 14 (14, 16, 16, 18, 18) sts rem.

Page 102, under "Gusset Heel", step 2 should say:
2) Row 1 (RS): (star) sl 1, k1 (star), rep from (star) to (star) across

Page 103, under "Lower Toe", step 3 should say:
3) Rep rows 1 & 2 until 14 (14, 16, 16, 18, 18) sts rem.

Note:
The corrections to pages 101 & 103 are meant as clarification to the somewhat confusing directions. You're working over an even number of stitches and are instructed to use a 2-stitch decrease every-other row. For certain sizes, though, you are expected to reach an odd number of stitches before you switch to decreasing every row. I've just changed the stitch count to better mirror with the increased decreases in step 6 of the same sections.

Also, these corrections are of my own design and have yet to be approved by Laura Chau. Please be sure to check her official errata page for her corrections.

I've started another new project:

It looks very similar to another recent project, no? This one isn't for me, though. My mom's poor dog, Jaques, has been affected very much by they're recent move and is (in my opinion) in need of some comforting. Jaques is a tiny-toy-poodle who is about 8 years old and has only ever lived in one place since we got him. He is very much a home-body, who is content to just laze about on a pillow or someone's coat all day without the need for any attention. This all changed with the move. To me, he seems like he is very confussed and lost at the new place. He is always attached to somebody as though he doesn't want to be left alone in this strange new world of his.

I resolved to knit him a bed. Jaques loves to burrow and make little nests in whatever he is lying in. It needed to be something that could move around and allow for his "nesting", but wouldn't take up much space in the laundry room (aka: Jaques' room). Also, it had to be in a neutral color to placate my dad. I didn't want to spend a ton on the yarn since the bed will be for the dog and who knows what he'll do with it, so I'm using a ball of Caron One Pound on size 5 needles and just knitting around and around. I wanted it to be in the round because he should be less likely to snag his nails in the stitches with all the purl bumps inside the tube. It's kinda slow-going, but I don't mind all the knit stitches because I can watch movies at the same time very easily. I'll post the pattern once I have it finished.

I've got one last highlight for today (overdue, though, it is):

A pic of Chantel's Scarf

Re-evaluating the situation

I really need to get back to just two projects on the needles at one time. I've been trying to have 3-4 projects going at once, but it just ends with me getting stressed about my knitting. Not my goal. I always get so excited about each new project, but as I work my way around all the ones I have going, I slowly loose my enthusiasm for them. At that point, my knitting just becomes a chore. Something that I have to do that isn't even remotely fun. If I only have one project to work on at home and another to carry with me, I can see more progress and it's much more satisfying.

Another thought occurred to me this week: I suck at gift knitting.

I just recently was able to remember to buy a gift bag for Karen's Scarf. This particular gift was promised back in December & has actually been completed and sitting in my living room since February 9th. That's 10 days of me forgetting to put it in a gift bag and drop it by the store she works at. Soon, I swear it will be gifted soon.

Also, my dad's washcloth is back in time-out because 1.) I have many other projects that I would rather be working on, and 2.) I officially hate it. This time, I really don't have a good reason for hating it. I think that it has just crossed me one too many times in the past. I've finally gotten all the kinks worked-out in the chart (I think) and can work on it fairly smoothly. I really shouldn't have any problems with finishing it, right? No. Now, I only want to glare at it and make it burst into flames so I don't feel compelled to continue on.

Only good karma is being knit into this gift. -_-

Good Times

I am so super excited!!! At knitting tonight, Teresa (sp?) surprised me with an early birthday gift of roving and a drop spindle from herself and Rita. I've been wanting to try spinning ever since Rita had a demo for us at Athena's a few months back, but I just wasn't sure where to start. There are so many different kinds of spindles and types of roving out there, it was pretty overwhelming. I can't wait till tomorrow to play with everything. (I'm too tired to try anything new tonight.)

Also, I finished sewing the seams on my first February Sock tonight at B&N. Knitting socks flat is really a leap of faith. When you're knitting them in the round (whether toe-up or top-down) you can at least try them on as you go. By just knitting them flat, you really have no clue as to whether they will actually fit you or not until that last seam is in. I tried mine on as soon as I got home and all I can say is this:

Love.

This sock actually turned-out quite a bit better than my January Socks did. I managed to make my heel flap correctly. (I realized as I was starting the heel flap on this sock that I did the ones on my January Socks wrong. You do not, in fact, slip every-other stitch on each row, only on the right-side rows.) The pieces of the foot lined-up nicely as I was seaming them. I adore the way the stripes worked-out and, basically, these socks are going to be on my most-worn list.

(Sorry for the lack of pics. I'll post some soon.) ^_^