I have had haircuts like this

So all the way too Halifax and all the way back I knit on the STR sock club socks from a while ago. (Both the yarn colour and the pattern are exclusive to the club for a little bit…they will eventually be available over at Blue Moon.) I made this shocking decision, to entertain the concept of project monogamy for 24 whole hours, because I actually finished the other sleeve of the Kauni. (And it does match. Obsessive compulsives of the world UNITE!)

This means that the next thing to do is to sew and cut the front steek and pick up button bands, and I just couldn’t see any of that as a good plane, taxi, hotel or beer-drinking-with-your-buddies project. (It is my firm belief that while a single drink can steady a body up for steeking, more than one effects accuracy and should be avoided.) Instead I worked on a single sock, which means a single sock was finished. (I admit, although it is not my preference, this “one at a time thing” really gets stuff done.) Now, I am not a toe-up sock person. In fact, for reasons that are too complex and stupid to go into here, I sort of hate them. That said, I really like knitting and want to have good skills and from time to time, that means taking on something that you don’t care for. (It also means accepting that the reason you don’t care for it is because you suck at it, and that with a little practice you might be more openminded….but I’m getting there.)

So I decide I’ll follow the directions and knit these socks toe up. I knit and knit, trying to figure out where to start the heel. I suppose I misjudged at some point, because while I was on the plane knitting away and watching Firefly on my laptop, I noticed the foot was freakishly long. I ripped back two repeats, thought it looked better and started the heel. I then entered some sort of fugue state where my inner knitter knew it was too darned long, but forced me to keep knitting anyway. It’s the downside of being a basically hopeful person. When the sock was finished I got Meg to put it on, because she has very long and skinny feet, and if they were going to fit anyone, it would be her. It was not her.

Finally faced with the truth, last night I unpicked the figure eight cast on I had started with at the toe, then remembered that you can’t unravel knitting in the wrong direction if there is anything going on other than stockinette (though I tried for a while) and decided to snip a thread back at a reasonable foot length.

Sockunravelledss0908

Then I unpicked along the row, picking up the freed stitches as I went….

Unravelledssdone0908

And knit me a new toe,

Newtoess0908

Now it is too short. Mission accomplished. Score, sock 1, Stephanie…..Nothing.

In other news:

I’m deciding what makes good knitting for a ball game, since the Stitch n’ Pitch program that’s run in other cities and looks like so much fun is finally coming to Toronto, and the game is Wednesday, August 15th, Megan’s 16th Birthday! The whole Harlot clan will be attending, eating (veggie) hot dogs and freaking out the non-knitting public in as big a way as possible. Get tickets here. It’s going to be big, big fun.

160 thoughts on “I have had haircuts like this

  1. I don’t like “to3-up” wither and I’ve never tried it. How bad is that!!!!

  2. oops, should really have my glasses on…
    should be “toe up” and either….

  3. I like just plain cuff down, and take my chances of having enough yarn. Wish I could see the Jays too! I miss the Jays living in Edmonton.

  4. Ouch. See, the sock was trying to tell you monogamous knitting is not for you. Multi-projects make a happy Stephanie.

  5. Toe up is the only kind I know how to make, but then I just started knitting and have made 5 socks all told. (I need to cast on #6 to complete the newest pair).

  6. Thats weird because I can knit toe up but cannot for some reason get a top down sock started. I always get all twisted…

  7. I tried toe-up and never could get the hang of it either. Cuff-down I got from the first sock on dpns too! I cannot do socks on circs though I have tried multiple times, I always seem to go back to my dpns!

  8. Yeah, it’s really easy to misjudge when you switch from one to the other, huh? I mean LOGICALLY it makes sense that a gusset is longer than a toe so you have to start it earlier… but it just looks wrong!
    Toe-up definitely saved my butt recently though, so I’m not here to complain.

  9. I then entered some sort of fugue state where my inner knitter knew it was too darned long, but forced me to keep knitting anyway.
    HAHAHAHA. I spend too much time in this state, though I call it denial.

  10. Chris and I figure that with the price of tickets it would be cheaper to catch the Red Sox all the way up in Toronto then at Fenway. Sad, huh? We might have to come up on a Stitch and Pitch night… after the wedding, so next season ๐Ÿ˜€ Love me some baseball!

  11. Oh don’t freak me out like that Stephanie! I have never tried a pair of toe up socks and I’ve been staring at that ‘magic’ cast on and had planned for my next plane project (2 weeks!) to be a pair of toe up socks from the latest Interweave Knits. I plan to start them ahead of time in case of problems. But if you (who knits really cool stuff) have issues with them, then that makes me nervous! I will give them a try regardless–if is after all knitting, not sky diving, as you say. In other knitting news…I just finished the Tulip baby sweater and it is SO cute. And I am ready to start Clue #6 of the MS3 which is going swimmingly. ๐Ÿ™‚

  12. I mostly do top down socks, but I feel challenged by my friend Karen, who does 2 socks, 2 circs, toe up as the only way she knits, almost only, that is. I’m off on vacation next week and I intend to start a toe up sock or two. I’m sticking to my dpns, though. One challenge at a time, please! I won’t be taking my STR or Dream in Color yarns. We’re going to high-country Yosemite, and it tends to get dirty. But what a place to knit, eh?

  13. Wouldn’t that actually be 2 points for the sock? Since you made it twice and all? *ducking* ๐Ÿ˜‰
    oh, but yay! for the Kauni sleeve!

  14. I believe I heard your poor sock screaming here in beautiful west Michigan. Poor sock – what did you expect when you took out a scissors (gasp) and cut the yarn? I am afraid I would not have cooperated either!!
    Here is my pitiful suggestion – find a friend with small feet!!
    Have you thought about how you will knit this poor socks mate?
    I shall be watching for sock #2 – toe up!
    Psst – Judy Becker might just be able to help you with your toe up dysfunction – she is, after all, the toe up master!

  15. I had that problem three times with toe-ups and finally hit upon the perfect (for me) formula: five repeats of Monkey on the foot, then do a short row heel. Now, all my toe-ups will have to be Monkeys, but who doesn’t like a Monkey? :o)

  16. When I met you in Toronto at Lettuce Knit, I was working on a sock in a pattern I knew was not going to work with the yarnand I knew I was going to hate it, but rather than rip it out in front of you, I kept knitting.
    My inner knitter was telling me to STOP RIGHT THERE – but I just couldn’t live with the shame.

  17. Um, I knit toe up socks because I can try them on to decide when to start the heel. Works a treat (though that doesn’t help with just knitting away until they are too long, which I did on the plane home from Vancouver).

  18. It’s good to try new things, but if you went monogamous on us you’d have to change the “Harlot” sobriquet and it would play hell with your brand recognition. And who wants to lose valuable knitting time to sit through brand realignment meetings?

  19. So, I am a player for the Las Vegas Showgirlz, a Women’s Professional Football League team. I am also a crocheter and knitter. The ladies from my crochet club are going to come out to see a game! I hope they bring yarn!! Who am I kidding, of course they will have yarn… hhahaha!
    I have been working on my first sock! I have a whole on both sides of the gusset, I didn’t notice until I was half way down the foot, so this sock will not have a mate ๐Ÿ™ I can’t wait to start my next pair, I think sock will be a good project for the bus rides and flights to our away games ๐Ÿ˜€
    Late

  20. The trick with toe-up is to try it on as you go. When you hit the ridge of your foot just before the ankle – start the heel.
    Glad that you won the Kauni Sleeve Death Match. I have one currently running with a baby sweater sleeve that simply does not want to be knit in the round.
    Sorry I’ll miss the ballgame – fundage issues, but will see you in Aurora with lot of hats. Have Fun!
    Alynxia

  21. Hey, I’ve got small feet!
    I know you’re a master knitter. I’m sure you can fix it.
    Hey, you haven’t updated your tour page, and I was wondering if you had any more specifics about your trip to Wichita, KS on Sept 16th.

  22. Toe-ups rock (as does magic loop)! We will pull you to the dark side eventually.
    Enjoy Stitch N Pitch! I went to the Kansas City Royals one in June and it was a blast.

  23. I lurve me some toe up and sort of hate the fiddly casting on of a small loop to start the cuff. That being said, I occasionally make myself do it just to keep my skills sharp(ish).
    At least now you can just unpick the toe and maybe add a little length in stockinette. They’re beautiful socks.

  24. This is why I have such trouble knitting to TV shows with fight scenes. I get into a nice knitting groove, and forget to do things like measure and count rows and keep track of pattern repeats. It’s comedy.

  25. I took a sock with me to the Jays-Yankees game on Tuesday, but it was way too bloody hot to even think about knitting. Thank God for ice cream. I swear that from now on, I will never ever laugh when Canadians complain about warm weather.
    Congrats on finishing the second Kauni sleeve!

  26. Stitch N’ Pitch was the best. I got a great book of all the yarn stores across the country, and best of all the St. Louis Cardinals won the game.

  27. Happy birthday, Megan! Our group also attended the Royals Stitch N’ Pitch and had a great time until the sunburn kicked in. Good luck with the mizzer-burble toe-ups!

  28. I may need a little Captain Tightpants naked butt pretty soon. It’s been too long since I watched Firefly or Serenity for that matter. I have been watching Stargate while I knit for the last month or so.
    Sorry about your sock problems. I have had similar issues with mine lately.

  29. I find the one beer thing also relevant to darts. I play better after one beer, but more than that and it’s all downhill. Plus, english darts = sharp steely points! Best to keep moderately sober.

  30. The Waterloo contingent will see you at Stitch and Pitch on Wednesday. Personally, I’m thinking a basic stockinette sock is just the ticket. Knit said sock, drink $10 beer (yes, the reasonably sized beers cost ten bucks!!), and watch the game. What could be sweeter?

  31. Obsessive compulsives of the world line up over here, according to height, and further subdivided by eye colour, and with your shirts tucked in, please.

  32. Wow, Dee – I was knitting up in the Yosemite High Country just last week. Pictures still pending, but it was truly wonderful. The sock got to see Vogelsang (high camp and peak) as well as Lake Merced. Watch that altitude tho – I need to rip back an entire heel flap because of the lack of oxygen.
    Separately, I thought that this month’s STR pattern allowed you to knit either way. Stephanie, did you not consider the downside? The colorway is gorgeous and I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you …

  33. I, too, am so excited about stitch n pitch… my first time. And trying to decide what to knit, because as you point out, in-public-and-not-completely-focused knitting must be a certain type of project… it’s so embarrassing to have to start ripping back when other people are watching ๐Ÿ™‚

  34. Pink and orange are big right now huh? I totally wish the Boston Red Sox would do a stitch and pitch… But they’re part of CHOKE. I think they’re even a major sponsor…

  35. Hey! I bet that sock would have fit my foot just fine. And if not mine, then my mother’s feet. Her’s are even larger. BTW–Me loves the toe up socks.
    Stitch and Pitch sounds cool. Maybe I’ll have to get something like that started around here. Seems like a good time to make hats.
    I liked Shel’s comment. A little spooky like “The Shining.”

  36. Steph, don’t give up on toe-up socks yet. They’re not my favorite either, but there is a really easy way to figure out where to start the gusset (if you use one) and the heel. Take one of your top down socks (with a gusset) that fits well and that was knitted in the same gauge that your toe-up sock is knitted in. Measure up from the toe to where the gusset ends and that is the length you need before you start your gusset. If you are knitting toe-up and using a short-row heel with no gusset, subtract the length that is the distance from your ankle to the floor from the desired finished foot length of the sock and you should end up with a sock that fits perfectly fine. Better luck with the next pair! What a pretty fall color you have, though!

  37. Have fun at Stitch ‘N Pitch. I’ve been going to the Chicago version for the past two years (GO SOX!) and ours (3rd annual) is tomorrow. It’s been great since they got a national sponsor last year (Craft Yarn Council of America, I think) and we all got a goodie bag complete with Lorna’s Laces yarn and coupons.

  38. I goofed on my last post with the url — sorry, it’s been one of those days at the office and it’s all I can do to remember my own name (and obviously I didn’t do THAT very well!)

  39. I was hoping for a stitch ‘n pitch to come here to Rochester’s triple A team, but realized at the last Red Wings game that it’s not really safe to knit in such a small ballpark. Every seat is foul ball territory!

  40. I sympathize. I’m now working on my second-ever pair of toe-ups, a new pattern called ISO Socks, which stands for Inside Out! You literally knit them as normal, then turn them inside out, and it all works out. Fun stuff! And so far, nothing at all tricky in the knitting or the finishing.
    For when you get bored. ๐Ÿ™‚

  41. I love doing socks toe up- its the only way I knit them! As a general rule, I start the heel when the total legnth of the sock 2.5 inches less than the total length of my foot. If you are knitting them for someone else, well, you will have to measure them and that can be weird!

  42. I like the way a toe-up sock looks (at the toe, nice and round) but have never found a cast-off that I like so the cuff end always looks screwy. So I knit my socks (for the most part) cuff down.
    Maybe it is a travel curse of the toolong/too short sock. I finished a TOFUtsies sock on the plane to Munich but found it was one repeat too short to match the other sock. Now I need to frog or find two one legged people with different sized feet.

  43. I love that you were watching firefly while getting distracted since I got distracted from reading this post by watching firefly.

  44. Firefly has helped me get through many hours of very repetitive lace knitting this summer. Thank you Captain Tightpants!

  45. Oh no, sorry about the Solstice Slip slip. I’m really liking that sock, I think it’s my favourite so far from the RSC.
    Glad the Kauni sleeves matched! I’m not up for sweaters, much less steeking, yet, but I am entranced by that colourwork and get a little butterfly in my stomach every time I see one of your updates on that.

  46. Yeah, what Debbie said. The Mets won, I got yarn, my daughter got yarn, then my DH and other daughter got yarn, and we’re all just as happy as clams here.
    LOVE the stitch and pitch.
    And Debbie Stoller was wearing cool silver clogs, and somebody had knit a Mets T-Shirt *and* pants!! Get cracking and knit yourself a Jays hat or something. And for the girls. And Joe.
    Coz, you know, you’ve got nothing else to do!

  47. I go to a lot of baseball games, and always bring my knitting with me. If you actually want to watch the baseball game (I not only watch, but score the game) I recommend something that requires absolutely no thought at all. Stockinette, garter stitch, or basic ribbing. You need to be able to stop knitting, even if in the middle of a repeat, to pay attention to other things, if only the person trying to come out of the seats to get another beer, who doesn’t understand “just let me finish this repeat”. Also, small is good, so that you can easily hold the project when you have to stand up for people to pass you. I’ve always got at least a pair of very boring socks going for taking to games. If I’m too near the heel flap, I’ll cast on another sock so as to not have to deal with counting or thinking while at the game.

  48. for the ball game, how about a hat for Afghans for Afghan? I just checked out their website and have a lot of bits and pieces of wool that would work great, and I really don’t have to think while making a simple hat. Plus you’d be helping a great cause!

  49. I have itty-bitty feet…bet you could do two socks for me in the time it would take to knot one for a “normal” adult. Not that I’m not “normal.” Of course I am. I knit, therefore I’m normal.
    BTW, for any teachers who sponsor a school club for fiber arts (knitting and crocheting): one LYS owner packs up leftovers from her classes, and sells the grab bag for five dollars. Sure, most was arcylic worsted…but I’m not buying cashmere for 14 year olds’ first projects. Found that shop on a vacation trip. My LYS will collect from patrons and pass it on to me. Any other ideas? No luck at resales like Goodwill. I get no money from the school for this.

  50. I think it has something to do with how you initially learned to knit the socks. I learned to knit socks from the cuff down, so any toe-up instructions, at first, seem like Chinese… I don’t seem to speak Chinese right now.
    Here’s the kicker, though. I learned to knit mittens from the finger-tips to the cuff, and that’s how I always do them.
    Sometimes the dog just doesn’t want to learn the new trick……

  51. Franklin wrote: “… if you went monogamous on us you’d have to change the “Harlot” sobriquet….”
    Franklin, I’m thinking Canadians might spell it “soubriquet.”

  52. does that make you poly-knitterous? or something…anyway…clearly you like me (adhd spinner my husband says)! i can handle cuff down, but am afraid to even try toe up.

  53. I have reasably short feet. If you don’t have anyone else to take them off your hands, I’ll hobble up to the plate on my foot-stumps. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  54. Next time they are too long, finish it and do the second one and I will be glad to take them off your hands!
    Cheers. Naomi

  55. Hurray for Firefly viewing + knitting! I love Firefly.
    I hope the stitch n pitch is great – I bet it will be. If I wasn’t moving that day I’d be there with lots of knitting enthusiasm.
    Can’t wait to see how the Kauni cardi turns out with full steeks and button band!

  56. That’s the thing . . . if you stick to just one, what do you do when it starts to annoy you? Purty sock anyway, even if it is too long/short.

  57. Sigh. The trials of socks. I enjoy toe up, but I have square feet that narrow into a tiny heel. Try knitting until your sock just reaches where your instep meets the front of your leg. That works for me. BTW, have you seen Momma Monkey’s Kaylee socks (www.momma-monkey.com). Gorgeous!

  58. I was about to be absolutely amazed at your prowess, because I would have frogged the whole thing, and then you made me laugh hysterically. Thanks.

  59. Oh Jillian (!) that happens to me too, only I drink wine when I’m playing darts. At two glasses of wine I am throwing awesome darts, but one more sip and its over!!!!!
    And who is Captain Tightpants???

  60. Ah, the fugue state. Been there many times. Now I know what to call it. Do love the colour!

  61. I’d say the best ball game knitting is a very large and bulky sweater. All of that bulk will protect you from the sun so you don’t burn up like a french fry the way that I did while knitting a tiny little baby hat at the game.
    Please note that I was wearing sun screen in such quantities that I was mistaken for a recently plastered wall with eyes. It made no difference. The sun found me. It always does.

  62. You had more than one beer (“too”, perhaps?) before typing this entry! It seems to have “effected” the quality of your spelling! ๐Ÿ˜›
    (I’ve just had several glasses of wine and am about to knit lace. We shall see how that goes. I already think I missed an increase when I was knitting at the pub the other night, oops.)

  63. Top down socks scare the living daylights out of me. I am always afraid that I will run out of yarn with about three rows to go and the left-over bits of yarn that I own are always something icky compared with whatever socks I am knitting. That being said, I am teaching two sock classes in a few and we are knitting, you guessed it, top down. Guess I have to dust of my DPNs and get cracking.

  64. St. Louis’s Stitch ‘n Pitch was Monday. It was fun, though almost unbearably hot. I’m told that Sally Melville was there since she was teaching in town. I recommend cotton baby sweater on metal needles – I seemed to get more knitting done than the people handling wool.

  65. I’ve just scared a dog or too from laughing out loud. The sock story sounded like a page out of my autobiography.

  66. Dude, I totally “stitch and pitched” solo last night; I didn’t know it was a group activity now! Although I have to say I got a whole lot more stitching than looking-at-pitching, for – while I have been knitting for a good long time – I still have to LOOK. :-/ Did I freak out the muggles much? Well, everybody my hubby-darling introduced me to carefully met my eyes, and my eyes only. It was like breast-feeding in public! Great googly moogly, I was only knittin’ a freakin’ sock, people!
    What’s wrong with toe-up socks? They just make more sense logically, because (here’s a hint) you’re meant to try them on as you go! Now I’ll admit this is a little hard to do in coach class seating, but you’re a real grown-up famous knitter, and I’m sure you were in first-class. So what was really distracting you, eh? Was that nice Kinnear fellow sitting near you? ๐Ÿ˜‰
    keep on purlin’

  67. I first crocheted socks so I knew the basics of the toe down idea, and yes I worried about yarn. The first sock knit followed Knitting Rules and it was great. About 1 1/2 pairs into sock knitting, I knew I loathed ribbing especially the first 10 or so rows. So I tried toe ups. I love starting with so few stitches. With a peasant heel, when done in plain stockinette, is about as idiot proof as I seem to need knitting to be.
    It sounds just like my weeks work, so maybe its something in the air.

  68. I live on an island just west of Seattle and ride the ferry every day to and from work.
    I am knitting the STR sock toe up and tried it on while on the ferry to make sure it was the right length. You should have seen the tourists stare!
    As there are many knitters on the ferry, the regular commuters are used to this kind of behavior and don’t even pay attention.

  69. Damn. I hate it when that happens. You probably don’t want any toe-up tips since you hate toe-up socks and most likely won’t knit them again… but you know that’s not going to stop me, right? lol I put a lifeline in before shaping for the heel, whether it’s before the gusset increases or before the short row heel, depending on the heel style. After the heel is done and I’ve worked a couple of rows of the cuff, I’ll try it on and decide if I need to rip back and shorten or lengthen the foot. PITA? It can be. But I’m getting better at guesstimating when to start the heel.
    And your single drink theory reminded me of a saying about martinis–“one is not enough, two is too many, three is not enough.” As if I could survive 3 or more martinis.

  70. Wow. Happy Birthday to another Leo. Mine is tomorrow. But we won’t be discussing how old I’ll be.
    Not that I care how old I am, I just can’t ever remember how old I am. And since I hate math, I refuse to count again.
    Denial works for me.
    ๐Ÿ™‚

  71. As baseball fans go, the hubby is super-superstitions about game, when I took my knitting the game, they won……I’ve knitting through ever game since.

  72. On the basis of self-improvement and learning new skills I did a pair of toe-up socks. Didn’t like the technique mostly because I have short feet and long legs and I like to get the long (sometimes boring)leg
    part out of the way first. With toe-ups the fun part
    gets done first and then it’s the slog and I’m not sure I have that much stamina. Nice yarn though, and firefly heals the pain of many things.

  73. You cut that beautiful yarn?! Why in the crap didn’t you just rip the whole thing out? It would have been just as easy and although it would have taken a hell of a lot longer to reknit the entire sock, it would/may have actually fit that way.
    Okay, now that my inner 1930’s depression era “Ack waste!” has been exorcised, I think a scarf for the Red Scarf Project 2008 would be the perfect Stitch n Pitch project. If you lose track and knit it too long, who cares.

  74. Well, having knit both top-down and toe-up, I think I like top-down better, except for the kitchener stitch at the very end. Not that I mind doing it. Not that I mind the way most of it looks. It’s just those two stitches, the one at the beginning and the end of the row that make it kind of square. That bugs me. Toe-up socks don’t have that. But honestly, I like everything else about top-downs better. Damnit, why isn’t there a perfect sock? Ok, so no one sees the squarishness when I’m wearing shoes, but I know it’s there and it bugs me. Mmeh.

  75. For the ball game I recommend something mindless and with stitches that won’t ladder down easily when you jump up to cheer mid-stitch. Also mustard resistant or at least washable. A plain sock cuff?
    I prefer toe-up, but I still have trouble getting the length right no matter which direction I go. It’s a matter of practice. I’m trying to leave myself open to various sock methods, but already find myself gavitating toward a limited repertoire
    even just a few pair in to my sock knitting career.
    I’ll never be a monogomous or serial knitter. I need projects to suit varied moods and circumstances. But I do appreciate the productivity aspect of one-at-a-time knitting.

  76. Toe up is all I know. Tried toe down and hated them, although I just bought the Interweave Favourite socks book and have vowed to knit them as written.
    I like being able to try them on as I go as I have long skinny feet but large heels. 4 pairs so far and all fit perfectly!
    Go BlueJays!

  77. I’ve never done a toe-up sock. I consider it like skydiving– looks like fun for other people, but I ain’t rushing out to try it. There are plenty of cuff-down sock patterns out there to keep me busy.
    I’ll be a one-woman Stich ‘n’ Pitch at the Reds/Padres game this Sunday. I was going to bring a plain black sock to do, but based on the comments thus far, I think I’ll bring a Red Scarf Project. I can do a 5X5 basketweave stitch (I do it at the movies all the time, so I don’t need to see it to do it) and the color is perfect for showing my team spirit!

  78. Stephanie, your toe up story was a hoot. I laughed and laughed, because it is so true. I just reknit the heel and much of the heel flap on a toe up sock with gusset in a gauge I haven’t done before – FIVE TIMES! After reading your story I ran and tried it on again – just to be sure it hadn’t changed from the last time when it actually fit.

  79. I’m jealous! I don’t think Cleveland has ever had a Stitch and Pitch night! I want one! Of course, I don’t know what I’d do if someone hit a homerun and I had to get up and cheer – I’ve never tried clapping with knitting in my hands.

  80. I have tried toe-up along with two circs, etc. Neither is difficult. I can follow directions. But it just doesn’t feel right. I can knit cuff-down in my sleep even with complex patterns so a cuff-down, DPN-using sock knitter I shall remain.
    We are not lucky enough to have SnP in our area but my default baseball game knitting is socks or a hat. I do need some sort of conatiner to keep the ball from flying out of my lap when I jump up, tho’.

  81. “…freaking out the non-knitting public…” That is so true. Why do non knitters, as you say, look at us like we are from another planned. HIHIHI. If I don’t tote around my projects, I’d never get them done.

  82. I am a defite cuff down type of gal, but I just bought the new Cat Bordhi book on socks and she has quite a few amazing ones which, I hate to say it, start at the toe.

  83. since you were watching firefly, did you cuss in chinese?
    and as much as i love captain tightpants, for me it is all about jayne. the hero of canton and the hero of my heart. wait until you see his hat! (which i geekily confess i recreated for the serenity opening night)
    i’m a might sorry about your socks. i reckon i aint see a purdier color this side of the ‘verse. gah! see what firefly can do to a girl?

  84. I’m sorry about your sock. But, you say you got the two Kauni sleeves to match. I’m not there yet, but now I have to try. I doubted it could be done, but I doubt no more. Did you have to remove and add colors and spit splice a lot. I’m having to do some of this to get through the body.

  85. We’ll be at the Stitch ‘n Pitch game on Wednesday, too, Stephanie!!! I, too, am planning to take a ‘no brainer’ project. The Sweet Pea (from Knitty.com) sock I’m working on requires too much counting. Hope to see you there!

  86. Sounds like how I shortened my top-down RPM socks. Top-down, I was a couple of rounds short of having enough yarn to finish the toe. I snipped about 10 rounds below the ribbing to shorten the leg, re-knit the ribbing upwards from there, then used the frogged yarn to finish the toe.

  87. Sounds like my Jitterbug socks…I’ve been doing “Wendy’s toe-up” for years–love the short rows, I can do it in my sleep. But am I happy? NO!!!! I have to try the toe-up gusset… and the same thing happened: Not sure where to start that heel, looked long, maybe it will fit someone else, no, not until the heel is rounded and I’m at the leg do I give in. At least I can measure that I need a whoppin’ 3 inches less than my foot measurement! I unraveled half the sock–pleased as punch!

  88. You were very brave with the sock. Happy Birthday to your daughter. And I love Firefly.

  89. Fugue state? I thought it was pattern hypnosis. That slip-stitch ribbing really had me going. I was hypnotized to the point that I didn’t stop the foot in time to do the mini-gusset, so I left it out and did the heel over half the stitches of the foot. It all worked out in the end.

  90. I actually *just* got back from my first ever Stitch’n’Pitch – I wasn’t going to go at all, but then a ticket became available, and I decided, what the heck.
    My advice – take something EXTREMELY SIMPLE. I’m working on the baby kimono from Mason-Dixon, because how hard can it be? Garter stitch, counting no higher than 3 at any given point…. I was fine up through the back, but then I lost the ability to count to 3 when it came time to cast on for the sleeves. I’m going to have to pull back a good 2 inches to find out where I lost (ie, forgot to cast on) that one pesky stitch.
    Other than that, it was a ton of fun. About 75 people were in our group. There was food. It was awesome.

  91. Stitch N Pitch! I wish. Have a great time.
    I just turned the heel on my 1st ever toe-up socks and had no clue if I started in the right place.
    Your post made me drop everything and go try them on. What the? Perfect fit. Except for that Figure 8 cast on – liked the technique but am going to use more than 16 sts for the 2nd sock. Looks like a Spock foot. Or what I imagine a Spock foot looks like.

  92. Having wasted opportunities while in the States, I’ve never seen a ball game. I hope that ball games are like cricket in that excitement is sudden, of short duration, and over relatively quickly. This allows for many periods of steady, productive knitting while scanning the field for interesting faces and seagull action. Australian Rules Football watched in-the-flesh, on the other hand, should never be done with pointy objects. Far too action packed and likely to result in injury to innocent bystanders should an umpire be particularly moronic. I can only just manage it when watching it on TV.

  93. Sorry – the best part of the whole post? FIREFLY! Yeah, again, sorry. Hope you love it.

  94. Oh thank you Harlot! I hate toe-up socks. I have some friends who are serious sock knitters. They love to do toe-up socks and swear that it’s the best way to knit a pair of socks. I’ve tried it several times because they are much better knitters than I am and actually know what they are doing. It still sucks. So, I’ve finally found a decent excuse to just do socks the way I like to without guilt, I just tell everyone that top-down socks just fit me better! It’s true, and I can finally stop beating myself up for not trying to master this technique LOL! Keep on flying!

  95. i am useing your scarf pattern from
    october 2006 for one of the scarfs for red
    scarf project easy to do -and looks just fine
    from what i am reading another big year for the
    project even a red scarf fund this year helpful
    group of knitters are we not-even if i do live
    in dont go out side youll faint florida i love my
    red sox sometimes

  96. “And who is Captain Tightpants???”
    The Cap’n on Firefly. So nicknamed because… well, because the wardrobe people liked to put the actor in tight pants. And the actor’s Nathan Fillion, who’s kind of awesome (and Canadian). As are pretty much all the other folk on the show (awesome, that is, not Canadian, though some are that, too).

  97. Happy Birthday to Megan.
    Firefly and knitting. Yes, an awesome combination but likely to cause … distractions — even before you get to Jane’s hat. And don’t you just love that he wears it and loves it in its awesome horribleness! There’s a man that loves knitting.
    Just finished watching the Firefly series and Serenity on DVD… good knitting of socks along the way. Will take Chelsea’s recommendation on the lace knitting and pull out the Stargate DVDs.
    Have fun at the ball game? I’m going to the tennis. Stitch and Serve??

  98. Okay, this is now a burning mystery. I saw Ram’s post with the reference to the entrelac socks. Silly me. I started reading Harlot later than that post so missed it.
    I tried knitting those socks too. Got to the heel and everything fell apart. The yarn was on the wrong side of the sock to continue with what needed to be done and keep the pattern going.
    So, the question is… did you ever find the sock, figure out the pattern (or find a correction), or is it still ‘lost’ like mine?
    [I have friend who still chuckles immoderately when she passes along yet another entrelac sock pattern to me…]

  99. I have had that exact same experience with knitting a pair of socks. The fact that you can have it, after knitting as many socks as you have, gives me hope that maybe I’m not completely clueless, just a tad distracted.
    Now how to explain that I had to frog FOUR times doing a sock in the Tidal Wave pattern? (Well, once was that I simply had the wrong colorway for that pattern.) I kept making some sort of mistake (all different mistakes) in the pattern and could’t figure out how to unkit one stiche and knit it back up without messing up the pattern. I think in my case, it’s Sock 4, Barb –nothing.
    Sigh,
    Barb

  100. I’m not obsessive compulsive, just visually oriented, and trying to save you from heartbreak. When the sleeves do not match, it demotes the project into an also ran sweater which leads to “I spent all this time to make this?”The matching sleeves pop it over into the “takes my breath away category” and also keeps the wearer from looking frumpy.They might not realize it but there will always be an underlying unease about wearing the sweater. It can be knit anyway the knitter wants just trying to save a little grief.Knitter’s remorse?

  101. I’m sure someone, in the gazillion comments above me , has posted this but I want to chime in anyway!
    Knitty Summer 2006 has a FANTASTIC Universal Toe Up formula. It works like a charm with minimal math involved. (But probably better not to do the beer thing while doing the math thing, either.)
    It’s the first time I tried a toe-up sock and now I only want to do toe-ups.

  102. I also knitted my foot too long on the Solstice Slip…and am now here reading blogs to procrastinate the inevitable frogging I will do of the half a heel I just did before I admitted to myself that yes, the foot was too long. I’m learning to like toe-up, but this is my main beef with them. When oh when to start the heel?

  103. It’s like a club here! I brought this sock with me to Connecticut, to break up the monotony of the afghan that I brought with me to break up the monotony of egg book research. I ended up working exclusively on the sock on the long, long, superlong bus ride from Hartford (long mostly due to traffic, but certainly not helped by our driver’s taking a wrong turn just outside Yonkers). Even as I suspected that I had made the foot a scoch too long, I continued on with the gusset, the heel shaping and an inch up the leg, simply because I was on a bus and could not stop knitting.
    I now have a sock that looks like a million bucks on my foot, but the heel looks kind of…big. Really big. I just tried it on for the umptillionth time, trying with all my heart not to see what is plain in front of my face: when I put the sock on, I am confronted by a full inch of ease in the heel. The foot is too long. The heel is too damn big. I am going to have to frog the end product of five hours of knitting, including 100 wrapped-and-turned stitches.
    Luckily, I have a full bottle of slivovitz in the house, which should help ease all but the very worst of the pain. Should I save you a glass or six?
    I know how you feel about Monster Chiller Horror Theatre movies, but if you can stomach it, Slither is worth renting just because that beauteous Nathan Fillion plays the Hero Sheriff. He’s really hot. And he’s a riot. And really hot.

  104. I’m kind of a fan of toe-up because I like knowing how much yarn I have left and spliting a ball into 2 just never happens. I need one of those nifty gram scales… As for the ballgame, I just spent a day at an amusement park and amused myself knitting a dishcloth. I haven’t knit one in a really long time, but all the dishcloth you have been gifted inspired me. Come to think of it, why would you need a dishcloth? Unless it is to gift someone else! Anyhow, it was loads of fun and now I’m on my 3rd one.

  105. OKay – love the knitting stuff normally …. but stop the horses….. you are FIREFLY fan too… How cool. My daughter got me hooked… I would marry Mal if my husband said I could!

  106. I’ll wait for toe-up socks until I’ve actually *finished* the 3 pairs of cuff-down socks I’ve got going. Which are all my “first pair”, since I have not yet finished any of the pairs yet. Or even a singleton. Yes, I’m slow; the point is–? [g] Then I can try a toe-up, if I feel so moved. ๐Ÿ˜‰ (Although I did get nearly down to the toes of a “zero pair” sock, decided the gauge was too loose, and frogged the entire thing. But I’m not counting that one.)
    And Captain Tightpants – *sigh*. I’ve only seen 1-1/2 eps of Firefly and obviously, yes, it’s a show to love. (Must Netflix it and Serenity one of these days.) But despite my lack, I can rejoice that I’ve also seen the blooper reel. Where the very last scene shows Captain Nopants. From the, er, rear, anyway. ::thud:: Ohmy…

  107. I knit all the time at ballgames! I love to knit socks. You really freak out the muggles with those double points. Also, the yarn ball fits so nicely in those yarnholders they attach to the seats in front of you.

  108. Mmmmmmmmmm….. Nathan Fillion…….. No wonder you over-shot the mark on that sock. It’s absolutely criminal that they axed Firefly after only 16 eps, especially considering the trash that continues to be perpetrated on the viewing public.
    As for toe-up socks, to figure out where to start the heel, you STICK YOUR FOOT IN IT! If you’re knitting a gusset heel, you start when you reach that little bony bit at the top of your instep, if you’re working a short-row heel, you go a little further, until the tendony bit where your foot turns into your ankle. Easy.

  109. I’m afraid of toe-up socks in the same way I was afraid of socks in general before I had knit them. Of course, I have you to thank (Knitting Rules!) for helping me get comfortable with the whole sock process at all. Maybe one of these days someone will write a toe-up book that inspires me in the same way. Until then, I’m faithful to the tried and true!

  110. When I first heard of Stitch ‘n Pitch I thought that it was such a bad idea. Besides getting over the knitting in public thing, I have enough trouble paying attention to the game even when I have nothing in my hands except a hot dog, a beer and fries.
    But back in July we were all anxious to see Barry Bonds hit his record breaking home run. After reassuring my husband and my son that knitters who love baseball and their families must be the nicest people in the world and it wouldn’t be embarrassing to be sitting among them, we went ahead and bought tickets in the Stitch ‘n Pitch section.
    It turned out to be just great! The extra innings (13 innings and we lost) gave me plenty of knitting time and my family was too distracted by the game to be embarrassed. I’m now a firm believer in knitting at baseball games.

  111. Firefly – I am borderline obsessed, and I don’t even particulalrly like SciFi, but it’s such a fantastic series. They are looking at the possibility of doing series 2 as a pay per view or as DVDs, or something that will pay for it to get made. All you other fans, go to: http://www.fireflyseason2.com/index.asp
    Encourage them to make more!
    In fact so gaga am I about it, that it has wiped out anything I could say about your cute (but annoying) socks ๐Ÿ™‚

  112. (Firefly sooooooooo rocked!!!) About the sock…I’ve got an entire sweater like that…just collecting dust on top of my dresser for someday when I go blind and it gets really really cold and I develop a hunch on my back to go with the one in the sweater.

  113. I went to Stich-n-Pitch in Sna Francisco last month and Loved It!!! My recommendation is if you plan to watch the game bring something plain to knit. Also, use a yarn that if (heaven forbid!) you drop it on the ground amongst the beer spills and peanut shells it still can be rescued later.
    My favorite part of the night? Two male knitters and two female knitters had a knit-off to see who could make the best baseball mitt pillow. They cast on around the second inning and finished by the eighth. The winner? Guys team totally rocked.

  114. Another sock comment-
    I just got a copy of Cat Bordhi’s newest book, “New Pathways for Sock Knitters”, and I’m totally besotted. I know you *must* know about the book; Cat used your photo of her on the back cover. But the book. I can’t believe what a watershed this is in sock knitting. She has come up with new types of sock “architecture” that don’t leave those gusset stitches alone. It’s absolutely amazing, where she puts the “instep expansion” stitches. Think of a spiral.
    I’m going on vacation this next week and I think all I’ll be doing, while my husband and daughter hike all over the high country of Yosemite, is knit the baby sock samples from the book and try to understand it. Oooo, you’ve GOT to see this book!!!
    Sorry I’m so far out there. I’ll try to calm down now. And breathe. Breathe slowly and calmly…..

  115. Ok, so let’s go back to your post about Tim from Halifax. Yea, he’s a cutie, but what’s this about you and Joe just getting married last September? I thought you were an old married couple!

  116. Oops, I forgot to mention what I knitted at the baseball game. I did 3 rounds of plain knitting on my monkey sock without looking down at it down more than once or twice. Since the yarn was dark and the stitches small, I had to put it away when I got to the pattern rows.
    Fortunately, I had my bright pink spiral rib hat. It only required knitting and purling and counting up to 3. That really worked out well.
    I also recommend circular needles since they are less prone to disaster when one needs to stand up and cheer from time to tine.

  117. That is a terrifying sock-mess. And I’m another one voting for the toe-up, though don’t ask me that question in the midst of my third attempt at one of those stupid fiddly cast-ons.. but, I can try it on! And because I suck at gaugeing yardage requirements and am usually knitting from two skeins, I can keep knitting cuff until I run short of yarn, rather than knitting my cuff with the deep, deep fear that it will cause me to run JUST short by the time I get to toe…

  118. If I’d been watching Captain Tightpants, I would have ended up at the knee before I remembered to put in a heel. ๐Ÿ™‚
    I took my son to the Can’t Stop the Serenity charity screening in Boston, and there were so many Jayne hats, and one girl even knitting one in the ticket holders line. Very cool!
    Love it when two obsessions connect!

  119. I understand your aversion to toe up socks, it’s the same as I feel about sweaters that I have to seam…But the toe up socks really are easy! If your foot is nine inches, knit the heel at 7 inches.
    I’m sure you already know that. I’m sure there is something much more complex happening here.

  120. Oh lord, I had the same exact problem with that pattern! I was knitting that pattern while on vacation. I tried the sock on after I had turned the heel – too big. I ripped the sock back and made the foot 2 repeats shorter, tried the sock on again after turning the heel and found out, lo and behold, it was STILL too big! I gave up after that and made a pair of Here There Be Dragons socks out of the yarn (an absolutely lovely pattern courtesy of the Keyboard Biologist). A much better use of that yarn! Be warned, though, if you make a picot edge and 10 repeats on the leg for your upsized Dragon socks, 1 skein of Socks that Rock is not enough…

  121. To Jane P.-the Cleveland Indians had their stitch n pitch on June 25th. I went to the Pittsburgh Pirates Stitch N Pitch and had a blast!-lots of great free yarn goodies and a great crowd of yarn enthusiasts (over double the number of people from last year).

  122. Dude, I have curly hair too. The title killed me . . . the sock nearly made me pee my pants! That is so something that would happen to me.
    (you must be enjoying this humid, perpetual bad hair, weather too?!)

  123. I have myself a Firefly/Serenity weekend about once a month. Have to watch all the episodes in order so I can watch the movie! Sigh – Captain Tightpants – sigh. . . Oh yeah, I keep wanting to try toe-up socks, but always seem to wind up with top down. Oh well, I’ll just go watch more Firefly – sigh. . .

  124. I also don’t really like toe up. And can’t really see the point when the yarn comes in one ball.(If I divide it then I’ll probably be very close to even…I may sound a little too confident here..and I’m sure the knitting Gods will take care of me the next time I do this.) If it was store bought in 2 balls…maybe I might see the point. I’m still stuck on the first STR toe up for the year….Did you finish the Grasshopper too?

  125. Most ballparks nowadays require a search of bags being brought in. I recommend a small project that has a pattern in it that you can remember easily and look up from without fear of losing your place.
    On toe-up socks, I’ve found the key to my heel is starting the first flap 2 inches from where the heel ends on my footprint. The point corresponds with where my foot’s arch has ended. To check to see if the flap is long enough after working the first half of the turn, I put on the sock and if the edge is a fraction behind the edge of my heel, I’m happy. Yes it’s tricky, but I can’t stand kitchenering.

  126. Umm… not to upset you, but wouldn’t the score actually be Sock-2, Stephanie-0? I’m going to back away slowly now and try not to make any sudden moves. ๐Ÿ™‚

  127. I frequently knit at baseball games at RFK in Washington, DC, now that we have the Nationals. Things like scarves, or afghan panels with simple repeats work well as projects. No distracting shaping is involved, allowing the perfect balance between knitting and baseball. The afghan I’m working on is done in three panels and then sewn together, so it’s obviously been best to take these along before they become too unwieldy!

  128. “Firefly” is my favourite! (Why Joss? Why?)
    I’ve just finished the heel of the second of those socks. I’m really enjoying that pattern.

  129. It is nice to know I am not the only knitter out there that is also a sci-fi fan. The only problem with Firefly is they didn’t make enough of them. As for the toe up of top down, I am having problems with both. I think it is the four needle thing. But I will keep practicing.

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