SSS SOS

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't finished anything in months. I get to the 50% mark if it's socks, and then the project disappears off the radar.

I'll admit that I have a bad case of SSS. I'll tell ya what the problem is: I have too many beautiful sock yarns that I'm desperate to use. My knitting fantasies are practically endless.

Ooooh, I wonder how this Socks that Rock will knit up in the ribbed pattern? What's the buzz with Numma Numma? That J. Knits would make great Embossed Leaves! This colorway of All Things Heather is just begging to be on the needles! This Dream In Color Smooshy will look awesome as Pomatamus! Oh my god, could this Duet colorway be any more fabulous?

It's not all bad being constantly inspired by sock yarns. However, like many who have come before me, the enchantment seems to end with the finishing of the first sock. By then, I already know how the sKnitches looks in the Jaywalker pattern. I know that the Socks that Rock will stripe at this gauge, rather than varigate. I've already tried a short row heel or a star toe. The process knitter in me is satisfied.

However, the product knitter in me would like to eventually end up with some pairs of socks (thus far in my very short sock-knitting life: only my lorna's laces monkeys have mates). These three are still waiting:

Above: Plain Jain Stockinette socks in Online. The mate for this one is on the needles, and I've just turned the heel, so there is hope for a pair soon-ish.

Above: Ringwood Pattern Socks in Regia. I knit these on US size 0s, and they are awesome... but it took seemingly forever, which does not make me particularly excited to start the second one

Above: Jaywalker in sKnitches Bebop Sock. Love 'em, and have no idea why I'm not feeling particularly interested in making the second one.

I think it's clear that I ought to be working on the socks above. Instead:

Madder Ribbed Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks (with my first short row heels) in Socks that Rock Lightweight, Pebble Beach. Okay, okay, I admit: I get the buzz about STR. The base yarn is pretty amazing. I was (very) worried about pooling, but while I would have perferred a more varigated look, the striping happening here is pleasant enough.

Also, I am all-but finished with my first EZ project:

Elizabeth Zimmerman is brilliant, and that's all I have to say about this. I did the I-cord bind-off for the first time, and am pleased with the result. Now, if I can just work up the courage to seem the thing.

Just Right Jaywalkers (worth the wait?)

What's that you say? I'm supposed to both knit and blog? What do you think this is? I knitblog or something? Bah! Foolish readers!

In all seriousness, I had a long no-knit streak there for a couple months due to some high stress 80+ billable hour weeks at work which barely allowed me time to sleep, let alone time to do the finer things in life (like laundry or that pesky surgery I'm supposed to have). Unfortunately, while knitting was precisely the type of activity that I needed to be doing to keep myself sane, there was just no time. Such is the life of a first year BigLaw associate (particularly one who is staffed on a high profile criminal defense case that is at trial).

However, things have slowed (thanks to a sanity-saving grant of a stay pending appeal from the circuit court) back to a tolerable pace now, and I've been doing all that I can to get my life back on track. That includes getting back to knitting.

These are my "Just Right Jaywalkers":


They are "just right" by serious trial-and-error. Still burned from my first "way too tight" jaywalker experience, for my second attempt, I used much fatter yarn (sKnitches BeBop Sock, in the Plum Pudding colorway), size 2 needles, and the size large pattern. Predictably, this resulted in a hilariously big sock. Happily, I came to this realization quite quickly, and frogged well before it became a painful yarn-goes-into-timeout kind of experience. (See that? I can be taught!)

Attempt three was finally just right, if needlessly complex. I'm using size 2.75mm on the chevron parts, and 2.25mm on the stockinette and heel, and using the small 76 st pattern.

I love the yarn. I bought it directly from sknitches.com, but the Loopy Ewe has sKnitches listed as being in the next sneek-up, if you're lucky enough to grab some before it's gone.

TD, on the other hand, thinks that these are the ugliest things ever, describing them as looking like "little kid puke." Luckily, he doesn't have to wear them. But -- is he right? (Say it ain't so!) Has my good color sense failed me?

Tune in next time to find out how to tell if your significant other's father likes you (hint: wooly goodness), and see whether I can manage to actually finish a PAIR of socks before casting on for another single (I wouldn't hold your breath, if I were you).