According to my car’s outside thermometer, it was 72 degrees Farenheit at lunchtime today. (That’s about 22 degrees Celsius.) In New Jersey. In March. Absolutely ridiculous!

Still . . . who’s going to complain about a warm, sunny day in March? I got to take Chappy out for not one, but two walks, neither of which required me to wear a coat. Where’s the bad in that?

Although . . . my shoulder is feeling better today (still a little stiff, but entirely manageable), but I had quite a coughing jag this afternoon. We’re moving stuff around at work, shrinking to a smaller space, and they’re doing so work right near my office, and I think it was the dust that set me off. Tonight, my lungs are sore, as is my throat, from all the coughing, and I’ve been short-breathed all night. Not fun. I actually took some cough medicine, which seems to have helped, but hope my breathing will be back to normal tomorrow. I’d been doing so well the last few days!

  But, you didn’t come here for my health, and I promised you some knitting tonight.

Here’s my Not-So Shrunken cardi. It looks much the same as it did in the last picture, but trust me, it’s longer. In fact, it’s just at the point where I can split out for the sleeves, which will luckily make the rows shorter, so I should be able to get more done each night.

I am so happy with the way this looks. The barber-poled yarn adds just the right tweedy-look to the fabric, and I like the feel of it, too. I’m just proud of myself! (grin) I suppose that gushing over my own work is kind of tacky, though, so . . . moving on!

I have also reached the heels on my socks, which I’m trying in a different way. Instead of doing a short-row heel, I’m trying something I saw on Knitter’s Review. Instead of doing short rows, actually decrease two stitches at each side of the heel on the knit rows, slipping the first stitch on each row. Then, when the heel has reached its narrowest point, start increasing each row, while also picking up the slipped stitches on the side of the “flap,” to join everything together. (It’s explained better in the thread on the forum.)

Kind of a nice change from the short-row thing. I conked out at the end of the decrease section, so can’t give you a first-hand review of how the heel looks/acts as compared to the short-row method, but as I said, the variety is nice.

I finished reading 102 Minutes tonight, about the World Trade Center on 9/11. Amazingly good book, and a riveting read. I can’t say that I loved it, because the subject matter is so heart-rending, but other than that, it was wonderful. So well written, so well researched, so gracefully handled. Excellent.

Now, tomorrow, we’re going to the park. It’s supposed to be another beautiful, warm day and so, darn it, who cares if the park is muddy! As long as my shoulder stands up the excited pulling when Chappy sees his best friend for the first time in about 9 months, and as long as, you know, I’m getting oxygen, everything will be fine.

Posted by Helen “Of Troy”

me? i do an un-toe.

cast on 1/2 required stitches, using slip knot to start (DON’T COUNT THE SLIP KNOT! and scrip e (simple cast on)
(so 30 ’stitches +slip knot for 60 stitch sock)

purl first row. (drop the slip knot, but don’t undo it)
dont worry if cast on row looks loose and sloppy.

row 1: slip 1, knit 1, SSK, –work- till 4 stitches remain, K2tog, k1
row 2: Sl 1, purl all

repeat
rows 1 and 2 till you have as much shaping as you like. (about 1 inch
wide or anywhere from 8 to 12 stitches depending on gauge)

then,
A)–at the end of knit row, Pick up 1 stitch in top most selvage ‘chain”
1)–(turn
work) slip the just picked up stitch, and pull it very snug. Purl
across row. at end of row pick up stitch at in top most chain of
selvage.
2)–(turn work) slip the just picked up stitch,and PULL
VERY SNUG. Knit across row, at end of row, Pick up stitch in top most
most chain stitch of selvage.

REPEAT these 2 row till you have original # of stitches. end on KNIT ROW.

PICK
UP NEW NEEDLE, and working in the round, Pick up 1 stitch in the
underside of script e cast on (if using DPN’s, pick up half of ‘cast
on’ row, and change to needle 2 to pick up second half of the cast on
row.

As you work, temporarilly replace slip knot to make a final loop to pick up a stitch (if needed) but do not knit slip knot.

continue working in rounds.
(UNDO slip knot in round 2. there will be a small hole that can be tightened and corrected with tail when finishing.
side with cast on is INSTEP.

do the heel the same way with 1/2 of stitches Work on insole side of sock. after heel is completed, continue to work in rounds.
THIS
TYPE OF HEEL IS VERY LIKELY TO GET A CORNER HOLE. BE SURE TO PICK UP AN
EXTRA STITCH IN CORNER, AND ON NEXT ROUND, K2TOG (OR SSK) AS NEEDED.

this is an excellent way to start to do 2 socks on 2 circ’s.

cast on 2 socks, and when it come time to pick up from cast on loops, use a second circ.

• Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading, Weather • Permalink:Isn’t it Still Winter? //