Fickle

I thought I'd best post before someone left a "Have you been abducted by aliens?" comment. It has been a while. My admiration for people who continue to post whilst working on large projects has grown incredibly. Me, I just wanted to keep on knitting.

It seems that if I put my mind to it, I can devote myself to one project. Well, except for those 10 rounds of a sock that I tried to sneak in and about which I felt guilty with every stitch, and then there was that one round that was for purely scientific research so it doesn't count.

Who knew that I could actually finish something that was larger than a sock? Certainly not me. And on time, too, I must say, with a certain degree of satisfaction. Ends woven in and blocked, all by the target date.

It does seem rather fitting, though, that despite nurturing her with positive energy and careful ministrations, then wooing her with soothing music and chocolate fumes while constantly remarking on her lovely colouration and beautiful form, the fickle FO is currently evading decent photography. She's a shy maiden, this Jeanie.



I hope to get decent modeled shots and a proper FO post once she has made her way to the intended recipient. She's kept me good company for nearly two months, and I will be sad to see her go.

I found that one good way to motivate myself to keep knitting seemingly endless rows of ribbing was a bit of bribery. The "carrot at the end of the stick" routine seems to work equally well for donkeys and knitters.


I finally reached the carrot and can now play with my new toys. And I just might pull out a sock to work on too.

Math Blues

There are those who would say that one shouldn't mix dots ....

.... with stripes.

To which I would respond, "Pshaw."

I used to be good with numbers. I think that was way back in Grade 4 or something. Once we went from the Imperial system to Metric, I only got worse. Yes, I can add, substract, multiply, divide, figure out percentages, etc., but actually internalizing what those numbers mean in real quantities often eludes me.

I love how the Whatnot sport-weight yarn from Union Center Knits in the Cloak colourway knits up in a great-for-denim stripey-ness. The colours all just meld together so well.

What I don't understand is why I cannot transfer the knowledge that I need 300 grams of DK weight yarn for a pair of socks into needing about the same amount of sport weight yarn. Yup, I ran out just at the start of the second toe. But I liked the stripes so much that I went stash-diving and found something that I thought would go with it, and re-knit the suckers with contrasting cuffs, toes and garter heels.

To further confound my math blues, it seems that 50 grams of DK weight yarn will make two cuffs, two heels, but only one toe. Sigh. Had to break out the second ball.

(Hush, you, I don't want to hear about toe-upped-ness. I'd have had the same problem, because I'd have knit the leg to the same length. And I also don't want to hear about two-at-a-time. I'm ornery that way.)

These stripes, they were worth it.

I did join SOS '08, so it was only fitting that I finish at least one pair over the summer, eh?

So what's keeping me from knitting more socks?

Um, that would be ... this.

I loves me some reversible cables, and when I first saw this pattern, I knew I'd have to make it some day. Well, that day has come. I really want to finish this by September, but my math blues have hit again. It only takes three balls of Smooshy, so I figured that's like three socks' worth of knitting, right? I can do that.

Umm, dude.

That's really six socks, probably seven because they're big balls. And it's all a form of 1x1 ribbing. On both sides, because it's reversible. And it's cables. And as much as I'm enjoying it, and I am enjoying it, it is taking for-freaking-ever.

I know there's such as thing as project monogamy, but I doubt I'm capable of it. Or am I?