good-natured ribbing

Two days into summer, and the Summer of Socks, and some knitters have finished entire pairs of socks already. Boy, not me. But I have made progress. I decided to start with the pattern designed especially for participants, using some Schaefer Anne I’ve had in my stash for a while. First, I learned how to do a Turkish Cast-on (here’s one tutorial) which is what this toe-up sock pattern calls for. I’ve never finished a toe-up sock; started many, never finished. This may be a first.

Here’s the toe, held up by my very accommodating husband:

The instructions for this cast-on specify two circular needles. As soon as I could, though, I switched over to dpns. I’m just not comfortable with the circular needle method of sock knitting. Too many dangling ends. And here’s how far I’ve gotten:

Summer and the Summer of Socks both started yesterday. Coincidence? If you take a look, you’ll see a lot of sock frenzy going on. I am a slow starter–I began summer by finishing one pink sock, modeled here by its recipient.

This pair won’t count, but that’s okay because I’m not trying to knit the most socks this summer. Instead, I am in the group that is taking socks on vacation because, for the first time in a long while, we’re actually taking a vacation this year! In anticipation, I tried to find some socks from Knitting on the Road that fit with our vacation locations, but there are none from Arkansas or Washington State. So I am choosing to knit ones that I’ve wanted to do for a while. First, the New England socks.

Second, the two Hiiumaa Mismatched Mates.

Third, I really want to try the Francie sock pattern which I purchased recently, and think I’ll do it in green.

There has also been a sock pattern created just for the summer of socks that I may start with. So many choices, it’s almost paralyzing.

That’s all. Another pair done.

For years now (literally), in the middle of every shower, I’d think, “I need to knit myself a washcloth.” Last week I finally paused all my other projects and knit one. I was going to knit it out of purple hemp, but this is what I found when I went looking for it:

cats hate hemp

Or maybe they love it. But either way, this is what they did to mine.

I had no patience for disentangling this mess, and so moved on to some eggplant-colored linen. On size 6 needles, I knitted 10 inches of tile stitch (this pattern being one in the book Knitter’s Stash).

Here’s my favorite part.

i made a grommet

I knit in an eyelet and crocheted in a grommet so I could hang it up on a hook.

I am also spending spare moments on a crocheted afghan for Zoe. She wants to take it back to school with her in the fall, giving me a very good excuse for a yarn shopping spree. She chose yarns in oranges, browns, yellow, and reds. It’s sort of a Babette, except I’m not really following the pattern. I like the cheerful little squares, and estimate that I’m about a quarter done with the square-creation.

zoe’s squares, afghan in progress

It’s fun. I’m still new at crocheting, and, zen-like, still trying to make a perfect square.