The One Where I Decide on a Project and Stick to It
(also my troubles with socks)

Ever since before Christmas I seem to have project ADD. I jump from project to project and none of them seem to hold my attention for more than a few minutes. Well today I have committed to an project and I'm going to stick with it. Yes I am!

Here it is the project I'm going to stick with...

The Princess Shawl...

In November when the pattern was re-released, I swatched with several yarns and thought about it, second guessed myself and thought about it some more, but today I have decided to just knit it. I'm using 3/50 silk from Colourmart and US 00 needles. (I love these HiyaHiya's.) There I've committed to it, so I have to knit it now.


Of course this may not be the only project I work on. I have to have a walking around project, and I'm gonna knit a pair of regular socks if it kills me. Before Christmas I started a pair of Jaywalkers in the beautiful Koigu KPPPM that I bought at Stitiches East in 2006. The yarn is absolutely amazing, the colors just make me happy as I knit with it. Here I am on Christmas Day wearing one Jaywalker and one Log Cabin Sock. I thought I had this sock knitting thing down pat.

Well, I started the second sock and proceeded to break my Knitpicks Harmony US 0 needle (Which I loved, by the way, just don't sit on them.) So I switched to the same size needle, but metal. Well I went to put on the second sock to see if it was time to close in the toe and it was a little difficult to get on. Maybe a bit more than a little difficult. Anyway I put it on, and then I could not get it off. No matter how hard I tried I could not get that thing off my foot. When I realized it was cutting off my circulation, I did what had to be done and frogged it. Yes I was 98% of the way through a pair of socks and I had to frog one. Several days later I frogged the first one also. Let's just say me and the Jaywalker pattern have parted ways.

Since then I bet I have started a dozen different socks and not a one has worked out. They are either too large or too small or the fabric was too loose, or I just didn't enjoy the pattern. Well I am going to figure it out. I have a stash full of very good sock yarn and by God I am going to knit socks with it.

I was able to knit two pairs of Log Cabin Socks. Of course they are slipper socks, so they don't have to fit perfectly and they are knit with worsted weight yarn, but I did knit two pair. One for me (see the picture of mismatched socks above) and one for my husband (see the picture below of me wearing his socks).

Also, while knitting these I learned how to knit cables without a cable needle. (Thanks, Grumperina!) Now I adore cables. So last night I took the beautiful Koigu mentioned above and cast on for Nancy Bush's Rib and Cable Socks. Was going along fine. Was about four inches into the first sock this morning and decided to try it on. Guess what it would not go over my ankle. But I have a plan. I am going to add six stitches, one to each repeat and try it again. Wish me luck.

And just to prove that I can finish something, here are a few items I have yet to write about.
Here is Wing-o-the-Moth from Knitspot. It's knit is K1C2 Douceur Swirls (sorry it's discontinued).

I also finally finished the Christening Chrysalis by Pricilla Gibson-Roberts. It's knit with a double strand of Jaggerspun Zephyr in Sage. It started out to be a christening blanket when my best friend was adopting. Well she ended up adopting two five year old little girls, and while they were christened they didn't really need a blanket. So the Mother got it to use as a shawl. I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Also look what I acquired. Over two pounds of Polwarth Roving in Autumn Garden. Isn't it beautiful. I can't wait to start on this in earnest.
I'll keep you posted.