We interrupt this regularly scheduled broadcast....

For Ravelympics 2012!!1
This is my first year participating and I am excited to actually begin something on-time.  The team I am on is Team Tribute after The Hunger Games. WooHoo!!!
The project I am trying is my first pair of socks.

I have had to reknit the cuff several times. First, I measured the widest part of my foot like the book advises. Then I multiplied it my 5 stitches per inch.  Multipling 8.5 *5 gave me 48 stitches. The opening ceremonies were starting and I wanted to get started so I cast-on these and worked for about 5 rows.

After the Internet was available again, I looked up the gauge of the yarn I was knitting.  It turns out the yarn I was knitting is 4.5 stitches to the inch.  This gave me 39 stitches which was easily divisible by the 3 needles used to knit the socks.  I had 13 stitches per needle. Following the directions, the ribbing was worked in knit 3 purl 1 for about 2 inches.

It didn't match up.  It was always ending up with a knit 2 section before starting again. After feeling disgruntled, I read the instructions.  It said that these socks would be knit using a double ribbing, knit 2 purl 2, for the cuffs. 
Yikes, I had to restart again.  This time, cast on the 40 stitches to make the pattern work out. It turn out that 40 stitches was what the pattern suggested I cast on in the first place!! 
Sometimes you have to do things wrong 4 times to get it right once.

Focusing- Chapter 3

Do the right thing(ish)

It seems that when you do things they way they are designed, life goes so much better. Tonight, while sitting on the porch, I turned on the podcast that I listen to and actually knitted while listening.  The Cast-On podcast is designed to be listened to while you knit. It lasts approximately 1 hour. When I actually did this, I couldn't believe the progress I made. 

By having a set time to knit, instead of just knitting "when I can" I got much more done. I doubled the size of my knitting.  I had 2 inches of ribbing and added 2 inches of stockinette stitch.

WooHoo!  If I keep this up the sweater will hopefully be finished in no time.

 

As for the book, however..

Chapter3 begins with all the friends going to Aunt  house to help clean it up and straighten out things for Kelly. Jennifer takes the loan papers while the others vacuum and clean windows. They notice that Helen's family quilt is missing and can't find it anywhere.

After meeting with the detectivie in charge of the case, Kelly also finds out that a knitting needle is broken and purple yarn is missing.  Why would a vagrant take a quilt and knitting? The two off-duty dectectives found him on the golf course that borders Helen's property but, as it is pointed out, the golf course goes all the way to Old Town and the river.

Kelly also learns the bad news that they loan has some pretty strict rules and penalties. The house can't be sold or refinancesd for 2 years from the acceptance of the loan.  If she decides to sell the house, with all the penalities involved, Kelly will wind up having to pay about $30,000 instead of the original $20,000. Yikes!

We also meet, Steve, who comes over to get some balls that Carl took off the golf course. He knows Mimi and helps with repairs to the shop. I think this is going to be the "love interest" for Kelly.

Almost there

I have finished the main part of the hat. I am not sure if this is what it is suppose to look like.

Kinda looks like a bib

I still have to sew that together and put the ears on.  Here is one of the ears. I think if I made it bigger

One down, one to go

I could have turned it into a bikini top :-) Not a good idea though. In the instructions, it said to use a seed stitch but with this chenille yarn, it is hard to tell what it is. I would use just a plain stockinette stitch.
This book is not really for the beginning knitter.  It has patterns but not much help.  So if you know what you are doing you might like it. Right now, I don't.

Almost finished :-)

After the stockinette stitch for 2 inches, I had to decrease by knitting 3 together. With the yarn being so thick I wasn't sure if I could. I knitted 2 together and then put that back on the left needle.  I knitted 2 together again. I hope this works.
After about 6 rows it became easier to knit the 3 together.

Just wiggly row so far

I stand corrected..

I looked in the Index of the book and found Jacquard Stockinette Stitch on p.32 on the book. This is what it said- "Follow the chart, twisting yarns together at each color change. After the last row, beg again with the 1st row."

Fortunately, since I am using all black, it isn't a problem.

Now onto the regular pattern.  After finishing the sole, I cast on 31 stitches and worked in stockinette stitch for 6 row.  Then is says "Cut the yarn. Put the 13 stitches at either end on the spare needles, and continue working only on the 5 stitches in the center to make the upper part of the bootie sock.  Yikes!!
Cut the yarn!! How to I work the stitches in the center if I have cut the yarn.  I will have to ask one of the people at the Yarning group in Jonesborough.