Clyde goes home, Abigail arrives

We had double foster pups for a few hours, as we added sweet Abigail to the family last night, and Clyde went to his forever home this afternoon.

We took Clyde to the Meet & Greet for another round of shots, and ran into his Momma, Lindy, and brothers Moose and George. It was amazing to see the clan back together, and the variations between the pups. Clyde was the only pup with upright ears. He was also the only one who had figured out potty training. Yay, Clyde!

Abigail is a pretty girl, but pretty sick with an upper respitory thing. I've never wiped a pup's nose before! She's on antibiotics, but has been coughing and snorking and just sick. Dr. Melissa prescribed Robitussin DM, which I was able to borrow from my neighbor. After just one dose, Abbie is sleeping peacefully on my lap. Poor girl - hopefully now she can rest better!

In Knitting Olympic news, I am almost done with Merino Lace sock 1 - just the toe to go. I will be able to cast on sock 2, but I will not get two pairs of socks knit during the Olympics. I did knit four socks, yes, but unraveling and reknitting Sleepy Hollow sock 1 means only 3 to show off!

Since my beloved alpaca hat and gloves have lost themselves, I will be casting on Aussie wool gloves as soon as Merino Lace 2 is done - so no taking it easy just because the Olympics are done!

Merino Lace from Favorite Socks

I have been knitting along on my Olympics project #2, the Merino Lace socks from Favorite Socks. The pattern has been quick to memorize. I appreciate the way the this-way-that-way leaning 3-st lace columns help me keep track of the 5-st lace repeats, and after a knit through the 12 st center panel, I can see what's going on there and don't have to keep checking the charts. It's also lovely to get a rest every other round. It's just such a clever pattern!

Since I have only 444 yards of Gloss yarn, not the recommended 525, I am shortening the leg by 2 repeats. I meant to weigh my Sleepy Hollow socks before the heel flap started, but I forgot. I'm thinking I should have more than half my yarn left, but I'm not sure if I should have two-thirds.

I am going to do the heel as directed, as the lace continues down the heel flap, and the st st gussets look nice.

Sweet Sleepy Hollows

My Sleepy Hollow socks are done! The third sock was easy peasy - I'll have to keep that in mind for future sock knitting, I guess.

I am wearing the socks now, because I had to take a photo and they are so sweet on my feet, I don't want to take them off. They will definitely debut tomorrow for a full day's wear.

Since I finished darning in my ends at 7:30pm, I had time to finish a good circular swatch for my next Olympic sock. Yes, I am only committing to finishing one Merino Lace sock! After all, I've knit 3 socks already, thanks to SH sock 1's reincarnation as sock 3. Maybe I can tear through both socks, but I'm not sure if I want to do a SH heel or the heel as directed - I haven't read through the pattern past the leg.

In Clyde news, he has come through surgery well. A little stoned, but as a result more cuddly than usual. He and Harley still managed to raise a ruckus tearing up their favorite stuffed bunny. Harley loves Clyde, of course, because he is a total softy about puppies. Sometimes I feel like a baaaaad master, always bringing home new doggy siblings and then getting rid of them. When a puppy disappears to its new home, Harley gives me the stink eye and acts suspicious for a couple days. I am certain he figures his days are numbered, too.

Knitting Monday

Monday means knitting lunch, and today I brought my Sleepy Hollow sock instead of my usual Mohair Monster.

The mohair monster has been my project forever, because I have to knit eight short rows for every one row in length. I love the spirally effect, but it's not speedy.

Today, though, was all about Sleepy Hollow. Sock 2 is done, and pretty spiffy. When I started knitting at noon, I'd almost finished joining the turned heel back to the gusset, so I showed the sexy heel off to my knitting buddies.

Pamdear and TrinKnitty also took a turn with the 9" sock needle, and TrinKnitty took photos. Yes, there is a needle between my fingers! I have large hands and the needle tips are less than 2" long, but it's comfortable for me. It felt claustrophobic for T., and P. had to adjust her knitting style. I am just happy with having only one needle to worry about, even though I can not use my usual picking style . Instead, I throw my knit stitches left handed (the way I always purl). There just isn't enough needle tip to hang on to to make the picking comfortable.

I should be able to finish Sock 3 tomorrow, and then I will start my second pair of socks (without really hoping to finish them before the Olympics end). While I'm longing to use my Signature needles for the Merino Lace socks, I have only size 2.25mm and 2.5mm, and I should really use 2mm to get the gauge correct. I've got a circular swatch going on the 2.25mm Signatures; I'm going to knit another inch and measure it. While I expect it will be off by a half stitch at minimum, it may work fine for my large feet! The Signatures are so sleek and pointy - it would be a joy to knit a pair of socks on them!

Trisockalon news with unrelated but very cute puppy photo

I've been knitting like a fiend on Sleepy Hollow sock #2, since sock #1 will become sock #3 and I'm feeling some pressure. I've swatched for a second pair of socks, but I don't think I will get two pair done - although I may have knit 4 socks by the end of the Olympics!

The yarn for pair 2 is also from Knitpicks, lovely Gloss Sock with wool and silk. It's squooshy and lovely to knit!

Clyde has been a wonderful foster pup. He's a funny doggy dog, with lots of energy and an ability to be michievous without being too naughty. Last night, I woke from a deep sleep because of a strange ringing thump in the bathroom where Clyde was supposed to be sleeping. I went to check on him, and he had somehow managed to knock a metal trash can off the bathroom counter into his kennel. I had taken the top of the kennel, because he was using it to climb on the counter to look for new toys.

Clyde pretended he knew nothing about the trash can. As it would seemly nearly impossible for a 6lb pup to reach an 18" pop-top trashcan on a 36" counter, I couldn't scold him. He would have given me that "Are you crazy, nice lady?" look, and I would have had to agree it seemed highly improbable. He was completely ready to play, which was a problem because we'd been up until 1am and it was only 5:33am. We went to the toy basket and found some new toys, and I put him back in the bathroom, hoping he would amuse himself.

Clyde, soon to be Scoutmaster Clyde Hale, has his surgery Tuesday and goes to his new home Wednesday. My whole family will miss him. He's a keeper. I'm glad we know the Hales and can get Scout updates - I expect there will be many good stories!

I did it

I had to.

I unraveled Sleepy Hollow sock #1. I finished leg #2, and it fit so nice, and the ribbing was so pretty... sock #1 was embarrassed. It wanted to be unraveled, rewound, and reknit. Really.

Who am I to argue with a sock?

I may be crazy, but at least I'm only armed with pointy sticks

Now that I've put it out there, unraveling sock #1 to redo the cast on doesn't sound that bad. I want a pair of socks that fit, after all. As a Knitting Olympic challenge, I would have time to reknit. It just seems crazy.

After all, I am no longer a perfectionist. When I was about 12, I was working on a project and couldn't get some little thing right. I was near tears, when my mom came in and laughed at me. Laughed long and hard, as I recall. I was shocked, but its was a kind of revelation. Why was I getting all knotted up about such a little thing?

My mom gave me my foundations in crafting, and her mantra was "no one will ever notice." As a reformed perfectionist, I ask the important corollary: "Will I notice?" It's very freeing to be able to make a choice - without compulsion.

I may choose to reknit sock #1, but I have two balls of lovely blue wool, and an assortment of wonderful sock patterns to choose from - so will I notice one sloppy ribbing, or not?

As for the photo above, Mom was obviously a newlywed in this photo. I don't remember her totin' guns after Bro and I were around. The most dangerous thing I ever saw her brandish was a sewing needle.