I'm a Winner, at Least in My Own Mind

Pair of Campanulas
Originally uploaded by sunasak

Yay, there are now two, count 'em two, Campanula for the Cure socks and thay are on my feet. The picture isn't great, but I was in a hurry to take it, because I thought maybe I'd be the first person in the KAL to finish their pair.

And I think I am! Huh, my first Knitalong and I finished first. I think the usual speedy knitters weren't doing it, and that's the only reason, because I really was NOT hurrying on these. I skipped a day more than once, and spent a lot of time with all that frogging (on sock #2 I re-did the entire heel because I got lopsided somehow). I am not sure if I get a prize or anything for "winning" but like the title says, I am a winner in my own mind.

Of course, on the last repeat or so the pattern began to make sense and I messed up less--the chart was very helpful. I was asked if I was planning on making another pair of these...um, not right now, anyway. I do think they'd be lovely in a darker color, and I do have some J. Knits in light purples (New Jersey colorway) that would look nice with it...but so many socks, so little time, as they say.

So far everyone who has seen these socks has commented on their beauty. They were well worth knitting. I encourage you to check out the website and give these a try! Many thanks to Ramona to the pattern and Maggie for the chart!

Details:

• Pattern: Campanula Lace Socks (available at link above)
• Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in Pale Fire (from Loopy Ewe)
• Needles: Size 0 Knitpicks circular
• Modifications: Toe started with Turkish cast-on, gusset increases and decreased done one stitch inward to createa little drama, stopped leg after 4 repeats because I liked that length. 8 rows of twisted rib at the top (the purled cast-off worked nicely).

I am going to move on to working on the thick Boomerang Bee socks while in the car or at work, and getting back to the surplice top (remember it? Started in June?) at home.

Pentagon Is Felted; One Campanula Down

Pentagon Is Felted
Originally uploaded by sunasak

The Pentagonal Project has been felted. That's the best the front-loading washer would do, but I think it's felty enough. I had to be creative with what to use to shape it, so there are a number of food boxes and a wine bottle in there. Later, when the sides were dry I flattened the bottom with some Tupperware container with holes and a jar. Didn't have any cardboard I could cut to size hanging around.

I hope to get working on the next phase, which involves the crocheted line on the inside. THAT part was interesting--it's bamboo, and it didn't felt, but it lost whatever it is that softens bamboo yarn, and now feels more like linen, or raw bamboo. Interesting!

I did finish one Campanula for the Cure sock yesterday. It about killed me, though. Very frustrating knitting day for Suna. I went to the LYS and was rolling right along, when two women needing help showed up. One just needed to be reminded how to knit (thought she'd forgotten, hadn't!), but the other was a sweet lady who was little anxious and wanted to be taught how to knit in the round on DPNs (not my fave task, either) so she could make mittens for daughters up north. But, I got her to buy some expensive yarn so I figured she deserved some quality help time. It is SO awkward doing that at first, and she was nervous, so of course she made some errors which I was glad to help her with. And she left a happy camper (yay). It required me to stop and start a bit on my own stuff, naturally.

So all the attention focus changes got me all distracted and when I went home I forgot what row I was on. And for some reason could NOT read the knitting in the previous row to get back on track. I erased a bit and got to a part where I was sure where I was and knitted an entire pattern repeat. I put it on my foot. And I saw that I had repeated a section. There were two of the same "flower" in a row. I said to myself that there was NO way I was going to knit all that a third time. So, I erased it all and thank fully managed to get it back on the needles (lace, argh). And I knitted the twisted rib border from THERE.

I tried them on, rather upset with myself. Then lo and behold, I realized, heck these socks are plenty long enough as is. If I'd done another repeat they'd almost be knee socks! So, it worked out well in the end. I just really need to be able to concentrate to do these socks. Non-charted lace just requires too much concentration (it's just fine when I can concentrate, though).

To remind myself I am not a total knitting bozo, I started another sock, in Fiesta Boomerang, which is pretty thick and not really traditional sock yarn. The color is Star Gazer, which is some happy pastels. I figure I will make house socks. I am making a pattern (will look up the name) that looks like bees, with honeycomb on either side--another pattern that says "make a toe" then "make a heel." But, it's fun as all get-out, with lots of dropped YOs that make wings. And I just love that yarn. It is wound very interestingly and feels wonderful. I can work on those in public.

Pentagonal Progress Report

Pentagonal Progress
Originally uploaded by sunasak

Here's progress report #2 on the Pentagonal Project. It's going a bit slowly because I am also working on the Campanula sock. It's nice to go back and forth.

You can see it's easy and fun knitting. I made a mitered square off each end of the pentagonal base, and now I am making a row of half-sized squares on top of that. Not all the big squares are so similar--just those two in the photo. I have not yet decided what to do after this row of squares. There will be one more Kureyon element, however, and then it will get felted. You will have to wait and see what happens next!

Campanula Progress

Like I said, I am also moving along on the Campanula for the Cure sock, and will post more about it on their blog (listed in the blogroll at left). I am enjoying watching the flowers grow, and am almost to the point where the gusset starts. I'd be way past there if I hadn't been so tired from some hard web design work, paying bills, and doing tarot readings last night. I just couldn't knit and went to bed early.

Also I knew I'd be woken up before 5 am for some annoying-yet-humorous high school band tradition involving seniors waking up juniors, dressing them in funny clothing and making them eat breakfast. The photo of my son showed he was NOT amused. I am certain he's laughing by now, though.

I Joined a KAL, Oh My

I have never done a Knitalong before. Shocking, but true. I guess I just never wanted to be making the same thing everyone else is (hey, you tell me, you've been making a lot of popular socks lately!). But still, never done a "KAL." But, when I read about the Campanula for the Cure one, I decided to join. There are a number of reasons:

1. I was looking for a nice sock pattern to be the next in line.
2. I had just bought this pink yarn, Pale Fire, in Smooshy by Dream in Color (I bought it BEFORE everyone and her Aunt bought it, honest).
3. It's raising money for a nice charity in Canada.
4. My mentor, Roberta Bishop Johnson, died of breast cancer, and I still miss her. (The link is to a tribute to her that I wrote back when I worked for a nonprofit organization she helped shape.)
5. I have one UU church friend undergoing chemo right now, and at least two other church friends who are doing well after dealing with breast cancer.
6. My own mother died of cancer (lung, a lifelong smoker) in 1984, and never got to see my children or see me happy with my wonderful man Lee.
7. Ramona, who started the KAL seems like a really sweet and caring woman.

So, for all these reasons this is the KAL for me.

Like I said, I already have pink yarn (I don't need to post a picture, since someone posted a nice photo of it all in a yarn cake to the KAL blog already). I just need to finish the Neptune socks and off I go! Neptune will get done tomorrow, probably, since I have another long trip to south Texas to see Lee's dad (recovering from haveing a large skin cancer on his head removed, coincidentally). I will post photos.

You are encouraged to join the KAL (linked above). They are giving out lovely prizes to participants. And, most important, the socks are really pretty!

PS: Mystery Pentagon Project is rolling along. I will need to get more Noro tomorrow at the LYS.