Yopping Update #33 - Two wrongs do make a right

 

It seems like socks are all I want to knit right now, although after this week's fiasco I may have to re-think my 'inspiration'.

Before I regale you with my sad (and stupid) tale I can post my finished Hermione's Everyday Socks.  

I love the fit, and I will definitely knit this pattern again. 

Then after much hemming and hawing I started a new pair of socks that have been in my queue for years. 

Maryana was a mystery knit back in 2013 and the pattern comes in four installments.  Ravelers' pattern notes indicate that this sock knits up big, so I chose the smallest size and cast on the required 66 stitches.  So far so good, right?

The leg is divided into two sections - the back section of 26 stitches and the front section of 42 stitches. 

The back section is p2,k2 through the next 71 rows. The front section is K3, (p2, k2) ending with another K3 for 41 rows and then start the cable pattern.  Simple, right?  I was off.  I whipped through the 41 rows and the next day was ready to start the cable pattern.  

Here is where things went seriously awry.  I chose the cable pattern, and on the first row I realized that I had misread the instructions and the front section should have been k3, p2, k3, (p2,k2) ending with another k3,p2,k3.  What??????

I did not want to frogged 41 rows of ribbing so I thought (being the smarty pants I am) that I would ladder down the stitches that needed to be changed from purls to knits and vice versa.  With me so far??

I had laddered and picked up about six stitch rows (each row - ladder down 41 rows, ladder up 41 rows. )  About half way through I realized that it wasn't working count wise - I was never going to end with the 3 knit stitches.  

Because?     Well, because I had done it right in the first place, but by accident I was now looking at the cable chart for the medium size!!  

So what did I have to do you ask??  

Well, I had to go back and ladder back down, and ladder back up the rows I had changed. 

Doh!!  Rookie mistake.  (Of which I seem to be making a lot of these days.)

Lucky for me once I got myself sorted (and now have LOTS of practice laddering down and picking up stitches) the cable pattern went quite quickly.  

Ok - truthfully I had made one cable mistake about four rows down and did have to ladder down and up again to fix a left cable that I had made a right cable.  (Thank God for the tiny crochet hooks I have from my Grandmother that makes picking up 2mm stitches easy peasy). 

I am now on the heel - and things are going smoothly (knock on wood, throw salt over my shoulder, avoid walking under ladders).  Walking under ladders!  No pun was intended, but still that is pretty funny. 

I like how the colourway is working up

It has been colder this week, but drier weather wise so I did get out for a walk everyday except yesterday.  

Worrying about the ducks as the pond is frozen over

Every day I take a different cowl out for my walk 

Hubby and I shoveled the driveway and the back deck yesterday which displaced my walk and today I feel some muscles I haven't noticed for quite some time.

It is still snowing today, and looks very pretty and peaceful out my living room window.  It is not the first time in our 39 years here that we have had a snowy Valentine's Day.  In fact, I have come to expect it.  

 

I love the look of snow on the cedars

That was my week.  I leave you with a hopeful picture of proof that spring is coming.

Red chlorophyll shoots

To follow other yoppers you can see their posts at the right side of this blog.  

Update #32 - Homespun knits

 

Waiting for Superbowl to start, but time for a quick update. 

I finished my sheep breed sampler cowl.  I even took it out for a walk a few days ago. 

I cast of the Hermione's Everyday socks which have been in my queue forever.  They are a simple knit but because I am knitting them with 2mm needles they seem to be taking forever. 

When I first read Harry Potter I pronounced her name as
Her Me Own Knee

I knit them on a 9inch circular so I do the leg and heel on one, and then catch the 2nd sock up to the first.  Then I do the gusset on them one at a time, then the foot one at a time and then the toes.  That way I avoid the 2nd sock syndrome.  I made the leg longer than usual so I am not sure I will have enough yarn and may do the toes in a contrasting colour. Stay tuned. 

I need something else to knit beside the socks so I got out the wool/silk handspun I made during Tour de Fleece and I found the perfect cowl pattern.  It is called Stonehenge, and I love the pattern and how my handspun knit up.  

I have been continuing my daily walks of just over an hour, just over 3 miles, a day and each day I find something to take a picture of.  Here is a little friend I met on yesterdays walk at the pond. 

Here's hoping it can read!

Have a good week all.  I am off to get my snacks ready for the Superbowl game.  If you want to follow other Yoppers and their progress you can check out their posts at the top of this blog (right hand side). 

Until next post - stay safe, stay calm, be kind.