Socks and Vests

I'm in one of those phases where I'm not finishing a lot, and I've been working all the time so there hasn't been much blog activity. But today we have a couple things!

I was teaching a sock class for knitting two socks at a time, and the basic pattern specifies worsted weight - it's very useful for getting through 2 heels in one class. I almost finished the socks in the last class a week ago, but then they sat around on my couch waiting to be grafted, which is so unlike me! Usually once I hit the toe decreases nothing will prevent me from finishing a pair of socks.



Yarn: Reynolds Odyssey 441
Started: 5/30/09
Finished: 6/18/09

I bought the yarn in Boston shortly before it was discontinued, but I have so little worsted weight sock yarn in my stash this was the only convenient one to grab. I'm glad I did! I thought it would be a little more striped, but the finished socks are fairly subtle (and more pink/purple than blue, also a surprise.) The yarn is quite soft and the color effect is achieved by using plies of different colors. It was very nice to knit with and I'm looking forward to seeing how it wears.

I've also been knitting a vest for the yarn store.



Pattern: Portland Tweed Vest (rav link)
Yarn: Portland Tweed in color 5077
Started: 5/21/09
Finished: 6/20/09

I didn't have my camera today, so I took this picture with my iPhone. I'm trying to get WIPs cleared of my Ravelry page ASAP since I'm getting kind of guilty about their growing numbers. ;) This vest is, of course, not something I would normally knit, but I enjoyed working with the yarn. The pattern, on the other hand, was a bit annoying. It's written in a way that was very difficult to follow - probably to save room as it is printed in a booklet.

However, having the instructions about *how* to do the decreases on a separate page from where the directions for the pattern pieces (and *how often* to do the decreases) are is very very annoying. There were also quite a few things that were unclear due to the brevity, such as instructions like "knit to last 4 sts, ssk." Um... there are two more stitches left after that ssk, which I'm assuming I need to knit! Combine that with the fact that you have shaping going on at different intervals on either side of the piece plus a lacy cable panel in the middle...

Suffice it to say that it was not an ideal project for putting down to jump up and help customers. And that 7 stitch ribbed band around the front / neck? Knit as a strip and sewn on. Yeah. But hey, it turned out great!