Your eyes do not deceive ...

That is a toe-up sock!

I found out via e-mail Thursday night that there were a few openings in a toe-up sock class with Wendy Johnson (of Wendyknits) Saturday morning. I had heard about this a while ago from my SnB pals but wrote it off because I thought they were afternoon classes, and I work in the afternoon. I called the yarn store immediately Thursady night, got signed up, and went over first thing Friday morning to pay.

Class was very fun -- a whirlwind of learning Judy's Magic Cast-on followed by learning a toe-up slip-stitch heel. I can't even believe I made this heel from the bottom up:



Wendy was very fun. A bunch of us stayed after class to have lunch with her, too. Here are some of my SnB gals and me with Wendy (and our heels!):



(I am sorry your head is cut off, Tasha!!)

I bought Wendy's new book, "Socks From the Toe Up," and had it signed ... and I've already cast on for the Dead Simple Lace Socks in Dream in Color Smooshy (as seen in the first pic). Here's hoping I pull off my first pair of toe-up socks! I'm knitting them on DPNs but think I will soon succumb to the lure of the circular needles ... I worked on some in class and they were dreamy and oh-so easy ...

first lace

Back in June, I knit my first shawl and thought "yay! My first lace!" Well, I'm here today to amend that statement, for now I have *really* knit my first lace:



Pattern: Ishbel
Yarn:: Socks that Rock lightweight in Mustang Sally
Recipient: My mama
Time to knit: about 3.5 months (thanks to my ineptitude with lace, which I will explain below)
Mods: omitted charts D and E (details on Ravelry)

This was a secret knit for my mom's birthday -- I didn't want to post about the FO until I gave it to her in person, which I did this weekend.



I had some issues following the charts ... I started by knitting the small stockinette but made mistakes in early lace rows, so I frogged and knit the large stockinette size instead. (This doesn't make much sense ... if I had problems with the lace on the small size, I shouldn't have made it bigger, because it increased the odds of making more mistakes ...)

However, this meant I used a LOT more yarn, and I frantically contacted a few Ravelers to inquire if they had any leftovers from their projects in the same weight/colorway. Raveler Scathach was awesome and mailed me more than enough. But, um, as I tried to work the final few charts, I kept messing up, and in a fit of frustration, I ended up binding off after chart C, meaning I never had to use her yarn. I hung my head in shame and mailed her scraps back, and she was super cool about it. Thanks again, Scathach!



My verdict: This was a fun knit -- an excellent first lace project. I hope to knit it again (and, um, I'll knit all the charts next time).

I hope you like it, Mom! I hope you take a picture of you wearing it so I can post about it here.

a three-day beret

My vacation beret is done!



Pattern: One-Day Beret
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy, Blue Lagoon

I was a little worried before I started, because my two skeins of yarn are from very different dye lots.



But alternating the skeins worked out just fine.



Now I'm working on a matching cowl -- no pics yet, but it's the Birthday Cowl. I can't wait to wear these items on our trip to Washington and Oregon -- which is only a little over a month away now!

I'm off to Pittsburgh tomorrow - I'm making a very quick trip up there to be with my family and visit my granddad again. He's still in a rehab/nursing home, and he will be until he enters hospice care. I can't wait to see everyone, however brief my trip will be. I'll be back soon with another post on some secret knitting.

FO: Feelin' Blue socks

I knit these socks in a week and it took me even longer to get around to blogging about them!



These are knit in STR lightweight in Bella Coola. 2x2 rib over 68 stitches.



I'm really pleased with how the striping matched up on the legs and feet. I made a concerted effort to match the legs up when it got to knitting the heel flap -- and it worked out! I guess that's what happens when you knit socks so closely together, timewise -- you don't necessarily have gauge issues.



It's nice to see how I've learned since the last time I knit with this yarn. My rainbow socks (rav link) were knit so tightly on US 1 needles that honestly, they aren't super comfy. But you live nad learn.

I'm still plugging away at my Simple Yet Effective shawl -- I'm more than halfway done. Also, I've cast on for my dad's Christmas socks. I'm past the heel on sock no. 1 -- now I get to knit on the foot for forever and ever because he's got size 13 feet! After I finish his socks, I have to knit a pair for my brother. And I think that will be it for my Christmas knitting!