Sock Progress, and Stashbuster Progress

This month my sock knitting is not progressing as smoothly as I would like.


First I had to frog the Madder Ribbed Sock (from Knitting Vintage Socks) because it was just too tight on my size 7 1/2 wide foot. So I started over with 66 stitches instead of 60 and am happy with the leg fit and sure the foot fit will be better. By the way I'm using Tess' Designer Super Sock yarn and a 2.5mm circular needle. This is the sock knitting I take to knitting groups and in the car because, once established, the pattern is easy to follow. Also on my needles is the first Canal du Midi sock of a pair (from Knitting On The Road). The heel of the sock has been a struggle and I'm on the third try. The first two times I tried two versions of the Square Heel, per the pattern, Neither one fit my foot. Now I'm back to using the Round Heel which I know works for me. The lesson learned - keep good, permanent notes on socks knitted. I knit this pattern back in August 2006, and now recall trying the Square Heel , froggin it, and using the Round Heel. From now on I will not be hesitant to write in my books, and will keep a notebook as well of modifications of patterns used. No need to make the same mistake twice and waste valuable knitting time!

Snowflake Medallion and Klaralund

Happy New Year to all my knitting friends!

All of November's work on the Snowflake Medallion Sweater is for naught. This is the first sweater I've knit for myself in a long time and there are just too many problems with the sizing - body too short, sleeves too narrow. I am determined to use this yarn for this sweater, but the next time around I am going to measure much more carefully, using a current favorite sweater as a measuring tool. A friend's niddy noddy is in position so I can reskein, soak, and rewind the yarn, and start over. The Reynolds Lopi Lite yarn is delightful to work with, and is special to me because I bought it at the Far North Yarn Company in Anchorage, so it doesn't deserve to be stashed away.

In the meantime I've knit a much simpler pattern that I could take to knitting afternoons at Caribou Coffee and work on while watching UNC basketball games. I've admired my friend Beth's Klaralund sweater and she was kind enough to loan me the book from which the pattern came - very straight forward knitting, no fit issues. So the sweater is off the needles and blocked. Hopefully this week in some quiet moments I'll begin the sewing together of the pieces. By the way, the yarn is Visions by Moda Dea in the Forest colorway. There are some interesting striping effects, especially on one sleeve.

The blocking board is ingeneous, and an idea from my friend Virginia in the Vienna Knitters. Simply take a sewing cutting board, the cardboard fold-up type, and cover it with a clear vinyl inexpensive shower curtain. You get the grid of the board, and protect it from the moisture in the knitted pieces with the vinyl. I already has the cutting board and spent all of $3 on the shower curtain. And it all stores away neatly and compactly.