Extreme Knitting

This weekend, I lived on the edge. I finished the hemlock ring blanket with hardly any yarn to spare. I got through the second pattern row on the extended chart but was able to eke out only one plain row after that and before binding off. I'm kind of afraid to block this thing - and I'm really not sure that I have enough pins.

I also completed the first sock in a pair I am making for the SO in Plymouth Happy Feet (part of my Christmas score). The SO wears size 12EEE shoes. I ran out of yarn two rows from where I would have normally stopped, but a quick try-on proved that they fit, so I kitchenered where I was and had almost no yarn left over. It was intense, man. I was especially afraid that through some horrible trick of the sock-knitting universe, the sock would not fist post-kitchener, but my fears proved unfounded. All this good juju is making me nervous - something is bound to go wrong. I forgot, however, in my wibbling over my chronic bad luck, that the SO has supernaturally good luck, so I am not TOO worried that they will shrink in the wash and no longer fit. It would happen to me, but hopefully his good luck will prevail over my not-so-good luck.

I didn't get anywhere on the sweater or the lace, though. Too much running around, not enough quiet at-home time. But! Last night I had enough quiet time to get the front of the sweater blocked. Tonight I will unpin it and, if I am very lucky, get the back blocked.

I've gotten through the cuff of the second mansock and am an inch or two into the leg. I'm not sure how these socks are going so quickly, actually. I'm also working on a pair of socks for me out of Panda Silk (also Christmas score) but progress is slow as I'm only working a couple of rows at the time. The pattern is Raindrops on the Window from Pink Lemon Twist's Water sock collection.

The SO trying to explain to me how he liked the socks last night was rather hilarious. "It's like...the difference between a brand new sock and an old sock, only more so." "So, you're saying I knit you old socks?!" "No! I mean a new sock is better than an old sock, and these are better than new socks, and the gap between the two is greater."

I'm still trying to figure that one out, but I think that he likes them and I guess that's all that matters.

The hemlock ring will have to wait for blocking, since I would really like to get the sweater blocked so I can seam it.

I'm going next week to visit my parents and grandparents, so next week will be all about portable knitting. I'm thinking about starting the Icarus Shawl to take with me, since lace is very portable (especially newly begun lace) but the Icarus is not crazy-detailed or difficult. I would love to get some time on Swan Lake but beads are a bit of an issue on airplanes, and the charts are kind of huge. Icarus is smaller and will hopefully be a little more doable. I will most likely pack both, plus some sock materials and a couple other odds & ends. My family is not particularly craft-friendly and will not be impressed by intricate lace (and will, in fact, most likely consider their suspicions regarding my sanity confirmed). They may be more understanding of smaller, easier, and more practical items. I'm not sure. They still think I am crazy with the socks.