christmas trip knitting

I took 2 knitting bags to Tulsa. I had no idea which new projects I'd want to start, so I took all of them.

I almost finished Lockhart's Melted Crayon socks. I love them, and if she hates them, I'll keep them and knit her another pair. I almost finished one leg while playing games with Mom and Sis on Christmas Eve. I think my multitasking impressed them. (Sis won Scattergories, Mom kicked our asses at Scrabble, and I won TWO games of Trivial Pursuit! I never win!)

I cast on the Aveline hat, using buttercup yellow merino/silk from MadeleineTosh. It uses a waste yarn long-tail tubular cast-on, which would be the perfect foundation for ribbing or double knitting. I used size 5s, and the brim was too tight. I need to go up at least 1 needle size.

I cast on the Sloochy hat, using the wild worsted from The Accidental Knitter on size 8 needles. I think the fabric is a little too firm, so I'm going to try size 9s.

I got a good start on the Strangling Vine Lace Scarf, using J.Knits Superwash Me Light Sock. This is GORGEOUS, I can't imagine how wonderful it's going to be when it's finished and blocked. I've had to rip back a ridiculous number of times because I kept inserting a stitch in the same damn place, but I rewrote the pattern notes to make it easier to track.

And finally, Sis gave me sock yarn for Christmas -- red/purple for me, and pink/grey to make socks for her. She mentioned that she'd like mittens, and I asked her "With or without fingers?". Evidently, to non-knitters, that is the most nonsensical question ever asked. I'm talking gales of laughter.

epic fail fallout

At 5 this morning, I accepted that Dad was not going to get a handknit gift this year. This may distress me more than it does him, I do not know. But I can't do it, especially since we're exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve, not Christmas morning. (I'm having a mild bit of trauma over that, frankly.) Even if I could finish it, I'd never get it blocked, AND I would have driven myself stark staring insane.

Lockhart's socks just lack legs, but I can finish those at Mom and Dad's. Good conversation socks -- simple stockinette. Mom's socks are finished and gorgeous.

So that's my holiday knitting for the year -- hopefully next year will be better. I'm glad I gave up rather than drive myself mad. In fact, I spent this afternoon winding yarn, and this evening poring over patterns and looking for good matches. I'm about one good stiff drink away from casting on 4 new projects -- 2 hats and 2 sets of fingerless mitts. :) And after the holiday, I'll start SwR's birthday socks.

EPIC FAIL

Turned the heels on Dad's socks only to realize that I was absolutely positively definitely NOT going to have enough yarn to finish the socks. And I can't get more. And I don't have enough of anything in my stash to knit him socks FROM. And the LYS is closed on Sundays. I'm afraid he's getting another scarf, if I can summon the will to knit it.

AAAAUUUGGGHHH!!!!

I'm so stressed about finishing Dad's socks by Christmas that I've managed to spend the last 3 hours puttering around on the laptop.

Avoidance, anyone?

christmas knitting stress - I has a bit of it

Mom's socks are done, so that's good.


L's socks are halfway finished, but I plan to finish them during the visit home, so that's good.


My dad has enormous goddamned feet. Christmas is next week. Not so good.

I have been knitting for DAYS, I shit you not. One sock is 5" long. The other is 10" long. They have to be 11" long before I can turn the heel. I keep knitting and knitting and knitting and knitting and still I can't turn the damn heel because it isn't long enough! GAH! And at some point, it occurred to me that I have no damn idea if I have enough damn yarn for a decent length sock. (I was smart enough to knit them toe-up.)

They're going to be really gorgeous socks if I can ever finish them. They're a lovely variegated brown with a 6x2 ribbing. They use the Upstream Architecture from Cat Bordhi's Big Book o'Insanity, which puts the expansion triangle at the top of the foot.


But first I have to finish them. And I should probably be working on that instead of blogging my stress and taking pictures of unfinished socks, yes? AAAAAAUUUGGH!