Foot Fetish

I admit it. I have officially become sock obsessed. I have sock yarn, I have sock books, I have sock needles. What I don't have is a ball winder or swift, but those things I will have soon as well. And then in some fantasy world, I will start churning out socks like the pros. For now, I am back to Jaywalkers. I will persevere. I can't go forward until I see this through. I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED.

My weapons: Regia Mini Ringel Self Striping in colorway 5220 and one pair of KP Nickel Plated 2.5 mm circs.


When it comes to Jaywalkers, I believe knitting them both at the same time is crucial. Not just to avoid Second Sock Syndrome (of which I have already learned that I am highly susceptible,) but to ensure even tension. The disastrous pair I made for H-J J were completely off, if you remember. The first being about 1/2" wider than the second!

I think self srtiping yarn works very well with this pattern, and without H-J J's color(less) restrictions, I am having lots of fun. I will admit to non-originality in my yarn choice. I saw somebody's FO in this very yarn in Grumerpina's gallery and had to have it. Good thing, too. Not only is the yarn inexpensive, it comes ready in center pull balls.

Additionally, I am using a 2.5 instead of the recommended 2.25 to make sure they won't be too tight, and yes, I have gone with the larger size (84 co instead of 76.) Although I am a plus size gal, I'm usually pretty normal when it comes to socks. Even with a size 9.5 - 10 foot. But with these babies, I take no chances!

Two socks on one circ

sock one

sock two

In other foot related news, here are H-J J's Very Exciting Grey Clogs, all felted and ready to go (although perhaps a tad too big.) I have yet to see H-J J and deliver her Gwen socks and clogs, but she is here for about another week so I am hoping it works out. Life gets complicated, and she has much to take care of while here so we're going by her schedule, not mine. Still, I do hope to see her because I miss her very much, and hey I've got to deliver the goods!

2007, the Rest of the Year

The back half of 2007 was quite productive.

July
No pictures didn't mean no progress. With 7 posts in July I was surely busy with something. Besides computer hell! Readjusting to life int the US, exposure to real knitting books (through the courtesy of the Marin County Public Libraries, the final installment of Harry Potter, work on Arietta and attending my first real-world knitting group with the ladies of Uknitty at the Mill Valley Starbucks most Sundays kept me busy, indeed. Not to mention my Ravelry invite!

August

Ravelry changed my world and I was a true devotee. In addition to uploading everything I had to the site, I met up with some Ravelers in San Francisco and went on my first Yarn Crawl. Knit wise, I added the Tooth Fairy pillow for my niece and nephews to my ever growing list of FOs. I work on Arietta, of course, and started another Argosy: no. 6! I also found time to leave the beauty that is Marin County and move to NJ. The reasons were many and may not make sense if you aren't acquainted with my lifestyle, but they made sense at the time, and still do.

September

As I tried to settle in to my new, albeit temporary home, I looked forward the the new year, and all that it entails. Rosh Hashana was spent with family in Edison and I made my first dishcloths as a house warming present. I continued with gifts for the kids and my finished Miss Kitty Kat for my nieces 5th birthday. I also began my love/hate relationship with socks. I also put away Arietta for the duration of winter.

October
Yom Kippur and Succos took up much of the month, as did the birth of two little cousins. Tiny knits were called for in celebration: Saartje's Bootees and High Energy Baby Socks. Rounding out the footwear them were my Felted Clogs and my acceptance of the Jaywalker fiasco. (Either I am very devoted or a glutton for punishment, but I've got those babies back on the needles!)

November
Hat season officially began, and lesson were learned about big heads, lots of curls and relative hat sizes. Another toy was created but has yet to fly off to CA.

Odessa, Chevron Hat, and the Golden Snitch.

December

The final month of 2007 was prolific indeed, knitting many accessories, most of which were presents and were modeled by the lovely New Roommate. Lots of hats, a successful pair of adult socks and the journey back to scarves, starting with Tudora. I also made Koolhaas, an Unoriginal Hat and her pale, twin sister hat Foo Foo on You, as well as Odessa sequel: Odessa II, for the bigger head. I also discovered Lynne Barr's Knitting New Scarves which accompanies me into 2008 and many projects to come...

Of course, 2008's first FOs were started in 2007: Peacock Picot socks, H-J J's Very Exciting Gray Clogs, and Flower Power Mittens as well as some of the current WIPs that I've been holding back on like New Wave, Jeanie as well as Argosy VI (alive and kicking) and a couple of newbies...

The Proverbial Light Bulb

So here I sat last night; amongst the remnants of Kleenex that missed the bin, Sock 2 in hand, and a nagging doubt of accurate foot size every time I stole a glance at Sock 1. I broke down and asked New Roommate to try it on. No one else was volunteering. I figured even though her feet are about 2 shoe sizes bigger, that's only about 1/2" and if it's tight, well that's a good thing. So on they went and... they were too long. I'm still not getting this. The gauge is right. No, I am NOT deluding myself. I am NOT the Yarn Halot's friend Emma (I AM half way through Knitting Rules! at the moment and enjoying it tremendously.) In fact, I am sure that New Roommate's feet are a bit on the narrow side and the socks were comfortable, room to stretch for sure, but not, I repeat NOT too big. Just too long. What to do? What to do?

Obviously what every aspiring Sock Knitter needs is a Sock Knitting Guru or Sensei. I wrote to mine immediately. Laura, who I met at the EweKnitty group in Mill Valley this summer, turns out lovely socks, knows her knitting and is really nice. Since I hold Laura personally responsible for turning me to the Sock, she is the person I turned to now with this conundrum. And though she is three thousand miles from here, she was only a click away on Ravelry, the most indispensable knitting tool of all.

As I write this I am keenly aware that Laura is, hopefully, fast asleep. It's 5:30 a.m. in California. My last missive she could have not seen yet. But her knowledge, perhaps it transcends the time space continuum... Although I had asked H-J J to measure her foot when we started this whole thing, it seemed something a bit too much for her and I was given a European foot size. Damn those Canadians and their pseudo America ways. She may walk the walk with her tiny toes, but she couldn't even give me a normal shoe size. I mean, after 10 years I knew my own but do you think I figured out the conversion for every shoe size? That and Celsius is too much to ask for any American. At least I picked up another language and a half, but that is another story...

Anyway, armed with a shoe size I googled (an official word in the English language,) sock size charts and found that a US size 4-5 was 9 5/8". After that I remembered that I had a book with its own chart, my Ann Budd book Getting Started Knitting Socks, states 9.5" and yet they were too big. Then Sensei writes me that they are supposed to be 8 3/4". And so, after a bit of virtual hair pulling and general desire to throttle H-J J (in the most loving way possible, of course,) she finally took her foot measurement. 8 3/4". Just like Sensei said it should be. Almost a whole inch less than the lousy chart (7/8" to be exact.)

How much is left to do on the socks? Sock 1 needs to be ripped back about another 1/4" and Sock 2 needs about 2" more. Then both need the toes and they are done. And since H-J J's feet really are so small, it only took 1 ball of Jitterbug leaving 2 more. Just. For. Me.

What have I learned? Besides knowing I need to get my hands on Laura's chart? One thing for sure, the next pair of socks I knit are for ME! I realized that all my sock fiascoes had been based on not having the foot the sock is meant for. My niece in CA, my cousin's baby in London, my friend in Jerusalem. All unavailable feet. If I had had a live foot to try them on (ooh, like the one attached to MY leg) I would have had a better chance for early success. So now, I just really want these JayWalkers to fit. Jerusalem is a long way for the socks to go AND come back again for fixin'.

Sole Searching

I have a pet peeve. Really, it is so stupid but it annoys me to no end. Most of the knit blogging world seems to accept the word knitted as the past tense of knit. "Last night I knitted the toe and finished my socks." The primary simple past tense of knit is, however, knit. "Last night I knit the toe and finished my socks." And though knitted is acceptable (it is the secondary example and probably has been added due to overwhelming misuse,) I will always prefer knit. As this is a personal preference, I have kept my mouth shut. Until now.

Recently I saw a post where the knitter stated she had casted on and knitted x number of rows. This I could not take lying down. Knitted and casted! I immediately Googled irregular verbs past tenses and while Merriam-Webster shows knit and knitted as acceptable (and this site confirms that indeed the past tense of knit is knit) there is no such leniency for cast. The past tense of cast is cast. Always. So cast on, knit away and bind off to your hearts content. Just do me a favor. Tomorrow, when you show me your wonderful work, please don't tell me how you casted, knitted and then successfully binded off. Please.
< /rant >

Progress report...

The Felted Clogs
A pretty easy little knit, if you read the instructions and pay attention to what you are doing. I messed up a few times but found that typing up the sole section in just my size and using a highlighter for the top section helped tremendously. Even adding the second sole wasn't so bad. In fact I was so proud of myself that I blithely went upon my seaming way and wasn't paying attention that I seamed the inner sole to the inside of the shoe instead of the outside leaving a nice little ridge which would have proven downright UNcomfortable. So I opened them back up and re-seamed them.

The Felted Clogs are now ready to be felted. All I need is a pair of jeans to speed up the agitation process. And that may be more difficult than all the knitting. You think I'm kidding? I have no jeans nor do I know anyone with jeans. It's the lifestyle, what can I say. I have met a few women who wear denim skirts, including my new roommate. I just need her permission borrow said skirt and place it into a hot water wash cycle. Here's hoping!

finished clogs

see the soles

Jerusalem Jaywalkers
I thought I had finished up a sock and was ready to cast on the second. Alas, the sock was a wee bit short, even for the tiny toed High-Jinx Junky. As I posted on Friday, I spent Shabbos in Boro Park. Lucky for me, one of my hosts has small feet. Again, not as small as H-J J but almost (size 35, they might as well be for doll's!) Because of the tight fit and my disastrous First Socks, I have been a nervous wreck about these fitting. But M was able to get them on no problem and so I continued on getting in some KIP on the NY Subway and the bus back to Passaic. In fact I did so well that by Sunday evening I was doing a Kitchener stitch to close this baby up. And then, and only then, did I pull out the tape measure and find that they were 1" too short. It was only my miscalculations in foot length that proved to be my undoing. So I opened them back up and ripped back to before the toe decreases.

Jerusalem Jaywalkers 1" before toe decreases

Now I am working on that last inch. Shouldn't take long. And, I have found another volunteer to try them on for me. B is local and a friend of H-J J. Her toes may not be as dainty, but they are close. Once I confirm that all is well I'll work the toe decreases and sigh a big sigh of relief.

Then, of course, I get to cast on the second sock.

Just Ask the White Rabbit

It's Friday, 1:30 and winter. That means one thing. I am running late! I'm going to Boro Park for Shabbos so I have no time to write. Instead I will leave with you some progress pics to tide you over.

Jaywalkers: Working on the gusset.

Felted Clogs. Finally got the pattern. What a fast knit and I have no slippers...

So H-J Junky, can I offer you some clogs to go with your socks?

Mini Me

Could it be? I finished a pair of socks! Baby socks, but still. A PAIR. Knit to gauge!!! Magic Looped!!! Oh happy day!

These are going to Baby Rosie, my newest cousin in London. I hope her mummy will be pleased.

Pattern: High Energy Baby Socks by Jodi can be found here.
Yarn: Knit Picks Essential in Multi Meadow
Needles: 2.75 mmm; Knit Picks Fixed Circulars.
Gauge: 8 sts = 1"

While the socks are mainly stockinette, (time was running short and I was looking for an easy knit!) what clinched it for me was the cuff detail. A picot edge and eyelet between a two garter ridges. Very cool. I just can't do plain!

Of course it took a while until I found these. First there were Saartje's Bootees (the one in LL Georgetown found in my previous post.) But I have yet to start its mate. I started having palpitations for fear there wouldn't be enough yarn to make my Pomatomi (Pomatumuses?). I ordered another hank but the dye lots were so different I could NEVER pull it off. So the little mate will have to wait until socks for Tante J are complete.

Next I decided a pair of baby Jaywalkers would do nicely, a sweet little sock that could also work as a trial for the Hi-Jinx Junky's Jerusalem Jaywalkers. Well I finished one but really, they should called Toddler Jaywalkers, not Baby.

Here is the first one, made in LL Sherbet. The perfect colorway for a Rosie, no?


I am very happy with the result but I just felt that I wanted to send a present that wouldn't have to sit in a drawer for the next year and a half. And as I said, I was in a hurry. Perhaps they will be a Chanakuh gift next year. But it was good experience and I am more confident about the "big girl" size I have yet to finish. I just hope they won't be too tight.

Which brings us full circle to the Jaywalkers. This is such a well known pattern. I figured that must be because everyone loves it so. The perfect choice. So do you think I checked Ravelry to see what others had to say. No. Bad Tante J! Many people had frogged theirs and totally given up. So it wasn't just me! This is a tight knit! I'm glad I stopped when I did and went up to 2.75 mm needles. Look for your self:

Original pair - they should be measuring 4"!

dense, no stretch

Bye, bye original pair.

Now compare this to the new pair, knit on bigger needles:

4"!

nice and stretchy!

So here's hoping that they retain their added strethiness and cradle the Hi-Jinx Junky's toes instead of cutting of their circulation! Oh, do you see I am now officially a 'Magic Loop'er. No more late night stabbings!

Here We Go Again

Now that I have become addicted... Now that I have made an investment in some drool worthy sock yarns... Now that I have a set of KnitPicks sock dpns AND have learned to Magic Loop... I wonder if I am cut out for knitting socks. I know, KNOW that if I can get through even just one, one sock knit to gauge, one sock stretchy and true, then I will have full confidence, but until then...

Once again, after gloating about my progress, I see that the socks aren't right. This time they are too tight, too dense. No stretchiness, no smooshiness. Over compensation for hugeness of the last pair? Perhaps. But this time I think I caught it soon enough to not want to give up all together. So rather than following my instincts, and frogging this thing with a vengeance, I put it to the side. And breathed. And pulled out the 2.5mm needles, a second ball of yarn, and cast on.

So here I am, cuff and 11 rows of pattern knitting completed. And I think (hope, pray,) that this time it really will be ok!

Baby Steps

Some things come in a rush of excitement but then progress in fits and starts. Somethings start off slowly, and cautiously, but in the end take on a life of their own. When we begin a journey we don't always know which way it will go. This move of mine, like some of my knitting projects, has been taking the slow road. Which, sometimes, can be a good thing. Maybe I haven't been ready to throw myself into to anything yet. But the time has finally come. A new year has begun and like a baby taking its first steps, I am ready to explore places I previously could not reach. And so, next week I move again, (same city, different apartment.) Perhaps this stop will be a bit more permanent. I'll follow through on all my leads and, hopefully, land myself a job that will be challenging and rewarding, which is the way I like things. And hopefully this will bring me back to a regular schedule. Structure is really a necessity for me. I need rules so that I can break them when necessary. With no rules I just kind of flounder. And with the renewed structure in my life, I will get back to consistent blogging as well as consistent knitting.

It's been too long a break to go into too much detail on my various projects so here are some pictures to catch you up.

First, 2 big Mazal Tovs went out to my family during Succos. I have two new baby cousins, one girl and one boy. My cousins (sister and sister-in-law) gave birth within a few days of each other. As the little man is pretty local, I whipped up this pair of Baby Bootees by Saartje. The pattern is free, from her blog. I have also made the first half of a second pair, which should be making its way to London soon.


This pair is made from Colinette's Jitterbug in Bright Charcoal on 2.75mm needles. This is the same yarn I am using for the Jerusalem Jaywalkers, going out to my favorite Hi-Jinx junkie.

And this pair is Lorna's Laces in Georgetown. Also 2.75mm needles.

I'm thinking this may make some fine Chanukah presents.

With a desperate need of something soft and squishy in my hands, I cast on for Wavy from Knitty.

Andean Silk in Cranberry. 4.5mm needles.

Also OTN, my second attempt at a pair of socks. If these work out I will confidently revisit the Ruffled Cuff Socks. But first to get through these, the Jerusalem Jaywalkers:

And here is a close up of the pattern:


I have finished the leg portion and am now at the heel flap. They look the right size, but then I thought that last time too! I have measured several times and am knitting to gauge. The socks are very dense but that will only keep the toesies warmer!

And finally, Arietta. Though I may be taking my time with her, I am still enjoying the process and the results.

And look how good I am getting at carrying the yarn and keeping it tidy!


So here's to the New Year, to new beginnings and happy endings.