Beans & Cornbread

A Texas girl eats and knits her way across crabby old New England

Saturday, September 16, 2006

I'm jaywalking, yes indeed, I'm talking...

after a mishap involving a lost dpn and a makeshift replacement, I finally finished the jaywalkers!


I used Regia 4-ply yarn and size 1 bamboo dpns (except for about half of the second sock, where I used four bamboo needles and one skewer). The pattern, of course, is the ubiquitous Jaywalker pattern by Grumperina.

I know this is a mildly heretical thing to say in the knitting world, but I'm not sure I get what all the fuss is about. Don't get me wrong, I love my Jaywalkers and I'm looking forward to wearing them, but I don't particularly feel the need to cast on for another pair right away, or maybe ever. They were more fun to knit than plain old stockinette socks, but not what I'd call exciting.

That said, I really like the way the zigzag pattern works with the variegated yarn. They also fit nice and snug (so snug, in fact, that I had a little trouble getting them over my huge bulbous feet!).

Next on the needles: a Licorice Whip sweater for me (already started this one and I *love* it), and a pair of Thuja socks, which will be for a boy if said boy gets his act together, and for me if he doesn't.

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Garr!

So I had about three inches left to go on my second Jaywalker, and I had to go and lose one of my dpns! Seriously, the thing is gone. Swallowed by the abyss. After much swearing and tearing-apart of my room, I hit on the idea of making a new one out of a bamboo skewer. We have a ridiculously huge supply of them at my house, so I procured some sandpaper from my artist roommate and sanded the hell out of one. It's small and a little flimsy, but it's still a perfectly serviceable knitting needle. So as long as both my Jaywalkers come out the same size, it's all good. Either way, I'll have pictures soon.