If the last few entries have seemed disjointed, well… that’s how my week has been. Disjointed to the max.

The good news is that the basket weave socks are finished! Yea!!!

Note the lovely pinwheel toe and the non-crocheted crochet bind-off. I debated over the ribbing at the top. It doesn’t seem very basket like. In the end oh-dark-30 dead brain common sense prevailed, and ribbing it was. I finished them up last evening at Tangle, while drooling over the new Noro that just came in and trying out some Suzanne ebony circs.

The particulars:

• Blue Moon Socks That Rock in colorway Falcon’s Eye.
• Inox Gray US#2 (2.75 mm) needles.
• Basket weave stitch pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch.
• My own non-pattern sock pattern

Yes, my feet are happy and warm!

I tried some new things out with these socks. The octagonal pinwheel toe was new. I also tried out a method for having ankles wider than feet without increasing post-heel-flap. Someone who might sign up for the sock class said, You’re going to to teach how to have ankles that are larger, right? Since I nodded and agreed that of course I was going to do so, I thought I’d better come up with a method to teach. I think it worked out pretty well, and it fits within the whole “non-pattern” pattern theme.

I also swatched for my sock pal’s socks last night. The pattern says Gauge: eleven rows equals one inch. And that’s the only clue it gives me. So I knit a dozen rows (why go overboard?) on my new Suzanne 3.0mm ebony circs (I am in love with these needles). Approximately 11 rows yielded approximately 1 inch of knitting. I don’t know what to do other than call that “good” and adjust as necessary as I go along.

Today I cast on and knit a few rows on the toes. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful this yarn feels. It’s not the best stuff to knit with — tends to split and such. But… ohmygod… angora, silk and cashmere. It’s almost sinfully soft. I might have to keep these for myself. (Just kidding, sock pal.) The ebony needles grip that slippery fiber just perfectly. I’m now keeping my fingers crossed that I’ve got gauge (whatever it is) and I won’t have to go down a needle size.

Also, if you’re keeping score, this means that there is nothing currently on my Inox grays. Nothing. There are several skeins of sock yarn calling my name…

Must… Be… Strong…