Once Upon a Sock: August

I recently came back from the US.  My plan was to have two completed pairs of socks on my return. Ha, ha, ha.  On the plus side, the rainbow socks I was knitting last month are now finished.  (Photos to be added when it's not late at night and I can take some decently lit photos).

What I have nicknamed my 'sunset socks' kept going wrong and have been ripped out at least three times. (The third time, I realised I hadn't ripped back far enough, so I had to rip back even further.  I don't know if that counts as four times?)  It's getting a bit boring now.

The socks, on leaving Paris

The socks taking in the view at Hartsfield-Jackson airport, Atlanta (the busiest airport in the world)

The socks, coming in to Charleston WV

Recovering from jetlag on my first day in the US. 

At this point in knitting, I'm at the heels.  I wanted to try a short-row heel, using slipped stitches - as shown by Arne and Carlos in their video here and in the pattern for the Lifestyle Toe-up Socks.  I don't like short row heels, as they don't fit my feet too well - so I've done a gusset increase.  It could work amazingly, or it could end up a mess.  I've put lifelines in, just in case.  Past experience says that things are more likely to go wrong without a lifeline, so I'm optimistic.  

Whilst I didn't finish the socks by the time I got home, they did get a good view of New York.  One of the things on my list of things to do was to find the John Lennon memorial in Central Park.  There was a man there with his guitar, so I took half an hour to knit and listen to him singing.  Then I walked to Knitty City where I joined a group of ladies who were knitting hats for charity.  It was the perfect way of finding balance in the big city.  We talked about socks and ways of knitting - and they let on that Mina Philips - aka The Knitting Expat used to visit there, when she lived in New York. 

The Imagine memorial to John Lennon

Inside Knitty City - I was very restrained in my purchases! 

I have another pair on the needles - which will also need a lifeline before turning the heel - and once both the current pairs are off the needles, the next pair are queued for cast-on!

On the first Thursday of each month - a group of us all get online and blog about socks.  Paula's blog has the explanation - and the link-up of blogs is right here if you want to read more about socks - or would like to join us.