In and Out

Is it just me, or do the days go by faster and faster?  I know, I know, that's so cliche to say, but I swear they do. I had anticipated tons of free time with the kids back in school and Chris at work, and yet it seems as though I have less time.  I have still been knitting, though.  My primary focus is to keep up with the Knit Sock Love knit-a-long so I can knit every sock in that book.  The other couple of KALs I've been participating in are taking a backseat, especially as I've finally started to knit my first Christmas gift for someone.

But first, the latest in the continuing saga of KSL.  This particular sock is called "In and Out" and I have to say that the photo in the book didn't do much for me.  It's in a dark blue yarn than, while very pretty, doesn't show off the pattern to the best advantage.  But I'm doing every sock, darn it!  So I choose some of my "good yarn" - Grant Creek cushy merino/nylon in a gorgeous deep red called "Frankly My Dear..."  (If you don't get the reference, you can stop reading here and go get some darn Southern culture, pretty please with sweet tea on top.)  Coincidentally, the solid socks group has red as their color for September.  It's my favorite color and yet I didn't have any RED socks.  How is that possible?  I had to remedy that situation right away.

Now "In and Out" is a chart heavy pattern - several charts for the sock and different charts for each foot since they are mirrored.  However, the hardest part was keeping track of where I was on each chart - not just which row but where in heaven's name I was in a 66 stitch row of symbols.  I ended up using my chart keeper from Knit Picks and having a long magnet placed just above the row I was working on, and then a short magnet that I moved across the row from right to left to mark where I was in the row.  And my wonderful friend, Leigh, had made copies of the charts and blown them up, so she gave them to me to use (since she was a speed demon and finished these socks pretty much as I was starting mine).

Note about the KP chart keeper: I like it, but the magnets move easily, so I don't trust it to carry around and not lose my place.  When I finish knitting in a session, I write down or use a row counter to record what row I'm on rather than rely on the magnet which is easily bumped & shifted.

So after a fairly quick knit, these are my In & Out socks (the picture isn't that great - it was super gloomy when I took it).

I like them more than I thought I would, and I can't wait to knit more red socks!

Next up.... dyeing.