FO: Jaywalker socks

They're done! Actually, they were done over a month ago, but whatever. :D

The pattern: Jaywalkers, from MagKnits (Like you didn't recognise that. Did you know that if you Google 'jaywalker' the pattern is the first thing on the list?)
The yarn: Regia 4-fädig Crazy Color or something along those lines, about 75 grams
The needles: 2,5mm bamboo DPNs, though I lost one halfway through and had to replace it with an aluminium needle

Now, the fit isn't that great, but it's entirely my own damn fault. I should have used 2mm for the socks, and something even smaller for the heel flap, because apparently my purls are ridiculously loose.

I love the socks and have worn them a lot. The soles are becoming sort of fuzzy, but the yarn doesn't show any other signs of wear.

The pattern is a delight to knit. It's got that mindless stockinette in the round quality, but also the zig-zag action going on to keep me from getting bored enough to stab out an eye with a double-point. I could knit on them on busses (I get car-sick if I don't stare out the windows) and in class, because I didn't have to pay that much attention. Simply wonderful, and worked wonders for the striping yarn, too.

Because the socks are a bit large, I usually wear them either with a pair of store-bought socks underneath them (along with a second layer of trousers, because I get really damn cold) or as-is to bed.



As you can see, the legs don't quite match. The stripes don't, either, but I wasn't trying to match them. At all. And since the first sock didn't use a whole ball, I started the second one with the leftovers from the first, so even that level of matching-ness is a minor miracle.

Now, there's something fishy going on with the toes. That's because I'm an idiot and a kitchener stitch dweeb. Here, have a helpful diagram of where I screwed up:



The red lines highlight the direction of the kitchener stitch. Why yes, I did kitchener the toe of the first sock, on the right, in a right angle to the way it's supposed to be. Go me! (I hope I at least learned something from this experience, as I couldn't be arsed to rip back, because it doesn't really bother me.)

Plethora of WIPs

School has been trying to bury me alive with homework. (And I've been watching through Torchwood, but let's not talk about that right now.) Luckily, around this part of the globe we get a week off from school in mid-February. I guess it's sort of like spring break in the States?

Anyway, this doesn't mean unlimited knitting time for me, but I certainly don't mind, as I'm going to London for five-ish days. And you can now take plastic or wood DPNs on the plane, so I won't be bored to death. Yay!

This is what I'll be working on:



That's two balls of Regia Cotton. I'm going to knit the Bayerische socks by Eunny Jang from it. Mm, cables. (What do you mean it's a bit complicated for my second pair of socks? :D I can follow instructions with the best of them.)

Speaking of socks, here's my first pair:



Or, well, the first sock of the pair. I'm sure you can all recognise the pattern. :D (Jaywalker by Grumperina.) The yarn's Regia 4-fädig Crazy Color in a colourway (leaving out the U in colour was killing me) I very much want to call Ravenclaw in a display of Harry Potter geekiness. My sister already asked for a pair, and these are going to Mum because they're a bit too big for me. Oh well. The needles I'm using are 2,5mm (US 1½-ish) bamboo DPNs.

That's actually only the first sock of the pair. I'm already past the gusset on the other one, so it should be done by next week.

I'm also working on a top-down raglan sweater, using this recipe and a terribly simple cable pattern down the front.



The yarn is the cheap-o stuff you can buy at supermarkets around here, but it's surprisingly nice anyway, and I love the antique rose colour. It's on a 3mm (US 2½-ish) circular. I'm a bit stalled at the moment, because I finished the body and realised that the rolled hem looks like hell, so I'll have to rip back and knit some ribbing. At least now I know I can do ribbing at the neck without it looking too weird.

Speaking of weird, that waist-shaping looks horrible lying flat, but fits my body pretty well. I'm not sure if the fit is perfect, but I'm knitting the sleeves before making any decisions.

There's one more thing I want to share right now, and it's this:



It's a ball of Rowan Biggy Print. I bought it so I could make myself a hat, and grabbed the biggest needles I could find, and knit it up. I ran out of yarn just as I was starting the decreases, and also realised the the fabric was like bloody cardboard. Now, the needles I used were huge by my standards, a whopping 10mm (US 15), but apparently I need nearly 20mm needles. I would go out and buy some, but the LYS I like the best isn't actually terribly local. To get there, I have to take a bus or two and a train, and walk about one kilometre. Uphill. That is very useful for keeping impulse purchases to a minimum, but now I can't be arsed to go and get needles, so now the Biggy Print is sitting in my yarn basket looking forlorn. I wonder if I could knit with two needles held together...