January Socks (WIP)

My goal for 2009 is to buy NO* new yarn, knit up my stash to only 50, and knit at least one pair of socks a month.

So far? 100% success! I CO a pair of Pomatomus for the Sockaholics Anonymous, thought I didn't post until February so it doesn't count for the contest.

This year could be a very trying one. The husband is over a year away from graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering and Structural Engineering, and I may be laid off. I don't talk about my career, as this is a knitting blog. However they are connected, as the job allows me the funds for knitting. Hopefully my job will be safe, and the yarn buying will commence! (OK, not really, but I can pretend.)

*There are three exceptions. 1) I got into the Loopy Ewe's sock club for 2009, and this was stipulated before I made the promise. 2) Any gifts that require a purchase is allowed. 3) I earned one exception from the husband on a bet. I don't plan on using it.

Hemlock Ring Blanket blues

91 stitches. That is how many stitches I had left too bind off before I ran out of yarn. I have a couple lines on the same dye lot on Ravelry, so I just have to be patient.

I am NOT buying yarn this year, so this will have to be the exception. Actually, I won a bet with the husband that allows me for one exception up the $50. Hopefully he won't consider buying someone's partial skein to be that exception.

I finished a pair of socks! They turned out too big, but I should have expected that. The pattern in lacy and the yarn has a good deal of elastic in it. They fit my mom's size 9s! FO info
Pattern: Ribbed Lace by Charlene Schurch
Yarn: Patons Stretch Sock in Plum
Started: January 15th
Finished: January 27th
Modifications: I made one on the first sock. The pattern says to have an extra purl stitch at th beginning on the foot, but I accidentally made it at the end.

Notes: I had to get used to not pulling the yarn completely. The colors really hide the pattern, but I knew it would happen on anything but a plain vanilla sock, and I really wanted a pattern. These socks actually stay up, and you can see the pattern when I wear them over trouser socks. Because of my calves (I consider them heifers), these socks won't stay up by themselves. They slip to just below the swell of my muscle. I have large calves, 14 inches, compared to my ankles, 8 3/4 inches, so I will have to add increases (decreases) to make over the calf socks.

My vacation knitting

So, it's been about three years since my last vacation and we went to Disneyland and spent some time in a cabin in South Lake Tahoe. Unfortunately, over one day was spent driving. I knew I would be spending a lot of time myself in the cabin so I brought some yarn. And by "some" I mean enough for 7 projects. I had an easy project for Disneyland.

I'm currently debating adding the other two skeins. The scarf is fairly long, but not quite as long as I'd like. However, there are only so many Turn-a-square hats I can stand, and I currently have enough scraps for at least 3. The yarn is atrocious. It is a thin layer of color repeating nylon strands wrapped about a black core. The nylon is only on in one layer, and it bunches easily, so the core shows though. There is a lot of comments on Ravelry, but I don't have access to the net when I'm in store debating a purchase. Well, it is half the cost it would be for a scarf in Silk Garden. (Which is what I really want.) So I actually have enough for two scarves. I will be gifting one. I was going to gift both, but I don't think I can after knitting it in Disneyland.

Right before I left I had finished a tam, but took it off the pate before it was dry and it unblocked.
The main thing I wanted to work on was a Hemlock ring blanket that I bought yarn for about 6 months ago. Of course, I went to cast on and found that I had only brought half the pattern. With a bit of cajoling I got the husband to take me to a close enough wifi connection and I worked it off the computer.