2nd Finished Pair for Summer of Socks 2007

... and just in time too. SOS2007 ends this Friday at midnight, I just made it. I started these on August 15 and finished tonight. This was my first time knitting two socks at a time on two circulars. I liked the method as there's no chance of suffering from the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome.

These socks are the Wild Kat pattern by Deby Lake knit in Tofutsies color 723 "Put Your Foot Down". I cast on with 3.0mm Addi's and finished with 2.5mm Knit Picks 24" circulars. I enjoyed the pattern and the yarn has grown on me.

Next up is Fetching and a scarf for my niece while we travel to Canada this weekend, and then the Second Wave Clapotis KAL starts on Sunday.

Two weekends from now the annual "We Interrupt This Marriage for Hockey" season begins.

Wild Kat progress

I'm home sick today - I don't do well with colds as I seldom get sick, but this one has ripped through the office like wildfire. One coworker last week, and two others this week - I thought I had enough anti bodies built up against my coworkers during the last two and half years but I was wrong. It's sure to be a beautiful weekend and here I am - a mess of a head cold. Heavy sigh! Luckily it's this weekend where I had no particular plans, rather than the next two weekends where we have cookouts and road trips.

So the bright side is maybe I can catch up with my friends blogs out here and show you what I've accomplished on my socks. I prefer to concentrate on the bright side so here we go.

I've turned the heel on the socks and am working on the gusset now - but - and it's a huge but MFB and friends who've seen me - no wise cracks please - I think I have to rip back to the gusset pick ups. Last night was my second get together with two local knitters I met on Ravelry and some of their friends. We've had a good time the last couple of weeks but last night my cold was developing and trying to remember the specific directions from the internet was confusing with the socializing. I spotted an error on one of the socks several pattern repeats back where instead of a SSK, I did a K2Tog and PSSO but I don't think it's going to cause a huge problem. This two socks at a time is cool - but the gusset decreases have to be done differently than what I'm used to and that is throwing me a bit.

I started this pattern with Addi Turbos and ordered some Knit Picks circulars for the portion of the pattern where you switch to smaller needles. I've read so much about both I thought I would give them a try. I'll be buying more Knit Picks. They are just as nice as the Addi and even with the shipping, are less expensive then the Addi. The tips are pointier as well and that is a plus with the Tofutsies yarn.

Last Saturday morning MFB and I decided to go to Harrisburg for the day for some odds and ends. That morning what should show up in the mail but my cell phone rebate - thank you very much. So of course I added a stop at Colonial Yarn Shop in Shiremanstown where I came home with some Cascade Superwash for my niece who visited the other week and asked for a Farrow Rib Scarf from The Little Box of Scarves and Fetching. The other is this lovely Lily Chin Gotham color 3399. It's 48% pima cotton and 52% merino wool. I plan to use it for the Gusset-Heel Gansey Sock. I think this yarn will really show off the stitches.

Socks on Circulars

I've spent a good deal of my time this week working on my projects in Ravelry. Talk about an organized database - it's great. I've found some neat patterns for some of my stash so I'm pretty excited. One of the many groups I've joined is Mid Penn Ravelers, where I've connected with a couple of local ladies and we plan on getting together this week at our local Starbucks. Should be fun.

I decided last week to try socks on circular needles when I found this tutorial and after a couple of false starts I'm now 3 1/2 pattern repeats into my Wild Kat Socks with Tofutsies. I like this technique as the lace pattern seems easier, when I'm not watching a movie, to remember. No second sock syndrome either. The Tofutsies isn't nearly as stretchy as the Tess Designs and it's a little splitty, but so far I like it.

A couple weeks ago MFB and I went to Pittsburgh for a getaway weekend. Our first stop in the city was scheduled to be Knit One. Well, when we went through all those cars a couple months ago we left the road atlas in one of them. So when MFB picked me up from work that Friday, he had a surprise for me. Meet our friend MIO, or as I sometime refer to him, @$$h()!e. I have wanted a GPS for several months now. I have, and have enlisted several of our friends to, harass MFB to the point that I have been almost hysterical with laughter over the need for one. Now what am I going to tease him about?! The instruction manual isn't real informative, but I was the passenger so I learned. The tunnels into Pittsburgh were closed for the weekend but I couldn't figure out how to get the thing to "avoid" steps in the route so it was pretty funny and the nickname was born.

We made it to Knit One and what a store. Very friendly, helpful, knowledgeable staff. The shop was spacious and airy and had a wonderful seating area with magazines, so after about 15mins of waiting for me in the car MFB came in and was quite comfortable. I went looking for yarn for the Second Wave Clapotis KAL. I came away with this from Autumn House Farm. This is Summer Silk, 50% Silk 50% Rayon, in the Rose colorway and I have 800 yards. Come join us there we start in September.

Can you believe August is almost over? I'm so not ready for Fall or Winter.