The Lost Weekend

Well, it feels like a lost knitting weekend to me. I planned to work on two simple socks, and my pentagon bag. I thought I'd get a lot done on a three-day weekend of easy knitting.

HA! I was so wrong! But, that brings me to why I started this blog. I didn't want to be one of those "look what a great knitter" I am people who churn out stellar designs right and left at a prodigious rate. I wanted to chronicle the ups and downs of a good knitter, but not necessarily a great knitter. I thought I'd enjoy reading later how I progressed on some things, and perhaps learn from my mistakes or challenges. And thought others might learn, too. So, this post will tell about some mistakes and what I did about them.

The Disco Cololori Sock

So, I have mentioned working on socks for my sister in Fortissima Disco Colori. Here is a link to the yarn and colorway if you want to look. I am making them at 68 stitches, because she has a wider foot than I do. I thought I ought to put in a gusset, since she also gets swollen ankles/feet, so they would go on easier. I made a ten stitch gusset, knitted a very deep short-row heel as a result, then decreased. And when I put it on...ooops, it was for perhaps a size 10, not a 7.5-8 US women's shoe. And it was big. So, I ripped out the whole heel. Sigh. Then I knitted a heel from the point where I started the gusset before. Oops. Now it was too short. Then I read, duh, that the foot should be around 6.5 inches before starting the heel, not 6. So I ripped again. Then I said, "Hmm, maybe I should try this other way of doing short rows..." which resulted in holes. So I ripped a third time. the fourth heel HAS to be fine, because the poor yarn is TIRED and getting a bit frazzled looking.

But, as you can imagine, this all took a lot of time. I feel like I actually only accomplished one heel in three days.

The Man Sock #2

At the same time, I also started the second pair of Man Socks, the one that really WILL go to Lee's dad. I am again using worsted weight yarn and the Thuja pattern from Knitty. I decided the gauge was a bit loose for my taste, so went down a size in needles to US 3. I thought maybe that would make them too tight, so I added a repeat, to 48 stitches around instead of 44. I knitted the ribbing and about two inches of sock. Then, hmm, they looked big. Lee tried them on. Argh. Big (and his dad is a skinny farmer fellow). So, I ripped them out and started again. Now they are fine. But again, it doesn't LOOK like I made much progress for a 3-day weekend!

All the wrapping of unraveled yarn caused me to actually look at the ball band, which I had not done when I found the yarn hiding in the 50% off rack at the back of the LYS. I had mostly noticed it was a manly medium brown and it was pretty soft. And it said it was "Aran" weight. I did NOT see the word "acrylic" on the label. I figured we didn't sell that stuff, ha ha. However, I only spend $2.80 on it when my discount kicked in. And it IS soft and a nice color. Here's a link to its information--Supersoft Toddler Aran by Sirdar. Says it is "100% Courtelle" on the website, whatever THAT is.

I decided it's fine--acrylic keeps you very warm, and Lee's dad's feet get very cold. So, another lesson learned: please read the yarn label even on sale yarn.

The third yarn I chose for his socks is a medium blue and made from wool. I'll post what exactly it is, later. There isn't as much of it as there is the Cascade or Toddler Aran, so I will do those toe-up in a simple 2x2 rib and stop when I get to the end of the yarn!

Pentagon

No photos yet, but I am progressing on it. There's just a lot of knitting around and around in the top of this bag (in lovely turquoise bamboo!) so I can only do so much at a time. I think just another inch or two and I will make the drawstring casing. Then I can show it to you.