Trekking Socks Finished
Yes, rumors are true; I have finished my Trekking Socks
Now, to borrow briefly from Carole, for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly:
Good: They are done, they fit my feet and I really love the color!
Bad: You probably can't tell from the photo, and it certainly won't show when my feet are encased in hiking shoes, but halfway down the second foot, I noticed that I had one less rib! Somehow, when I had finished with the heel, I didn't get the ribbing pattern going over the same amount of stitches.
Ugly: No, I didn't bother to rip; the ugly part is that I decided I just don't care... so what, etc. Maybe it's the heat (which will be triple digits for a record-breaking 11th day in a row). Maybe it's the demoralizing search for a job, or the even more demoralizing attempt to assist my two oldest relocate to Grass Valley, where there is a rental housing shortage, and a depressingly impossible set of expectations amongst the landlords we have met to date (as in, having lived here already for six months to a year - how you gonna ever get out of that tent?).
When I took stock and looked at the half-finished foot on the needles and the finished sock in my other hand, I realized it would be easier to live with the hardly visible mis-matched ribbing than it would to live with ripping so much out and re-doing. I was also ready to go on the the next pair, which are in Trekking Color #18, and made their first appearance here in Saturday's post. Oh, and don't look too closely at the toes, either. I do know how to Kitchener, and really don't have the fear and dread of it that other people mention, but just did a cruddy job this time. Well, there's another sock on the needles already and another chance to get it right.
In other news, I wanted to share a photo of this lovely packet that came yesterday from Jean Franklin, of my Foothill Fibers Guild:
Jean sells Ashford wheels and when she read on our Guild Yahoo list that I wanted to repair mine, emailed back and forth with me (which included pictures and diagrams but no circles and arrows), till we figured out exactly what replacement parts I needed, rounded them up and sent them off in the mail. That would be wonderful enough of her, but she also included FIBER!! From her own Shetland sheep to boot! I can see that she and I will have to have a conversation about sheep coming to live here at Slate Range Camp in the (near?) future. I fully intend to spin that lovely, soft stuff up right away.
Another Guild member, Amy, has promised to review my spindling technique and give me tips and pointers to get me on the road to success in early August, when we both will be working at the Guild booth at the Nevada County Fair. The fair dates are August 9-13, and this year's theme is "Wild About Ewe" - if you have a chance to attend, it is a true county fair set in the pines surrounded by our green foothills, with lots of livestock, music on various small stages, rides, Treat Street (a whole lane full of fair food booths), and buildings with great garden and textiles exhibits!
A final photo - this one of a lovely Saturday sky on a Tuesday.
Now, to borrow briefly from Carole, for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly:
Good: They are done, they fit my feet and I really love the color!
Bad: You probably can't tell from the photo, and it certainly won't show when my feet are encased in hiking shoes, but halfway down the second foot, I noticed that I had one less rib! Somehow, when I had finished with the heel, I didn't get the ribbing pattern going over the same amount of stitches.
Ugly: No, I didn't bother to rip; the ugly part is that I decided I just don't care... so what, etc. Maybe it's the heat (which will be triple digits for a record-breaking 11th day in a row). Maybe it's the demoralizing search for a job, or the even more demoralizing attempt to assist my two oldest relocate to Grass Valley, where there is a rental housing shortage, and a depressingly impossible set of expectations amongst the landlords we have met to date (as in, having lived here already for six months to a year - how you gonna ever get out of that tent?).
When I took stock and looked at the half-finished foot on the needles and the finished sock in my other hand, I realized it would be easier to live with the hardly visible mis-matched ribbing than it would to live with ripping so much out and re-doing. I was also ready to go on the the next pair, which are in Trekking Color #18, and made their first appearance here in Saturday's post. Oh, and don't look too closely at the toes, either. I do know how to Kitchener, and really don't have the fear and dread of it that other people mention, but just did a cruddy job this time. Well, there's another sock on the needles already and another chance to get it right.
In other news, I wanted to share a photo of this lovely packet that came yesterday from Jean Franklin, of my Foothill Fibers Guild:
Jean sells Ashford wheels and when she read on our Guild Yahoo list that I wanted to repair mine, emailed back and forth with me (which included pictures and diagrams but no circles and arrows), till we figured out exactly what replacement parts I needed, rounded them up and sent them off in the mail. That would be wonderful enough of her, but she also included FIBER!! From her own Shetland sheep to boot! I can see that she and I will have to have a conversation about sheep coming to live here at Slate Range Camp in the (near?) future. I fully intend to spin that lovely, soft stuff up right away.
Another Guild member, Amy, has promised to review my spindling technique and give me tips and pointers to get me on the road to success in early August, when we both will be working at the Guild booth at the Nevada County Fair. The fair dates are August 9-13, and this year's theme is "Wild About Ewe" - if you have a chance to attend, it is a true county fair set in the pines surrounded by our green foothills, with lots of livestock, music on various small stages, rides, Treat Street (a whole lane full of fair food booths), and buildings with great garden and textiles exhibits!
A final photo - this one of a lovely Saturday sky on a Tuesday.
posted by Birdsong | 9:12 AM
12 Comments:
Lovely Trekking socks. I'm still toiling away on mine. Why, oh why, do I knit so tight?
Your Sock Kit is already to go, just have to get myself and it to the post office.
Your Sock Kit Pal
Those are awesome Trekking socks, Birdsong! I love your stripes!
(((hugs)))
HOO-RAY for finished trekking socks! I just restarted mine. Again!
Definitely awesome socks! As for the ..er.. individuality of the second one, it doesn't show at all. Plus, just think how freeing it is to get away from that pesky perfection thing. Last fall I was in a cool organic market near Santa Cruz and they had sets of bright colored, patterned socks for sale. Not only did the come in sets of three, but none of the patterns matched, except for the colors. Very cool! Unfortunately my size was sold out.
I'm with Margene! I know the heat is really taken a toll on me, as is the job hunt so I totally sympathize. And really, it isn't have noticeable of a mistake and like you said won't be visible when you are in hiking boots! :-)
I think the Trekking socks look great! Small mistakes in knitting are fine! They give a knitted piece character.
The socks are SO cute!
I really like the yarn you used!
Have you thought about doing "drawstring" toes instead of Kichener? Diane Soucy of Knitting Pure and Simple does that in all her sock patterns and her's is the only pattern I've ever used. I wear out heels, but never toes, and they fit!
Tee Hee, circles and arrows...I don't know if you meant to, but I slipped into Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant right there..."27 8x10 color photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one..." or something.
Do you have any friends in Grass Valley who could "vouch" for your kids? Or do they have work? And letters from work detailing that they'll be there for a while? Or are they willing to sign a lease?
I guess they're looking for locals over out-of-towners and such. That bites.
I know the feeling of that whole looking for work. I'm still doing that myself. Let's just not go there, but know I feel your pain.
They (the Trekking socks)look great.
The last of my cousins just moved out of Grass/Penn Valley for Idaho, so I'm no help there.
The socks rock!! Who cares about the oopsy either, not me! If it weren't for fudging it, I'd have no finished projects....
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