Sockapalooza 4 Woes

Anyone else who is participating in this swap will already know of the issues with blogger. I have NEVER succeeded in posting to the common blog. I go and read it with some frequency, but I am finding that it is probably too big of a swap for my liking. Even with an anonymous swap, I like to get to know my spoilee a bit… We’re all busy people, but that has proven to be a challenge with this particular swap.

On the plus side, I was given essentially free reign as far as both colour and pattern went, on the minus side, I think that I probably needed more guidance! However, with that in mind I chose a yarn that spoke to me and would give me something to say about why I had chosen it. Remember the Panda Cotton sunning itself while yearning for blueberry dacquiris? Well that was the specially chosen and ordered yarn. The colourway is Blueberries - Grapes, which given my wild blueberries made it just about a perfect choice!
Now I kind of procrastinated about choosing a pattern and when I finally did I choose Beaded Swirl Socks. I ordered it. And I waited… Now this was simply blondeness on my part. I could have ordered it as a download, but for some reason that is completely and totally unknown to me, I chose to order a printed copy of the pattern. I finally decided that I needed a different pattern…
I’ve looked at the Favourite Socks book MANY times, but considering my collection of back issues of Interweave Knits, I have resisted the temptation. With a little bit of digging and page flipping I found the Spring 2004 (out of print) issue which has the Waving Lace Pattern (it is the one on the cover of Favourite Socks) in it. It was perfect!
Out came my favourite 2.5mm needles. And I was off! I knit the scalloped edging and started in on the pattern. After about half of the first pattern repeat, I decided that I really didn’t like the way that the yarnovers at the purl side were coming out. They needed to wrap the other way so that they would be bigger. Time to frog the sock!
It was cast back on and I was off! I got as far as the heel flap. After a quick measure, I decided that I would try it on just to be sure. Now my spoilee’s feet are smaller than mine, and I’m telling you, with the stretch of the lace, they just weren’t going to work. Time to frog again…
This time I cast on with the 2.25mm needles.

Edging? Check!

Leg? Check!

Heel flap? Check!

Heel and gusset? Check!

Enough yarn? &$#^#%#$@#!!!!
This is as far as I got… I only ordered two balls. I haven’t decided whether I’ll try to get a third ball, or whether the yarn is telling me that it wants to be something different….

Hello? Drawing board? Yeah… It’s Miss Me – I’m coming back in…
I had wanted to try a new pattern for my spoilee, but I’ve decided that its time for an old favourite and standby. I’m going with Sockbug’s Lacy Scallops Socks. They’re beautiful socks, and that pattern has never let me down. And I dug through my stash and found a very nice Regia Cotton yarn in pinks, blues and a sort of coral colour. The colours make me think of the Northern Lights, which is kind of fitting given my Canadian home. Here they are so far. I really hope that my spoilee likes them!