Sock projects

So, the four of us who dyed our yarn started knitting socks last week. We're using the basic cabled sock pattern by brainylady. I'll be writing up my own instructions for the heel flap type of heel and toe shaping. I haven't decided which type of toe shaping we'll use. I don't think I've yet found a favorite method of toe shaping. We're all knitting two socks at a time on two circular needles. This is my favorite method of knitting socks. I don't trust myself to knit one sock at a time because, even if the second sock gets knit (and it often doesn't) I have a hard time making sure that both socks are the same. I often make decisions as I go and don't often write them down. My gauge can vary as well which makes for one loose sock and one tight sock. I really dont' like mismatched socks. Well, I don't care if they look mismatched they just can't feel mismatched. Ya know what I mean?

I find that casting on and knitting the first few round of two socks on two circs is the hardest part of knititng socks with this method. It seemed that my sock knitting friends agreed with me. Tina kept threatening to poke a needle through her eye to relieve the stress of trying to figure out the mess of spaghetti that was two circular needles, two balls of yarn, and two tails hanging from her sock beginnings. Krista kept ending up with her working yarns at opposite ends of her needles until we figured out she was using the wrong end of the circ to cast on the second sock stitches. Lorie, while she proudly demonstrated her masterful caston skills, kept getting the yarns twisted and tangled around and between the circs. Since she was working from two ends of one ball we ended up cutting the yarn (and thereby created two additional ends to weave in later, yech!) and untangling. I did that for her. When we got together to knit again two days later I found out that when I reattached the yarn I had left a knot between the two ends of the yarn. She's working around it for now. If the knot becomes too cumbersome I'll have to cut it again, making two more ends :( I'll weave in the ends for her.

Okay, so the learning might be a little difficult. I'm regretting not starting them with a single, worsted weight, tiny ornament sized sock. If things don't improve dramatically the next time we knit I'm going to suggest that we put the socks aside and make a demo sock.

Our knitting session was so intense that I didn't get any pictures of their socks. I'll do that next time. I do have a couple of pictures of my socks. The colors aren't very accurate as I took the pictures on my desk with artificial light and a flash. I don't like the way they look in the pictures. While I like them better in real life they aren't my favoritest socks ever.

	This is a more accurate depiction of the colors of my yarn.
	Socks in progress before starting the heel flap.
	Close up of the cables.

Silliness Abounds

A saw K's pictures on my blog. I told A that I wanted to get some pictures of her with her headband on. I'm not completely sure if A was just trying to be her normal cute self or if she was mocking K. Maybe it's a little of both.

A is wearing the headband that I made for the beginner knitter class at my kids' school. The class instructor and I both thought that the headband would be a popular project. We were both wrong. The purse was the big winner. Oh well, A loves the headband so much she is knitting herself another one.

Passing it On

Each winter my kids' school runs the Explorer's Club. Parent's volunteer to come in for one hour a week after school and lead an activity. The activities can be anything the parents want to do. My kids have enjoyed chess, floor hockey, popsicle stick art, a "how it works" science experiment class and rubber stamping. Other offerings are legos, arts & crafts, cheerleading, drama, and running. This year one of the moms signed up to teach knitting. 15 girls in grades 1 through 3 signed up. I volunteered to help out. We had our first session yesterday. It was difficult, a bit chaotic at times and definitely stressful but it was also very rewarding.

The first lesson was the knit stitch. The teacher and I decided that we would cast on for them and teach them the knit stitch. We will teach them to cast one at a later session. I ended up only helping six of the girls. I think some of them went home without having been taught anything. I just hope they all come back to give us another chance.

Before the class I knit up a few project samples for the girls to look at. They get to choose which of these they would like to knit as their first project.

A purse, a beanbag, a hacky sack

Here is K modeling a hairbow and the purse.

All of the projects are made out of garter stitch rectangles. I also knit a headband that A claimed as hers. She was wearing it at school yesterday so I didn't get pictures. I'll try to get one this afternoon.