I DO finish things!

...except for the camera search. I swear, I came across the camera bag when I was frantically searching for something else, but of course, can't recall that now.

But I started AND FINISHED a hat on Saturday! It's for Rabbitch's hat drive for homeless folks in Vancouver, BC. It's, um, huge. I made it from yarn given to me by a friend-of-a-friend, who knit some hats for Xmas presents and didn't want to knit any more. I had thought it was Lamb's Pride Bulky, but it turns out it's LP Polarweight. Calls for size THIRTEEN needles.

I had 15 and 10.5. I chose the 15s and a dark grey and cast on 60 (me, swatch???). Loosely following the directions in the Knitter's Handy Book (I love this book!), I knit ribbing, then stockinette, then switched to a lovely blue for 3 rounds, then finished the hat.

It is HUGE. I'm not sure whether to send it in as is (some homeless person with a huge head will be so happy!) or full or felt it a bit to reduce it to human proportions.

Oh, well. I knit some more on gf socks and cast on for another hat in a lighter grey on the 10.5 needles. I'm already up to the st st on it and will put in a stripe of green in this one, then send them off to Rabbitch.

K says she knows an SF Tenderloin minister who would be happy to receive handknits for the folks she ministers to. I may be able to get a list of what she wants and hold my own hat drive for local folks! With prizes! God knows I have more sock yarn than, well, God.

P.S. I also sewed the sleeves onto G's childHood correctly and completely seamed one side. It really does look great. About 1 more inch on the hood, seam it and the other side, add buttons, and we're done!

Socktoberfest Q&A

For no known reason except that there are very few expectations, I joined Socktoberfest today:

• When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

Hm, maybe a yearor two ago. I taught myself from an article in Interweave Knits about "Priscilla's Dream Socks" by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts. Unfortunately, she uses a k3tog in her sock heels and I just hated the thought of that little lump in the side of the heel and abandoned it. Then I got the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns and made a yellow sock for my son. It was too long but he loved it (and is still waiting for the second, damn that Second Sock Syndrome!).

• What was your first pair? How have they "held up" over time?

My first complete pair was River Rapids in Claudia's handpainted. They are too big but I still love them. They are pilling a little. The yarn is so, so soft. I like to wear them with my clogs.

• What would you have done differently?

Really checked my gauge and gone down a needle size.

• What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

I'm knitting 2 different pairs of socks now with KnitPicks' Memories sock yarn. It really is nice--soft and the variegation is gentle enough not to pool. The colourways are Redwood Forest and Cape Cod and I liked them when I bought them, and like them more and more as I knit with them. Great yarn. (I hope they don't get felted ever!)

• Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

2 socks on 2 circs. Rules! SSS haunts me. DPNs are too pokey and hard to transport. Magic Loop, although I haven't tried it, just seems like it would strain the yarn at the loop.

• Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)

I've only done flap and short-row and I really prefer the flap. I think they both look neat, though.

• How many pairs have you made?

2--the River Rapids and Mom's socks that would not die. I hope to finish the Cape Cod socks soon and pick up and finish the Child's First Socks soon thereafter.

Moving right along

I have about 3" done on the gf's socks and they really are gorgeous (photo as soon as I find my blasted camera, I promise!). Even though I decided on k2p2 ribbing, it really is going quite quickly.

It went really quickly last Saturday during my son's incredibly exciting soccer game. Well, that and the half cup of regular coffee really had my needles flying!

Danger, Will Robinson

My thoughts have turned to the afghan again, and I'm on the DiscountYarnSale site. I have a bag of the green (of which I need at least 10 skeins) and one of the ruby red (of which I only need 2, but the color is hard to find, and it's all on massive sale)... and they have bags of Cleckheaton's Country 8ply, which is a supersoft washable 100% wool yarn. Maybe a nice purple for me?

Somebody stop me!

Another 2-socks-on-2-circs hint

The ones I'm doing for my gf are currently on size 2s, which I only have in regular Susan Bates (not QuickSilver). I thought hard enough to buy this pair in differing colors--and that is making a huge difference. As long as I'm paying attention, I can remember to knit only with pink together or only green. If I find myself knitting pink with green, I'll know I've made a mistake.

Does that make sense? Each circular has needles on each end of the same color, and they differ.

It rocks. Seriously. :)

Coming along

I ripped out the stitching of the sleeves on childHood on Tuesday night, while my sweet gf was holding my arthritic, painful ankle and trying to do something to ease the pain (my strong anti-inflammatory and sucking down an entire beer finally helped, well, conk me out at least). So that's ready to move forward. I think the part I messed up in stitching is called the armscye--the straight-across part at the armpit. I had stitched the sleeves up to, but not onto, the armscye. Fortunately, ripping out was pretty easy. I did un-cast-off a stitch on one sleeve, but was able to restore it even in my drunken stupor.

And last night, I got 1" done on gf's socks! I'm doing the K2P2 ribbing and it really looks great in this yarn. My son and I watched Sinbad (the new animated one) while eating comfort food--ice cream and then grilled-cheese sandwich for him, potluck noodle salad and then quesadilla with salsa for me. Then I sent him off to get ready for bed and watched half of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. K called partway through and realized I was knitting madly while holding the phone squished to my shoulder. I love productive knitting!

When in doubt, start a new project

K had expressed interest in the KnitPicks Redwood Forest socks I'm making in the Child's First Sock pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. They are lovely but a little dainty for her, I think. And too slow!

She gave me a lovely pearl and amethyst necklace for our 2-month anniversary (last Friday). I told her I would knit her socks (despite Yarn Harlot's admonishment, as it was similar to the Boyfriend Sweater and, in her opinion, just not worth it). I brought up 4 possibilities from my sock yarn stash (mmm, I just love typing that!) and she gave me the choice. I chose the other set of skeins from KnitPicks, the Cape Code colorway.

I cast on last weekend, using the basic directions from Ann Budd's Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns (a requested Christmas gift, yeah!). My only complaint is that they are top-down. I really like toe-up, but am unable to translate the pattern into toe-up (OK, that is another complaint). I think they will go quickly. I did choose to do K2P2 ribbing and will continue it onto the instep. Otherwise, very basic sock. With lovely Cape Coddish colors (as if I would know--but beautiful dark and lighter and greener sea blues and beige sand colors).

The pessimist in me says, well, we damn well have to stay together till I finish these freaking socks.