S Is For...

a) Spiral bedsock - Started and finished my first sock (yes, just the one, for now) on the weekend. This spiral pattern is great for novice, nervous sock knitters like me, because there are no heel turns to fiddle around with. It's basically a cuff-down tube that's grafted together at the toes. The wonderous part is that the 3x3 spiral ribbing helps it fit your feet perfectly.

*Sorry for forcing my horridly misshapen feet in your face. I don't think I ever realized how freakishly long my second toe is. Sorry :(

The pattern comes from this trusty, obviously well-thumbed booklet (perhaps the best 50p I ever spent!). I did only one and three-quarter repeats, making them anklet-sized. While the instructions actually call for double-knit yarn, I decided to go with the much thinner sock yarn my sister recently sent to me. I also switched to 3.25mm needles instead of the recommended 4mm ones, and knit them in the largest size so they would fit.

b) Second - sock. Which I started this morning and hope to finish VERY VERY soon. So I can start on another pair of socks.

c) Sunny's blog - My awesomely talented friend Sunny has just started her blog, chockful of sexy ladies and crazy creative doings. Go check it out.

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Monogamy

Confession time.

I've been unfaithful.

I've tried so hard to stay true to this relationship, to commit to my one and only. But maybe what they say is true, and that familiarity really does breed contempt. But you're so lovely, though, and it's not like I don't ever want to see you ever again. I just need a break, something new and exciting. Just for now. It's my fault for straying, and now there's not just one, but two others. Who knows what'll happen in the future? I may return to you, if you'll have me back...

Anyone else have this problem? You're working on something, and you promise yourself that you'll finish it this time - no interruptions, no getting bored and shoving it in a corner, no two or three other projects all competing for attention.

Then, halfway through (more or less), you pick up a different skein of yarn, or a yard of exciting new fabric, and you just have to start working with it. RIGHT. NOW.

So you drop the other project, and start fooling around with your new fling...

Then along comes another fancy-pants project that catches your eye, and suddenly, you've got two other little bits on the side that demand your time and attention.

So yes, I do have three items on the needles right now. With a fourth one that I just finished blocking. All these in the last three days. And my fingers are already itching to start making a new apron. What a slut! I should be ashamed.

Club Tropicana

Just finished these two pairs of gloves last week - one for my Mummy and one for my younger sister Tiffany. I thought I'd show them off because these are the first gloves I've knit up, and I'm pretty damned pleased with the result.

The pattern came from an old Patons booklet that I found in one of the op-shops down on Walworth Road. They asked for fingerless gloves, so I adapted the pattern by doing only four rows of k1p1 ribbing on the fingers, then casting off.

Ladies back in the day must've had tiny hands, though. I didn't have the right size needles (the pattern asked for size 14 needles - 2mm) so I used a pair of size 12s instead (2.75mm), and they still came out pretty tight. It's not like I have huge hands anyway, mine are ridiculously child-sized! I can't imagine how tiny these would've turned if I'd used the right sized needles. It's a good thing they both have small hands as well, or I'd have to frog them and knit them up again.

This one's just called 'Lace Design' in the booklet, it's basically a meshy, all-over lace design with quite a bit of stretch.

And this is the 'Diamond Lace' pattern, with 4 lace diamonds spread over the front.

I used King Cole Zig Zag sock yarn for them, and I've got about half a skein left, which I guess means I'll be able to knit up another 2 pairs of gloves?

I bought a 100gm ball of King Cole Zig Zag sock yarn and only used about half the ball for both pairs of gloves. So I guess that means I'll be able to make myself another 2 pairs of gloves from the leftovers? I really like the feel of this yarn, it's soft and springy and not too heavy at all, which is great for gloves. I might get more in another colourway, as I'm really itching to try out Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts pattern. We'll see...

In the meantime, more photos of the gloves can be found on my Flickr.