SSS

Yes, I'm going to talk about Single Sock Syndrome (SSS) today. If you take a look at my progress bar, you will notice five (yes 5) sock projects that are right around fifty percent complete. That means that I have five single socks on the needles.

I think the origin of SSS is the fact that many knitters do not like to knit the same pattern twice. The two socks at one time approach would therefore seem ideal for these knitters. It's true that I do not like to repeat patterns, but I think my problem initiates from a different concern: I get bored. There are so many knitting patterns that I want to try that I get bored spending weeks on the same one. I want to see what it would feel like to try something new. Given my penchant for buying sock yarn (2 more skeins this week), it is not surprising that my boredom manifests itself as SSS.

For some knitters, SSS is quite alarming. They do everything they can to avoid it, including knitting two socks at a time, a slower process, but one that guarantees that there will not be a SSS outbreak. Other knitters embrace SSS. I have heard on more than one podcast of a knitter making the second sock a year or longer after the first.

I take a more moderate approach. SSS does not bother me. I know that when the mood hits, I will finish the pair. However, I am not entirely lackadaisical about this problem either. I do not believe in having languishing projects. If I am still not knitting on a project within a couple of months, I frog it. A couple of times a year I finish all the projects on my needles before I cast on for something new. The oldest project I have on my needles is one of the socks, and it is less than three months old. I do feel that something must be done about my SSS before it becomes more contagious. I will not cast on for anything else until at least three pairs of socks are done, and no more socks until all five lonely socks have a partner.

Lists

I love making lists. I have for as long as I can remember. I write a to-do list in my planner every day, and I often have a secondary to-do list that breaks down those tasks. I have other lists on my computer, in my apartment, and in my head.

Yesterday was graduation, so today is my first day of summer. Thinking about summer naturally made me want to create lists. I've had a Things I Want to Do This Summer list on my computer for quite awhile. My #1 priority is finishing my thesis. Besides that and my job, I plan to spend my summer being creative and relaxing: knitting, sewing, scrapbooking, and reading. In that spirit, you will notice two new lists on my sidebar. The first is a list of books I've read this summer. I'm cheating a little- I started some of these books last week, but classes were over so I figure that counts. I know 90% of these books aren't Literature, but I spend all school year reading intellectual books. I welcome the opportunity to engross myself in more fluffy books.The second is a (very unrealistic) list of knitting goals. I want to see how many projects I can get done, so I'll be keeping track of those there.

With all of these lists settled, I'm ready to have a productive and relaxing summer.

I'm Still Around

Sunday is graduation so it's a little busy around here. Once things settle down, I'm sure I'll get back to knitting and will finish my first sweater and some of those socks.

Socks, Socks, and More Socks

The finished item first:

Pattern:Lifestyle Toe Up Socks - No Swatch Needed by Charisa Martin Cairn
Yarn: Yarntini Variegated Sock in Vintage
Needle: size 1.5 circular
Date Started: April 15, 2009
Date Finished: May 7, 2009
Comments: The explanatory video was very helpful. I'm not thrilled with the pooling, but other than that, a fast, mindless project.











Then I did some major casting on. According to Ravelry, I now have 7 WIPs, the most I've ever had. Here is a sneak peek:

My First Sweater- Part 6

No picture this week because I'm so close to being done and I don't want to give it away. I finished the yoke and bound off this week. Our knitting instructor did the math for us so that the decreases would be evenly distributed and symmetrical. I'm not sure why the original design didn't have it that way in the first place. I think it looks much better like this. Now I just need to pick the buttons, sew them on, and finish the arms, and my first sweater will be finished. I've already cast on for my next one- the Featherweight Cardigan I lusted over before. I'm thinking about a Liesl also.

Next week- a finished sweater

My Trip to the Frog Pond

Wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I ripped back the seven rows of the yoke and reknit it. Of course I put the stitches on the needle twisted, but that was the only difficulty. I think knitting the yoke the second time was even easier than the first.

Frogging

I guess I should be happy I made it this far, but I'm a little discouraged. I need to frog back the yoke of my sweater. My knitting teacher helped us redesign the decreases so that it would look more symmetrical than the pattern, but I messed up somewhere. I have two extra stitches for the last two decreases. I considered keeping it, but then it won't be symmetrical again, which was the whole point. So to the frog pond it goes. Then I'm putting it in time out for a day or two before I pick up and try again.

My First Sweater- Part 5

Look, my sweater actually looks like a sweater! I did the sleeves this week. They took forever, but it was a very gratifying week. I'm quite happy with how quickly this sweater is going. I think that having a class every week is the perfect motivator. I hate to be behind, so I work extra hard on that week's assignment. Last week I thought that I was up to the next part, but I needed to add 6 extra rows. I'm glad I did because it would have been a bit short without the extra length.

Next week- the yoke