CatsEye

I ain't dead ...

except in relation to Sock Wars.  In that sense ... I am dead as a doorknob, whatever that means.   (Doorknob, doornail? ... door furniture of any persuasion.)

The cause of my demise - Maroon Socks of Doom* from Caterwaul.  I really must ask her what the fibre is, it seems woolly but also hairy ... in a good way of course!

I received my new SIP on the same day as my SoD.  I took a photo for posterity before wrapping everything up again and shipping the box back across the pond (it was such a brief stay in the UK!).

On seeing this sock, I suddenly realised that I did have a choice of DK weight yarns in my stash, after all.  Right after I finished my very first (Baby Cashmerino) socks, I went to Hobbycraft and bought some Sirdar Snuggly - which I could have used instead of the Debbie Bliss Merino.  I probably wouldn't've done, but it's nice to have options.

For a change, I got out into the garden early this morning.  Well alright, earlier than normal (09:45).  I usually wake up to beautiful backlight blue skies and then forget all about the great photo op, what with the getting up and the cat feeding and all.  But not today.

Only the autumn leaves give the game away - it could be a glorious summer's day.  But instead it's 10 degrees C out there, forecast to drop to 2 degrees overnight - so I think I'll stay here in the warm.  There might just be some knitting to get on with ...

* Scottish accent optional

What Socks?

October is turning out to be not quite so "Sock and Fest" as I'd planned.  This picture was taken on the 8th of the month:

Sometime in the following two weeks, I (almost) finished it - the cast off is not final yet -  and that's it for socks.  Pretty rubbish eh?  One lousy month out of 12 that I dedicate to foot apparel ... and yet I am so easily distracted.

My copy of Yarn Forward arrived, as did my 2nd go around order from Hipknits (my dye-it-yourself sock yarn got lost in the post, thank you so much Royal Mail!) and I was helpless to prevent the casting on for Ariel in Hipknits Aran Silk (Zing!).

I just do not understand it.  We're looking towards winter (when I wear socks all the time at home) and  here I am devoting a whole weekend of time to a capped-sleeved little top full of holes. 

(I did finish up a scarf though, so I suppose that's something a little more seasonally orientated).

Still, it stops right here.  (Well, maybe simply pauses a bit, because who could resist that orange sherbert confection for long?)  No, I will be strong.  I must have my Halloween socks for Halloween, and then Socktober will be over and I can at least say I knit ONE pair during the month.  I've made a start ...

Pattern is toe-up (using the Turkish cast-on - love it because it keeps the stripes going round and not back and fro!) with a short row heel and the RPM cuff.  I'm going to see if I can "MPR" the other sock, that is, knit the ridges the other way by starting the purling before the last round instead of after.  We shall see!

In Sock Wars news ... well there is no news.  No pairs of socks to kill me or to kill others have arrived, so I guess I'm still alive but it's not very exciting.  And no help towards to the Socktoberfest tally either!

The Doomed Sequel

Look at the excellent (nearly completed) socks that Fiberfish sent me for her victim.  (Thanks for getting so much done while you waited to die ...!  It was an honour and a privilege to "kill" you.)

These went in the post to Canada at lunchtime, after I knit the final toe (twice) last night.  The first time I picked up the US8s I used on my socks.  By the time I got down to the last 20 stitches, it looked like I'd put a big balloon on the end of the poor sock.

So I ripped back to my safety line (many thanks to whoever suggested that old lace standby on the Sock Wars forum - it worked a treat), and reknit on US7s.  I think my gauge might have been a little tighter than the rest of the sock but it certainly wasn't as noticeable as before. 

And look how much yarn was left!

Behold the Sock of DOOM!

Scary, eh?

Oh ... hang on, that's a picture pre-doom.

Doom me up, Socky.

The lightning bolts are a nice touch, I feel.  They just so happen to be the design on my new large sock blockers, which (finally) arrived on Friday from the States, after a month's anxious waiting.

The socks are knit in Debbie Bliss Merino DK in, err ... blood red.  It was, in the end, the only true DK weight yarn left in the stash (that wasn't part of a ten-pack, bought-for-a-sweater arrangement).  Even then, gauge was NOT my friend.  US8 needles ... instead of US5!  (Please let them fit my victim).

Pattern: The International Sock of Doom!  Finished in 24 hours and now I must wait for the Post Office to open Monday morning, to send my "weapon" to the States.  I at least will get three or four days to relax before the next pair strikes.  Which is good, because the tension and the pressure?  Was. Killing. Me!

Slay on, Sock Warriors.