The Good, the Not-So-Good, and the Stacked

  First, the good!  I made this thank you card for the Technical Director.  She stayed late and took some of the staff for a tour backstage.  I've had this card envisioned for a while, so I was really pleased when it came out just like I pictured it!

My grandmother always had a back stock of cards for all occasions.  Forget a birthday?  Check the box.  Need to say thanks?  Check the box.  Forgot to mail a Christmas card?  Forgot an anniversary?  Friend get an ingrown toenail?  The most I've ever been able to stockpile are Christmas cards and that's just because they come in a big box already.  So, long story short, I've always felt bad that I don't have some sort of card stash.  And really, there isn't a reason.  I love making cards and I've talked about making that as a gift for people before so maybe I need to practice on myself.

Now the not-so-good: at first glance, these look like great-looking, problem-free socks.  Sadly, In every way possible, I went completely mental with these.  Let's start with the vastly different toes.  When I started working the toe decrease the first time, I decided to just switch to stockinette every row instead of staying in pattern (like the pattern said to).  I got a not-unwelcome substantial toe.  The second time, I listened to the pattern and now I have a lovely, but lacy, toe. 

Also, as this next picture demonstrates, I must have measured my foot on a crazy swollen day because I decided my feet were 10 inches in circumference which has made for an incredibly, ahem, roomy fit.  But only on one foot. 

Because on the other one, I started the gusset decrease and forgot that I was only supposed to decrease every other row.  That actually worked out in my favor, except I forgot that I turned the sock right side out to try it on so I have a couple of rows of reverse stockinette.  In the end, though, it doesn't really matter because I can totally wear these to bed and maybe the next time I try this pattern (crosshatch lace from More Sensational Socks to Knit) I'll get it right!  The two final details I left out: the color is Kalamata by Yarn Pirate and I knit them on #2 DPNs.

Now for the Stacked: I'm working on the Short Row Hat by Veronik Avery.  It was a pattern in one of the Interweave Knits, but they also offered it on line for a while (which is how I got it b/c I am new to Interweave, but I digress.  Anyway, I have started this hat probably 6 times now and managed to mess it up somehow every time.  The biggest way I manage to mess it up is by running out of stitches.  The last time, I just started adding stitches and that might be how I knit a pair of breast-like protrusions into the hat.  They are the most obvious in the last picture.  I gave up and unraveled it after that.  About the time you starting knitting bust shaping into hats, it's time to call it quits. 

Comments

[Jennifer]

Those socks made me laugh, we're having a big arts and crafts festival here soon, and I for some reason pictured an 'irregulars' bin at one of the booths. They are still great to wear to bed though, and if for some reason you have to wrap up one of your feet they'll still both fit! I guess the hat could go in there, too. The last thing I tried to crochet ended up waaaaaaaay off in gauge, I know how you get going because you're enthusiastic and then about 30 minutes in you realize you messed up. That's part of the fun, right? :)

[Shelley]

Your Thank You card looks great! I like making cards too, and have bought several magazines devoted to that. My best friend and I would often get together (before I left for Korea...I'm home now though) and make cards using rubber stamps and scrap book supplies.

Live and learn with the socks eh? I've knit some on needles that I thought would have an ok gauge, only to have the socks end up too loose. I still wore them though - just had to pull them up a little more often. We all make mistakes though, and it's part of the learning process. Now you will know for next time :o).

[Gina]

I kind of like the socks like that, gives em personality! I like your card too - so cute.