Pomatomus are the most complex socks I’ve ever knitted. Although they’re rated as difficult, I found that the stitch pattern made a lot of sense and was actually quite easy to follow once I got the hang of it. On the other hand, they’re definitely not a mindless sock that I’d feel comfortable knitting on without the pattern in front of me, checking off rounds as I finish them. I love them, but unlike some other patterns (*cough*Jaywalker*cough*) I’m not tempted to knit another pair. Pomatomus were my introduction to Cookie A.’s designs; this free pattern came from the Winter 2005 Knitty.

I wear my Fleep-Tops more than any other piece of knitting I’ve finished, I think. They are amazingly warm and incredibly comfortable, and not quite like anything I’ve ever seen in a store. I used a combination of Knitty’s Cigar pattern and Sarkasmo’s Gnomittens, with added miniature fleep-top thumb caps. They were a good quick project, finished in only a month. It’s unfortunate that the yarn is discontinued; I would love to make a backup pair, or perhaps some as gifts for people I especially like. Perhaps some medium- or heavyweight Socks that Rock from Blue Moon Fiber Arts would be a good substitution.

The thoroughly misnamed Quick Toe Up Socks weren’t quick at all, not after I found a knot in the first skein of yarn and had to do some serious futzing to make the stripes line up from one sock to the other. I used Wendy Johnson’s Generic Toe-Up Sock Pattern, substituting a figure-eight toe, and made the sock 64 stitches around. It pleases me that they match so perfectly, even if I had to be ridiculously perfectionist about getting them that way! I like when my striped socks match up, especially wide stripes.

While it wasn’t knitting, I did do an overhaul of this site in 2009 to change the look and feel, and I added a Twitter account. I bought a new spinning wheel, a Kromski Sonata in walnut, on which I spun several skeins of yarn, including this BFL two-ply which is rapidly becoming my first pair of handspun socks. I’m considering selling the Ashford Traditional; while I love the way it looks, it doesn’t fit me quite right and I don’t spin on it. Perhaps I’ll give it one last try before I make a decision. Pirate-Husband says that it matches the house, and if I want to keep it around as a decoration, he’d be fine with that… but I think it’s sad to have a working wheel that isn’t ever used.

Also in 2009: I read 26 books, which took up some knitting time, and I finally learned to drive a car with a manual transmission so that I could trade in my old beat-up Cutlass for a new shiny Mazda3.

I am excited about 2010! I have plans to finish up the projects on my needles and start some new ones, to publish a design or two, and to improve my spinning skills. My parents bought a KitchenAid stand mixer for Pirate-Husband and me for our combined birthday and Chanukah gifts, so there will be fresh bread to go along with the yarn. Things just keep getting better and better!

So why did it take two years to finish the socks if the pattern isn’t hard? Simple: I hate the yarn. I wish I liked it – the colors are gorgeous and ripple together like sunlight on water, just perfect for a sock that looks like fish scales. Pirate-Husband says that they are a “triumph of stick-to-it-iveness!” I’d wanted to make matching armwarmers; It’s unfortunate that knitting with cotton blends makes my hands ache. I have 100g of it plus some change from the socks, and it’s up for sale or trade. If I get no takers, maybe in a year or so I’ll try those armwarmers.

My hands are feeling it, so I’m taking a bit of a break tonight. Even though the yarn is only 45% cotton, it doesn’t move and flex the way a yarn with more wool content would. On the other hand, the cotton content should make them nice spring-weight socks. I am so excited to have them done and on my feet, because I have a skirt with which they will match perfectly. I almost never match and accessorize and do that girly stuff, but this outfit is just coming together in a way that outfits generally don’t for me.

Today I finished the leg of the second sock, and tomorrow I’ll knit the heel flap. I want these socks done so that I can wear them this summer! I’m knitting with Plymouth Sockotta, which is a blend of 45% cotton, 40% wool, and 15% nylon. The cotton content, combined with all the knitting through the back loops, is hard on my hands… but I can and will finish.

Of all the pictures that I’ve taken of my knitting, this is one of my favorites. It accurately shows the colors of the yarn (your monitor may vary) and some of my favorite needles. They’re 6″ Crystal Palace bamboo in size 1/2.25 mm, and after several pairs of socks, are perfectly curved to fit my hands. Part of the reason I want to finish the Pomatomus is so that I can have these needles back. I’m not sure what I’ll be knitting on them, but I won’t be casting on for a new project for a while. At least, not until the Napramach bag is done…

(I also ordered a three-pack of Malbec from wine.woot to make myself feel better, but that’s not as closely related to yarn and fiber… though it’s just as relaxing!)

So anyway, my stash. It’s so soothing to look at it, even in pictures, even without the tactile pleasures. I can imagine what I’ll knit or spin, I can envision the excitement of casting on and the accomplishment of binding off, the curiosity to see how dyed top will spin up and the milestones of filling a bobbin, plying, washing, and parading the finished yarn around the house.

I’m starting to plan out my 2009 fiber arts. Mom’s gloves should be done in two weeks (I’m being realistic; I can knit a glove in a week but my hands will hate me for it) and my socks should hopefully be finished in the next few weeks after that. Maybe I can get both of those projects done before the New Year!

Two fairly complex projects need to be worked on. The first is the Pomatomus socks; I have no excuse for not having those complete already. The next is Napramach, a colorwork bag for friend Angie, who has made me some beautiful SCA garb. I have the yarn and am thoroughly intimidated by the pattern.

Two sock designs are percolating in my head. One is the written-up pattern for the with numbers for a smaller size worked out, and a new name of “Brother’s Socks.” The second is the design I started in the sock class I took with Cookie A. back in September, which is much more elaborate. I’m going to name it “Verdant.”

2009 will also be a year for spinning. I can’t justify the purchase of a second wheel until I’m spending more time at the one I have. And I can’t justify the purchase of more top/roving until I’ve spun up some of what I have. The Yarn Harlot says that Tuesdays are for spinning, so perhaps I will take her advice and schedule time that’s specifically for turning fluff into usable yarn. I would really like to have a pair of socks made from my own handspun. I also have a dream of a lace shawl from my own handspun, but I’m not touching those rolags until I’m more confident in my ability to spin smooth, fine yarn.

It’s possible that 2009 will be a year for dyeing. There’s only one room in the house that hasn’t been unpacked and set up yet, and that’s the crafts room. Well, right now it’s a boxes-and-laundry room. The washer and dryer are going to stay right where they are, but there’s no reason that the rest of the room can’t be set up for arts and crafts! I’d like to arrange a fiber station with areas for both carding and dyeing.

Ahh, I’m feeling better already…

Fortunately, with the air conditioning in my house now working, and the breeze that comes off the mountain, it hasn’t been too terrible. I’ve been keeping up with exercising, even if it does take time away from knitting and spinning.

So there are about five inches left to go on this sock, which means that if I really put my mind to it, it can be done in the next week or so. Yes, I could drop out of life and finish in two days, but that’s not really an option!

Plus, the Pomatomus sock has been glaring at me lately. I’m hiding from it.

I shouldn’t be working on these at home; they should be my traveling sock. I should be working on the Pomatomuseses or the Ostrich Plumes scarf. But I’m tired, and they’re easy, and I want to give Pirate-Husband his socks sooner rather than later. My feet can wait for Pomatomii and that scarf may be done before I’m 40, but at this rate I’m not sure!

Someone else offered to wind off some Pirate’s Booty for me. Knitters are the nicest people! I let her know that I’d already spoken to someone and expected the yarn next week, and thanked her profusely. I can’t wait for those socks to be done. It’s like they’re taunting me with their unfinishedness – just a few rounds to go, and they sit on my desk glaring at me for abandoning them. It’s not their fault. They don’t know that I’m waiting for their toe-yarn to arrive.

Janis, I love you, but have you seen my stash lately? I so don’t need any more self-striping sock yarn! I do love the plain stockinette sock, and I’ll be making a pair for Pirate-Husband out of some brown non-striping yarn, but then I have six balls of stripy stuff, three balls of Trekking which may or may not be considered stripy, and three skeins of variegated stuff. That’ll keep me busy for a while, don’t you think?

Last night I sat down and put a couple of rows onto Pomatomus. I’m almost done with the second pattern repeat on the leg. One more to go, then the heel, then three and a half pattern repeats for the foot. Once again, I regret having such long feet!

I’d like to think that I’ll spend my lunch break putting the heel flap onto the Garter Rib Sock, but I know it’s just not going to happen that way. Ah well, there’s always post-work time.

…and now it’s even more possible; I just got a call from Pirate-Husband that the electrician is coming to fix our hot tub tomorrow between noon and four. Seems like I’ll be home in the afternoon, whether it’s a “work from home” thing or just taking half a day off.

Even so, I’m going to try to get the sweater finished tonight. I will be so happy when it’s done! Not only because I am looking forward to giving it, but because I really want to get back to some of my other projects. Pomatomus, I’m looking at you!

The Ostrich Plumes pattern is so simple that I didn’t bother to make a chart. I did, however, write out the pattern with each instruction on its own separate line, which made it easy for me to follow. By the second run through the pattern, I found that I didn’t even have to look any more. It’s repetitive and easy to memorize (especially the odd rows, which are “purl across”). If you are more comfortable working from a chart, there are only two rows which would need charting – the pattern for rows 4, 8, 12 and 16, and the pattern for rows 20, 24, 28, and 32.

On the other hand, I’ve found the chart invaluable for Pomatomus. I don’t think I’d make it through those socks without referring back to the chart at every round!

In other news, last night at SnB, I was able to borrow the needles for my Sekrit Winterholiday Gift Project, and that should be cranked out this weekend. I’ll take pictures, but I can’t post anything until the gift has been given!

Also at SnB, I got up to the part of the Trekking Ribbed Sock where the toe begins. I wanted to re-measure against my foot before starting the decreases, so I stopped there and chatted for a bit before heading home with the toe-less sock. I’m still a little worried that the sock will be too small, but I’ve had this fear before and everything turned out okay then.

Samantha asked, re my plan to block the socks right on my feet, “Won’t your feet be cold? Mine would shiver…” That’s what the hairdryer is for, to keep my feet warm and expedite the drying/blocking process! Unfortunately, I don’t have real radiators in my apartment, and I don’t think I can hold my feet up to the registers in the ceiling. (I love having central air, really I do, but sometimes I miss radiators.)

But I’m way past the heel and gusset on the Trekking Sock (stitches all fixed now) and I did a few rounds on the Pomatomus yesterday. I’m not doing *nothing*, really! Just not making the kind of progress I want.

There is a Kureyon Sock Yarn coming out. It’s not even too expensive! $19 for 462 yards/100g, and the yardage looks good. I plan to buy a skein once I decide on a colorway, but I hope it’s not as full of twigs and crap as the original Kureyon.

During knitting breaks I’ve been spinning some; the spindle is almost full and ready to be wound off onto the next toilet paper roll. Pirate-Husband thinks it’s funny that I’ve been collecting them! I’m quite happy with the progression of my spinning skills. I’ve gone from park-and-draft, to letting the spindle drop, to being tempted to stand on my chair to get more out of each spin. And the single gets more even with each session.

I started the second Pomatomus yesterday and I’m about 20 rounds in. This sock looks so funny at the beginning before the pattern is really established, like there are just random holes here and there. I remember this from the first sock and I know it will start making sense of itself in another fifteen rounds or so. Tomorrow I will focus on it and make some serious progress.

The Trekking Ribbed Sock came with me to SnB and I think I’m about up to where the heel should start. I need to measure it against another sock that’s a good height just to be sure. The heel, I think, I’m going to have to work on at home, even though it’s a traveling sock, because I will be sure to mess it up otherwise. Either that, or I can deliberately go out and knit somewhere quietly by myself. In general, it’s going very quickly and I’m thrilled! The more socks, the better.

Pirate-Husband got the call from the radiologist that only one rib is actually very broken. There is a second that might be cracked but might only be seriously bruised. Either way, he’s not letting the pain stop him; he got on a plane to Iceland this afternoon and should be arriving soon, if I have the time zones right. I sent him with my camera, so there won’t be any new pictures in here until at least Monday.

I’ve been wearing the Stripey Striped Scarf to work, because it’s finally been cold enough. There was frost on my windshield the other day! People have been complimenting me on it and I get such a thrill out of saying “thank you; I made it myself!” There’s at least one other person in the office who knits, but she doesn’t sit near me so I don’t know if she’s seen it yet.

So today has been another knitting day. The Trekking Ribbed Sock is now 3.5″ long in the leg. I knit in the waiting room of the urgent care center, I knit while I waited for the doctor to come look at Pirate-Husband, I knit while he was x-rayed, I knit while I waited for his prescription to be filled. The doctor thought the sock was the coolest thing ever. “I knit,” she said, “but I never thought of doing socks. I’m pretty much a scarf knitter.” I told her that if she could knit a scarf, she could knit a sock. While we were waiting for the x-ray tech, Pirate-Husband said that now that I’m so quick at simple sock-knitting, maybe he would possibly potentially like a pair of socks of his own, if I were so inclined. I’m so relieved that he’s not more seriously injured, I’m actually considering it.

If that’s not motivation to work on a difficult sock pattern, I don’t know what is!

…as soon as the Jaywalker’s done.

The other cool thing about the SnB, I may have mentioned, is that we’re working together on a charity blanket. I got the yarn for my four squares today, as well as the one border square that Pirate-Husband agreed to knit. My size 6 needles are free, so I can get started on my squares right away. Pirate-Husband is away on business… but when he gets back, I’m putting him to work!

Now, because the subtitle of the blog is “A Knitter and Her Day Job,” I feel that it is very important for me to share this next bit of news: I have joined the ranks of the re-employed. Yes, my days of bumming around are over as of July 9th. I had an interview yesterday and one today – and both places made offers. I took the one from yesterday. The commute is going to be rough, but I plan to get books and French lessons on CD to help me pass the time in the car. I am very excited about this; I think it’s blah blah great opportunity blah blah buzzword drone drone… the important thing is, I wasn’t out of work for very long and I haven’t forgotten how. I’m eager. Just think of all the yarn I can buy, now that I’ll have income again! Mmmm, celebratory yarn…

(I checked back in Midori’s blog and found that she’d already come up with a solution, but I’m going to post this one anyway. I’m curious to see how it differs from what she came up with.)

The original pattern calls for 24 stitches on each of three needles for the leg, so I’m going to guess that Midori has begun with only 48 stitches. If I were making a sock this small, I would be using four needles instead of three, and work the Chart A pattern once over each needle (four repeats = 48 stitches), instead of twice over each of three needles (six repeats = 72 stitches).

So then, the heel. In the original pattern, you begin with 72 stitches. At the heel, you put 36 stitches, or half of the original, on each of two needles. When you’re beginning with only 48 stitches, you would put 24 – half of the original – on each of two needles, then work the heel flap back and forth over the stitches on one of them. The original is 36 stitches for 28 rows. Math, which has never been my strong point, seems to indicate that the heel flap should now be worked for 18.6666 rows. How about 18? 18 sounds good.

Turning the heel, hrm. I’m figuring this out as I go along. In the original, it begins “sl1, k19, ssk, k1, turn work.” Well, 19 stitches is one past half. So, try “sl1, k10, ssk, k1, turn work.” Because you have eighteen stitches, half is nine, and one more than that is 10. Then work the rest of the heel turn. I haven’t done many flap heels, so I can’t say that I’ve got this right, but it should be a starting point for you to work from. On the RS, you will knit to one stitch before the gap, ssk, k1, turn. On the WS. you will purl to one stitch before the gap, p2tog, p1, turn. Do this until all the heel stitches have been worked. (I highly recommend putting in a lifeline after the heel flap and before the turning, so in case I’m incredibly wrong, you won’t have to rip back too far.)

Again, math seems to indicate that you will now pick up ten stitches along each side of the heel flap for your gusset. You now have the original 24 stitches on the instep needle, 10 stitches on each of your gusset needles, and uh… however many stitches left on your heel needle after turning the heel. You may need more or less gusset decreases to make the sock fit snugly, since your foot is so small, but if you put the sock on waste thread or lots of extra needles, you can try it on as you go.

Now you have 24 stitches (depending on what row you’re on) across the top of your foot, and stockinette stitch for the sole. The part of Chart B where it says “repeat twice?” Don’t repeat it. Voila, 24 stitches across the top. You can probably put the sock back onto three needles at this point, with the 24 stitches on one needle, and the others split onto two, then work down to the toe.

My first Pomatomus is about 10 rounds from beginning the toe. Almost done!

…is this considered premature celebration? This sock seems to be taking forever, and I still have to knit the second of the pair.

Stitch ‘n Bitch tonight! (No, I’m not bringing the sock. I cannot talk and work on this sock at the same time. Sometimes I cannot breathe and work on this sock at the same time.) I think I’ll bring something really simple. Maybe the hat to match the green scarf. Something I don’t have to think about while I knit.

So! It’s not that the sock is too small, it’s that needles – even bamboo needles – are really inflexible, and don’t care to bend over my instep. I knitted a little further out of frustration, then sorted the stitches out onto five needles, instead of three, and tried again. And here it is! The Pomatomus sock, finally on my foot! I could not be more pleased that I don’t have to rip back and begin again.

Times like this, I wish I didn’t have such long feet. I wear a 10.5 (ladies US) or 42 (European) and I am rather jealous of sock knitters with small feet! That’s okay – I’m in the home stretch now. Just a few inches, and a second sock, to go!

What’s the best way to take pictures of one’s own feet? This was the only good picture I could get. I tried various angles, but either my ankle disappeared, or the stitch pattern didn’t show up well, or my foot looked gigantic (wait, my foot is gigantic) or it was unflattering in one way or another. Perhaps when the pair of socks is done, Pirate-Husband will assist with the taking of pictures.

Sometimes I like to just look at the pile of yarn. All the colors and textures together make me happy. Especially that rainbowy Noro Kureyon!

…and sometimes I like to take out the sock yarn and imagine all the different kinds of socks that I will make with it. The pink and gray Austermann Step is the newest addition to the stash. Pirate-Husband and I enjoyed the beautiful weather over the weekend with a motorcycle ride. We went to a yarn store about 45 minutes away in Haymarket, a little town just where northern Virginia starts to become central Virginia. It’s called Needles in the Haymarket, and everyone there was so friendly that I couldn’t resist buying some yarn. They had a great selection of yarns there. Lots of alpaca, many many colors of Cascade 220, enough sock yarn that I had to force myself to choose. Even some Manos Cotton Stria, which I’d never seen before in person. It’s considerably softer than I expected! Eventually, the Austermann Step won out because of the aloe content. I got a bottle of Eucalan, too, which I’m sure will come in handy as I knit more things that can’t be machine-washed.

This is that silk and cashmere blend I keep talking about. It’s so fine and perfect and soft, I admit I’m a little intimidated! But I have the pattern, and I have the yarn. All I need are the needles and the time, and this will be a gorgeous scarf. Granted, it’s the kind of thing I don’t usually wear, but I am looking forward to the challenge of knitting it. I have the thought that once it’s done, I’ll be so proud of it that it will be come the kind of thing I usually wear! Next thing you know, I’ll be wearing shawls… what is this world coming to?

Pomatomus is coming right along. I found my mistake – (Totally my mistake. Nothing wrong with the pattern. I knit the same round twice. Oops.) – and un-knit it, and now I’m going forwards again! Last night I got past the gusset decreases and decided to try it on… and it won’t go over my heel. I’m not panicking yet. Maybe when I get further down the foot, it will fit better. Maybe it just needs some serious blocking. I am spot-on with gauge for the pattern, and I don’t have particularly large ankles, so I don’t know what’s up. Am I in denial here, or is it reasonable to believe that I can make this thing fit?