Lest there is any doubt left in anyone’s head, I’m a process knitter. Just like all knitters, I love to shop at my local yarn shops and feel all of the wonderful fibers and dream about knitting with them. But the finished objects I create are much less important to me than the simple act of making loops with a couple of sticks in new and interesting ways. Having to make two of anything is anathema to me - which is why I knit socks two at a time, and why I ended up knitting 12 teeny little socks all at once.

I’m a process knitter. I don’t at all mind frogging something out if I don’t like how it looks. I like having finished objects to wear and use. But it’s the act of getting there that’s important to me. It is the journey, not the goal.

I am a process knitter. I often use a single-crochet bind-off on my toe-up socks. It’s stretchy and easy to do. But sometimes I don’t have a crochet hook with me. Reasoning that there are only so many ways that loops can be made, and whether the loops are made with sticks or hooks is rather immaterial in some cases, I spent 20 minutes the other day figuring out how to do a knitted “crochet” bind-off. It looks identical to the actually crocheted version. For me, it’s even stretchier because my crochet can sometimes be tight. I’m calling it the “non-crocheted” bind-off. I may use it on the pattern I’m doing for Tangle. Or not.

Today I mentioned to a non-knitting friend who has watched me knit a myriad of socks that I was going to design a sock pattern. What’s a sock pattern? He asked. Casting around for a way to explain it in terms that he would get, this is what I came up with: Alice at Tangle gave me her business requirements [would you be interested in doing a pattern] and I responded with a feasibility study and a functional spec with options [showing him my test swatch with lots of different possible stitch patterns]. The preferred option has been agreed upon, and now I need to write a technical spec so that other knitters can create the finished product. The “sock pattern” is the tech spec.

Oh, he said, I get it!

This weekend I spent some of my spare time working on materials for the toe-up sock class. I knit a color-coded sample sock, and started getting together some hand-outs on figuring out how many stitches to increase for gussets, yadda yadda. I’m going to teach the how to fit your foot with no pattern and any size of yarn method of sock knitting, and that does require some simple math. I’m knitting the sample in chunky yarn on big needles. I meant for it to be just big enough to show the different sock parts, but the darn thing actually fits my foot. I guess my non-pattern is firmly ingrained.

… yep, that’s me!

Have you ever noticed how four-day weeks seem much busier than 5-day weeks? Perhaps because we try to cram 5 days worth of work into those four days. That’s certainly what happened to me this week. Work. Lots of it!

On the knitting front, I have 5 more pattern repeats to do on the ankles of the basket weave socks, and then I’ll be done, done done! And my needles will be free to start on my Sockapalooza pal’s yummy cabled socks.

I also have to get ready for the sock class. It’s coming up in 3 short weeks, and I have no materials ready. It turned out to be so popular that we are adding a second class. I don’t want to have more than 10 in the class, and I’m being hard nosed about people being able to make it to all three sessions. But it looks like both classes will fill.

So I’d better come up with a lesson plan, eh?

Tangle will be having it’s first anniversary in June, and will be starting to carry Blue Moon yarn at about the same time. Alice has asked me to develop a sock pattern with Socks That Rock. I have a stitch pattern and a name, so now I just need to figure out how to turn my basic trial-and-error sock pattern into something that others can follow and actually end up with a pair of socks that fits. I’ll probably also do a toe-up cast-on clinic. We’ll see.

The pattern will be available here some time this summer, after a lot of test-knitting. Hopefully Knitty.com will have published the cast-on by that time also, so I can link to it.

The green sweater, Clapotis #2, the PNW Shawl and at least a couple of other pairs of socks languish in neglect.

I’ve found the pattern for my sock pal’s socks.

Alice from Tangle Knitting Studio in Lake Oswego let me look through her stack of old magazines and knitting books from the 40’s, and I found this in a little book called Hand Knits By Beehive - Socks For Men And Women.

I’m going to make the ones on the right. Except I’m going to make them toe-up. And longer. But that’s the general idea anyway. I think they’re going to look great in that Ambrosia yarn.

I might have to keep them! (Just kidding, sock pal!)

This is my next project, as soon as I get the basket weave socks off of my Inox grays. Which shouldn’t be too long, as I have the heels turned and have started up the ankles. For the second time. I didn’t like the way the heels came out the first time so I frogged and re-knit this weekend.

I also need to get ready for my sock class that I’ll be teaching starting in just a few short weeks! EEK!

And Alice has asked if I’d be interested in doing a pattern for Tangle’s anniversary. Which I am. But June isn’t all that far away, either.

Maybe I’ll get that sweater done by next fall.

I’ve been quiet the last few days because I’ve been out of town. I was invited to spend several days at Lincoln City with a wonderful group of women (and one wonderful girl). We had a marvelous time walking on the beach, shopping, eating, playing games and laughing. And, yes, some knitting was accomplished - although not much.

The weather was amazing! Clear and very cold. On Saturday the wind was so strong it blew the waves up in spray. But the sunshine was so nice.

This picture is looking south toward Siletz Bay from just below The Inn At Spanish Head. You can see the rest of the pictures I took on the Galleries page under Lincoln City, 02/2006. We saw a spectacular sunset and sunrise from our rented house high over the beach.

In the good news department, Dr. Specialist called me as I was on my way out of town. The tests showed only IBD and no sign of lymphoma. Yea! #1 Son was great at giving Kidd his medication and keeping him in Gerber baby meats while I was gone. Since I’ve been back, I’ve been tempting Kidd with all of the yummy cat foods I can find, in the hope that we can get him back to eating his regular food soon.

Life is beginning to get back to what passes for “normal” around here.

[ed.] I just realized that I typed “IBM” instead of “IBD.” That must have raised a few eyebrows.

And what do you think a line of teeny, tiny socks is doing, hanging from my mantle?

Those are 12 little socks, knit all at once on two size US#1 Addi Turbos.

Personally, although I wasn’t competing in the Knitting Olympics, I really think I deserve an Honorable mention for this one! That’s 12 socks! Twelve! All at once! And, no, I didn’t manage to keep the yarn untangled, especially when I turned the heels. That was a mess.

I’m not sure I would try this feat again.

And what does one do with 12 teeny, tiny little socks?

Why… turn them in to little sock bookmarks, of course! These are on their way as gifts to a special group of women.

No word yet on Captain Kidd. I’m waiting for the results of the tests done on Thursday. The most likely diagnosis, it appears, is lymphoma.