Sockpile

Socktoberfest has begun! Bring me a stein! Oh wait, I already have 16...

I didn't plan this. It just happened. I'm in love...with socks. Yes, the ubiquitous socksession claims yet another victim - and I succumb willingly! I started my very first pair and I. am. in. LOVE.

I probably should've stuck with a nice, simple, cuff-down stockinette to get a feel for the construction, but noooo, had to jump right out of the gate with knitty's magic cast on for toe-up socks. My initial intention was to then follow the toe-up Jaywalker pattern, but after reading that they're not very stretchy, decided to try something else as I can be a bull in a china shop and would most likely break stitches and reduce them to a pile of fiber sometime in the first few wearings.

So my lone toe was left to wait patiently in the wip bag for almost a week while I searched incessantly for a stitch pattern. A first run with supple rib went to the frog pond (methinks that one's better suited for worsted), was followed by another incessant search, until finally I discovered just the right one. The toe became a lovely, lovely foot.

Giggling with glee, I sailed along until it was time to start the short row heels and bam! pow! It beat my ass. Let us look at the timeline of hell. Oh, pardon me, I mean heel:

• Attempt #1: The wrap method. An intense, instant disdain for one another. Frog.
• Attempt #2: The yarnover method. Better. Five rows in, '"Man, these yos are HUGE! That can't be right." Frog.
• Attempt #3: The yarnover method again. Twelve rows in, "Man, these yos are still HUGE! And for crap's sake, this is taking forever and I'm not seeing anything resembling a heel. What the hell?" Look at pattern again. "Oh. You're supposed to turn at the stitch before the yo, not at the yo. So basically, you've just been making incredibly growing yos at each end while knitting the same 24 stitches in between. Nice going idiot." Hit head repeatedly on wall for being a complete and total effing moron. Frog.
• Attempt #4: The yarnover method again. Ah, yes, turning at the right place, gee lookit how that worked out. Heel done, yes! Feel enormous sense of relief and accomplishment. Continue on to leg. Finish 12-row repeat. Take closer look at heel. Notice big gaping holes. Notice big loopy stitches. Notice things that I simply can't live with. Curse paint off walls. Frog. Again. Put sock back in bag to think about what it's done.

And yes, all of this took place in one. freaking. night. Hours of knitting with absolutely no progress to show for it. Yeah. I rock.

So after a day of no knitting to replenish the mojo, I hopped online to do some research and came upon this glorious, glorious page posted by Lauri B, to whom I now pledge my undying devotion. It is chock full of various sock techniques from toes to heels, going up or down. It was on this page that I found my salvation - a toe-up, no pick-up gusset heel. And it was already written for the exact same number of stitches I had on my heel! Fate I think.

I took my little sock out of the bag last night and the time out was just what it needed. The heel went like a dream, a dream I tell ya. And I am so digging on the eye of the partridge stitch pattern! *sigh*

Wanna peek? Here's a little glimpse of the foot. This is a great stitch pattern, interesting but easy to memorize:

Lorna's Laces, I could go on and on about Lorna's Laces. And thankfully, it's...ahem...very, very froggable.

Having been obsessed (possessed?) at first stitch, I've already developed quite the sockpile. I scored me some sweet LL stash at the vintageknits sale, which is now playing with the LL and Koigu I got last month at the Knit Happens sale. Several new mates will soon be jumping into the pile as well, compliments of a great swap with a fellow knittyhead.

How do I love thee, let me count the ways...

For Socktoberfest, I'm hoping to knock out four pairs (or at least start them) - the first pair I'm knitting up now, plus the three on the newly revised sidebar.

Speaking of the sidebar, I've shuffled some things around (told ya I'd change my mind 100 times), added some new things (like Fetching), deleted a few things (like Whisper), and um, yup, think I'm just about set for a while.

In other wip roundup news, here's a shot of the Cropped Hoodie, knitting up with Rowan Calmer. This is one groovy cool yarn! It's...spongy. That's really the best way to describe it. I'm sure my gauge will be aaalll over the place as a result, but it's great fun to knit with! And the color, divine.

I also finished the MJ hat a couple of weeks ago, but haven't had a chance to snap pics yet. I'm hoping to get that write up done and under the FO list later this week.