Monthly Archives: February 2011

Feb 28

February Sockdown Challenge

So after the whiny tirade I went on last week (thanks PMS and lack of sleep), I decided to put on my big girl pants and dig right into the February socks.  It is amazing what a simple pattern and determination can do for me.

I finished these socks faster than I think I've ever finished a pair of socks before.  The challenge was for Man Socks - any socks specifically designed for the Y chromosome set.  When I searched Ravelry's database, there were a LOT of socks.  I decided that, since it just had to be a sock designed for a man, a simple pattern would suit my tastes.  I'm more of a stockinette sock kind of girl anyway, and I've had this yarn in my stash for a while, so I went with the Men's Basic Sock (rav link).   I began last Tuesday with the cast on, was finished with the first sock Friday evening, and completed the second sock Sunday afternoon.   I am amazed by the quickness with which I knit this sock, though I've known others to complete socks quickly like this.  I've just never done it before!  I can now work on other things without feeling guilty :)

Next month's challenge is lace - anything that has a yarn over in the pattern.  I know that I don't like a LOT of lace on the foot of my sock, as it bothers my foot, so maybe I'll go with another simple pattern.  Something like Cookie A.'s Monkey pattern or possibly Nutkin (which I can knit with some of my stashed Wollmeise).  I'm feeling much better about the Sockdown Challenge now that I'm all caught up.

Feb 22

January Sockdown

My socks are done!


I am beyond happy with them!! And I'm super glad they are finished.
So once I finished them, I got out the yarn for February's socks. I had a few problems winding the yarn in the past, and it was a little twisty in the ball, but workable, however, Lucy got hold of it later.

Not sure if you can see all of the yarn that has been pulled out of the ball.  This means that the ball needs to be rewound.  And my ballwinder is NOT good at rewinding yarn - it works ok when it's coming off the swift, but not when it's coming out a ball.  Something about the tension required to wind it properly.

And this is what I was complaining about yesterday.  I feel like I get one step closer to finishing a goal, then SOMETHING happens and it yanks me back three steps.  It's really getting old.  I think I'm going to have to pick a different pattern, though, and carry on.  I really want to accomplish this goal!  And I'm bound and determined to do it!

Feb 21

Sockdown is Kicking my Butt

So the Sockdown Challenge - not going as well as originally planned.  I have finished socks for each month.  Proof?

November:

IMG_3109

December:

IMG_2813

I'm way far behind though.  January is working at the moment (we have two months to finish the socks)... February's will be started this week... I think.  I'm not doing well with the "must knit this" rigidness of it, though I think that's why I started the challenge to begin with.  To make some socks that aren't just plain ol' vanilla stockinette socks.  That was the point, wasn't it?  But so far, I only like two pairs that I've made (out of 4 that are completed).  That isn't a good thing, is it?  I'm really hoping that the sock mojo comes back or I'm going to have to throw in the towel for the official challenge.

So what about January's sock?  Well, I was enjoying knitting it.  It is different than any sock I've ever knit (link to the Ravelry pattern info).  And sock #1 came together quickly - less than a week to finish everything but the afterthought heel.  The second sock, though, I wasn't digging the colors.  But I powered through.  So on Saturday, nearly three weeks after I started the second sock, I finished knitting everything but the afterthought heel.  I got the heel done on the first sock, and when I unravelled the waste yarn on the second sock, I realized that I had put the waste yarn in wrong.  So I had to rip out the second sock all the way to the heel!  I'm hoping that I can power through tonight and tomorrow and finish it.  It will be a giant relief to be done with these socks.

For my February socks, I believe I'm just going to do a simple pattern.  The challenge is man socks, and Thuja might just be the pattern I've been looking for.  I have some very basic grey yarn that I'd like to use up too, so that will be easy enough.

I realize that complaining about a 'deadline' that was given to me by an Internet challenge is ridiculous!  But I really was looking forward to accomplishing something.  Each year I begin by saying that I won't buy any yarn.  And new yarn enters my house by the middle of January (this year it was because of an AWESOME destash I attended in January).  Or I say no more sock yarn or no more snacks after 7 or no more this or no more that or more going to the gym or ... I think you get the picture. I have a plan, but I rarely follow through.  This was something I believed that I could follow through with.  Don't get me wrong, I'm following through with the Sockdown Challenge, but it hasn't been enjoyable.  I guess goals sometimes aren't, though, right?  No pain, no gain as they say.  Maybe I need a new way to look at this...