Lookie what finally came in the mail

Sadly, I will have to wait a while to use them because I have to move in a week and I haven't even started packing yet. I am going to leave them in their wrapper so I don't chance losing them before I even use them.

In other knitting, I worked a few rows of my mom's scarf, but just hated the way the fabric was coming together. I discovered the yarn does not frog well either. Ugh. I finally just cut it off and am looking for a solid piece of time to cast it on again.

I am thinking of finding a lace or drop stitch pattern that isn't too complicated (because I tend to get interupted a lot when I knit) and knitting it in the round, possibly making it so that it can be worn as a hood or a scarf. Haven't quite got it worked out in my head yet, but I would need a looser fabric to do that so it stretched long as a scarf, but could expand out to go over her head. It is a beautiful yarn and it just seems like it should be something other than a stockinette or garter stitch scarf.

Sock #2 swatch

Finished the swatch today. It is measuring 9.5st/in on #1s before washing it. I attempted to knit continental style through some of it. It will take a lot more practice before that feels normal. I kept reverting back English style.

I also tried the long tail cast on for the first time. It seems insane that I have never done it, but I learned the cable cast on the first time I knit and never really understood how to do the long tail until I found a good video at knitting help.

I also discovered today that YouTube has all sorts of knitting videos. Very cool.

Sock #1: Both swatches had the same stitch count after washing. They are just a little softer and fuzzier out of the dryer.

Swatching again for socks

Still waiting for my #2s to come, so I am swatching up some different yarn for a pair of socks for dh. The Sensational Knitted Socks book doesn't require a specific gauge to use a pattern, so I am swatching and we will see where we go from there. I love this book, btw. It was recommended to me and I can see why there were so many people enthusiastic about it.

Swatching for my first socks

I worked up some new Fortissima/Socka Color sock yarn on some #1s and #3s. I need a gauge of 8st/inch for the Birken-socks pattern I am wanting to try out. On the #3s I got 7 stitches and on the #1s I got 9 stitches. Guess what size I don't own. lol. I gotta tell you, knitting on #1s feels a little like knitting on long toothpicks. I thought it would be tedious to knit at such a small scale, but I am really liking it. My hands don't hurt as much the next day which is a big bonus too.

Unfortunately, I am going to have to wait on #2 dpns because Brittany has them on back order now. I almost picked up some metal ones, but I know that will be a disaster of slipped stitches when I throw my knitting on my desk to stop a flood in the bathroom or break up an argument over whether a cabinet door should be open or closed.