Secret No More

The secret knitting that was to be a birthday gift has been abandoned because once again, I've cut it too fine and did not make the Sat deadline. I could have done it if I went without sleep for a couple of days but sense prevailed and I chose sleep.

Also the project I picked didn't really match the yarn I had but I powered on anyway, thinking if I didn't think too hard about it somehow everything would turn out fine.

I should've adhered to the first rule of knitting - If it looks wrong, it probably is!

I actually got through sock 1 and the cuff of sock 2 before I gave up.


The failure of this project is due entirely to my own bone-headedness. The yarn is a soft merino cashmere variegated sock yarn from The Knittery in Cherries and the pattern is the picot edge socks in Jo Sharp Knit Issue 1.

Problem was that I got gauge with the number of stitches but not the number of rows. Consequently it took quite a few more rows to establish the heel flap so I ended up picking up a lot more stitches for the gusset.

The result - an elephantine sock for someone with a really fat ankle!

I had bought the yarn with the Monkey Socks in mind but this yarn is not very stretchy so the cuff was really loose when I cast on for them initially. I might try with smaller needles once I've got over my feelings of inadequacy about the elephantine sock.

I ended up giving away the Cloud Bolero I made a couple of months back.

I'm now working on the Wave Lace Socks by Evelyn A. Clark in IWK Spring 04 using some Grignasco Bambi yarn I bought on a whim (really should stop doing that...)

Incidentally, I think my sock craze may be winding to a close although I'm still committed to a pair a month for Socktopia.

Finally, I've got new stash - the 8 balls of Jo Sharp Alpaca Silk Georgette is to make a cardigan for my mum so it comes out of our gift budget rather than my stash budget (hehehe... sneaky, I know). I'm aiming low this time - her birthday is not til July when it'll be cardigan weather in Australia. (I'm sure she doesn't read this blog so there's no danger talking about it here)

Also I got 3 balls of some really soft mohair/wool blend with gold thread through it at a sale last weekend to make another Cloud Bolero for myself. I actually went to the LYS to get a pair of Addi Turbos in 2.5mm for the aforementioned Monkey Socks but these were 50% OFF! Who could resist?