One

If there was ever any doubt, it has now been confirmed that I suffer from second-sock-itis. I just can’t seem to get excited about finishing any of these. It’s not that I don’t want the FO, because i do (especially now that Minty has stolen my mojo… I just need an FO to get it back. Just. one. F.O!). I just feel… well, bored while knitting them. And this photo doesn’t even count the in-progress socks (my Hawaii socks and Melissa’s Christmas socks). All of these socks have an in-progress mate:

New England sock, on hold for months now.

Sara’s socks.

and the all-familiar Pomatomus (sorry about the uninspiring photography and weird angles. It was cold out).

With the last two socks, I even cast on for the second immediately after finishing the first, which usually prevents the horror that was the New England sock’s second-sock-itis (remember when I finished the first one? Yep. Back in June). I know I’ve got to plug along and finish — especially the New England, which is on my list of UFOs for the UFO Challenge. But I can’t get motivated. The upside? You can see the photos that it is snowing here. We’re actually supposed to get 3-5 inches, which might not be alot for many parts of the world, but here 3-5 inches makes it a challenge to get around (especially now that the 4-wheel drive on my car is broken. Another story for another time). I was supposed to go to KY tonight, but it’s looking like I’ll get to stay in. The downside (at least in terms of second-sock-itis)? Last night, I cast on this:

(Yep, that’s Misti Alpaca worsted. I’m loving Misti Alpaca right now) Yummy. Those socks might be single a while longer…

Plays well with others, but…

Cannot follow directions. Case in point — my first FO of 2007 (Let’s home this isn’t a sign of things to come!)

Pattern: Well, it was supposed to be the Spindle Socks, but I can’t follow directions, so I guess it’s really my own.
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, 2 skeins, in color #340002 (a beautiful pale green)
Needles: Clover bamboo dpns, 2.75 mm (US 2)

Thoughts/Modifications: Well, like I said, I can’t follow directions. I misread the pattern and didn’t notice that there was a 2 purl column between each set of three cables (when the cable change direction). I didn’t notice this until I’d done all the ribbing and started the first set of cables. But I was on a time constraint (I was desperately trying to finish socks for my girlfriends from college before we all met up in Boston. I didn’t succeed. But I’m much farther along than last year, when I finished the last pair in July!). So I fudged the pattern a little and got it to work out so there were still six cables (three in each direction) across the front. It wasn’t until I reached the toe of the first sock that I noticed this:

See it? When I picked up stitches along the heel flap and began knitting in the round again, I inadvertently switched the direction of the cables. All of them. Again, no time to rip back. So I just repeated all of my mistakes on the second sock. Oh well. They are still delicious socks — great color (can you tell I’m craving spring?), I love this cable, and the cashermino is so squishy and decadent on the feet. Anna’s pattern is wonderful too — very easy to cable with out a cable needle (thanks to the slipped stitches in those cables) and knits up quickly. They’re blocking now, and then they’re off in the mail to Mel. I might have to make myself a pair (following the directions, of course).

In other news, I joined the 2007 UFO Resurrection. I’m gonna get my WIPs under control (this is one of my New Years Yarn Resolutions — along with only knitting from stash for the months of January and February… possibly even March!). My list of UFOs so far (and I know there’ll be more)?

1. Swallowtail shawl
2. New England Socks
3. TSALP (still)
4. Mom’s Faroese shawl (frog pond)
5. Union Square Market (frog pond)
6. Spitey’s Sweater (frog pond, when I feel capable)
7. Kitty Pi
8. Anthropologie Sweater (frog pond, I think…)
9. Orangina

I’ve gotten a head start on #1 (and, indirectly, #5)… I put it down months ago when I realized I was going to run out of yarn. I couldn’t find more on my last trip to Philly and the poor thing has been sitting around 15 rows from completion. So this weekend, I finally picked it back up and re-evaluated the yarn situation. I thought that perhaps the yarn still attached to my unfrogged beginning of the Union Market Sweater might do the trick. So I painstakingly ripped it out (and believe me, this was no fun — alpaca is sticky!),

rewound it, and am now plugging away (after doing my very first spit-felted join… I’m never weaving in ends again!). I hope to have the thing blocking by midweek. Hurrah!