Kitchener This

I finally finished the first of my Joy of Charlene socks last night. I had to mess with the toe a little. My first attempt at a short row toe didn't reach all the way around, so I had to pull back, knit a few more rounds on top and bottom, knit a few rows just on the sole and then work the toe again.
Although technically the instep/top rows and the sole rows were equal, when I had the sock on the sole was pulling back toward the heel and looked two rows short. So, although it made a little gap, I worked two rows before starting the toe to bring them up even. Then I short rowed down to 6 live stitches before swinging back out. I also ended up working one round even for reasons I can't remember, even though this was all just last night. But I was tripped out on migraine medicine, so I can't be held responsible. I think I was worried that it looked a little short/tight still.
Then I kitchenered the 24 sts shut. It's a good thing I A) don't hate the kitchener stitch like a lot of knitters seem to, B) went through a sock knitting phase that allowed me to memorize the motion so I don't have to always look it up or refer to directions. Heck I even stopped at one point to take this picture. Aren't I brave? Or is that crazy? I left myself a plenty long tail for the seaming.
Anyway, it fits lovely now. I was concerned that there was some slack in the top and didn't know how that would come into play when it was all closed up, but it seems fine.
Then I spent some time trying to re-write my pattern so it was comprehensible. I have a little note book with a metal cover I carry in my purse. I write my patterns in there. So when things are under development there are cross outs and strange explanations. In this case I wrote a pre-Vegas to-d0 list on the next page so that is in the middle of the pattern.
Anyway, I managed to cast on and knit a few rows of ribbing this morning after breakfast. I'm expecting this second sock to go much faster since I've worked all the kinks out.
But now, I must get a move on. I'm working at the store today.

A Cautionary Puppy Tale

If you are a new homeowner and you have a dog and central air, you will want to pay close attention. Actually, regardless of ownership, if you have a dog/central air combination pay attention. Otherwise, you an move on, but I could use the sympathy karma.
Oh, both dogs are FINE.
If you have this combination I advise you to build a fence or other barricade around your central air unit post haste in order to keep the furry little creep from peeing/urinating on the thing. And you should use any method of persuasion, up to and including spraying the dog with a garden hose to discourage the behavior until the fence is built.
Remember how my central air wasn't working during that heat wave a few weeks ago? We thought it would be a simple matter of a tune up and a recharge here's a hundred dollars.
Well, the guy came out and explained that the outside bit, which I thought just protected the engine, is actually the evaporator coil and is vitally important to the proper functioning of the unit.
Samson has been peeing on it since the day we moved it. We have yell at him not to but they are often outside unsupervised and do what they want even when they are supervised.
This has led to corrosion which allowed all the coolant to leak out. The guys said we had to replace the evaporator coil and left to work up an estimate.
When he called back several days later, he said our unit is from 1995 so Carrier doesn't make replacement parts anymore, meaning we'd have to replace the entire unit to the tune of $3,000.
He said they would take another shot at finding a new or used coil. We haven't heard back yet.
If Hubby had a desire to kill Samson when he got this news, he did not mention it.
So keep your fingers crossed for me that they find the part.
What I really want to know is why the guy that serviced the unit two years ago did not warn us about this?
I am relating this story because I sure as heck wish someone had told US three years ago and saved us from this situation.
And I know there are people out there who desperately need/want central air and don't have it, and there are other people who don't have it and want it. The problem is that once you do have it you have to maintain it because A) you get acclimated to it very quickly and B) it totally affects the resale value of your house. Not that we are intending to sell anytime soon, but there is no point in not fixing it when we'll either have to fix it to sell the house or have the buyer take the cost off their bid.
Ick, well, I just ruined my own lunch thinking about this again. I think I'll go pet some yarn.
Stupid dogs.

Wait, That Can't Be Right

I was about 10 rows into the foot of my Joy of Charlene sock when it occurred to me the 12 extra stitches left over from the heel meant I had a 60 stitch foot. Which was going to be way big. And there wasn't any gusset decreasing to make them go away.
It is starting to dawn on me that maybe I should have followed a published pattern which incorporates a Cuban Heel to get a better grip on the construction before I went running off making a pattern up.
I started a topic about my issue in one of the Charlene Schurch groups on Ravelry, but I've had no responses. I guess this isn't a popular heel.
Then this morning I was like "What the heck, it's just a sock" so I pulled back to my lifeline (phew!) and decreased two stitches every other row until the extra stitches were gone. (I even did paired decreases so the lines meet in the middle.) I also transitioned the pattern out on the 24 stitches that are on the bottom/sides of the foot. On my Cat's Pajamas Socks I maintained the pattern down the side of the foot, but I think this pattern extends further and it was just easier to ditch it.
Now my concern is, when I was trying the sock on last night, the bottom of the sock was drawing in/back at the heel and was out of line with the instep. I hope it evens out by the time I get to the toe. I'm starting to wonder if a short row toe starting on the bottom part would allow me to make up the difference. Otherwise I'm going to have to rip way back and to a traditional heel flap until I can get some more guidance on this Cuban Heel. Still I pleased with the sock in general.

The Correct Train Car

Can apparently make a world of difference in a knitter's commute.
Another Ravelr made contact yesterday. She found my anti-love letters to Metro North while blog surfing and realized we take the same train. She tracked me down in Ravelry and told me a group of knitters and crocheters congregate in the first car on the ride home! I always seem to end up in the last car (there are only 3) so was unaware of this. You would think my fiber radar would detect such a gathering, but obviously it didn't.
Yesterday I again ended up in the last car, but toward the end of the ride I gathered up my toys and went questing. I'm sure she thought something strange was going on, until I swung my Ravelry bag around for identification.
She was working on two socks on two circs. They were very vibrant because she was using up all her scraps. They will be very happy and unique socks when she is done.
Sock talk ensued and she complimented my bag and asked after the pattern. When I opened it up to show her the lining she was totally distracted by the lovely colors of my Sol Joy yarn. And then it was my stop.
I will have to make more of an effort on the ride home tonight.
Boss Man says this is the true potential of social networking sites.

Joy of Charlene Socks
The Summer of Socks 2008 officially began Saturday morning at midnight. I could have cast on when the bell tolled since I left Las Vegas Friday afternoon and landed at home at midnight. But I was tired and didn't have my stuff with me (which might count as poor planing).
Anyway, I'd been debating starting with the Alchemy Girlfriend Socks, but when the moment came I pulled out my long neglected Sol Joy yarn from Catalina Yarns that I bought at Adirondack Yarns in Lake Placid at Christmas time.
(The moment actually came late in the afternoon Saturday. We slept until 10:30 am, I had a chiropractor appointment, we ate breakfast and I spent some time swatching--again--with my BearFoot Yarn. I think I've finally go that sorted.)
I've decided to use some of the techniques I learned in the Charlene Schurch class, so I'm calling the socks "Joy of Charlene" to reflect both the yarn and the inspiration.
On a US2, I did a picot hemmed cuff and knit the cuff shut, I'm using a stitch pattern out of Sensational Knitted Socks, and I did the "sexy heel" we learned in class (which is more commonly known as the Cuban Heel).
I had a bit of a set back on Sunday because when I finally tried the sock on the cuff was waaayy too tight. I had read a suggestion to use a smaller needle (US1) for the inside bit to reduce bulk and I think that made my knitted cast on too tight. We were on Long Island Sunday and I didn't have a set of US1 with me (there's that poor planning again) so when I frogged all I could do was roll with the US2. But it fits fine now and I don't know the difference of doing it the other way.
I turned the heel on the train this morning. This heel has been sort of a strange experience. It is easy enough to work, but since you continue to work the instep at the same time, there isn't that clear delineation of progress from the leg to the flap to the foot that I'm used too. So I can't decide if it is going faster or slower than normal. Although I just finished half a sock in three days, which I think is accelerated for me and probably can be attributed to the train.
Now I'm going to throw a life line in it because there only seem to be 14 sts for the sole, which seems kind of skimpy but I can't tell yet whether the pattern will flow under my foot or just down the sides. So I'll drop in the life line and keep going and if the pattern does end up under my foot I'll be able to rip it out without endangering the heel turn and refigure which stitches to work in stockinette stitch for the sole.
I totally have to take a picture already. Well, I took some of the first version when we were on LI, but I haven't downloaded them yet. I claim I'm still recovering from my trip.
Ok, looks like lunch time is just about over.

In Knitting News

Nell Sweater
I started sewing on the right hand button band and, as I feared, the hole started shifting up on me and are going to be out of line. I decided the best course of action would be to sew on the buttons so it would have something to aim for, but as I was laying the sweater out on the couch in preparation, a thunderstorm started.
The pups have developed a thunderstorm phobia in the last month or two. I wasn't home when it started, but Hubby had reported there was a storm and a massive clap of thunder that seemed centered over the house, which made the house shake. At the time, Hubby said it was so bad he was sure the house had been struck by lightening or a tree had fallen on it (neither occurred). When it happened the pups high-tailed it to their Fort (i.e., under our bed). They have been a bit nervous during storms ever since. Which is a shame. I was always so happy they weren't those types of dogs, and it made their lives better too. Now we are just trying to act normal during storms and hopping they shake it off.
Anyway. When the storm hit, Baru decided the safest place was in the Puppy Fort. Samson decided the safest place was as close to me as it was physically possible to get. So he curled up in a tight little ball on my sweater and wouldn't budge.
And really, you can't be upset with your beloved puppy in a situation like that, so I rescued the US2 dpn and moved on to working on my

Arrgyle Socks
The heel flap has been knit and turned. I decided to go with the heel stitch with a garter stitch edge like I learned in Charlene Schurch's class. I did the flap and turn in pink and intend to do the gusset and bottom of the foot in purple. I hope I have enough purple for both pairs because it's the main color for the socks. I sewed up the back of the leg, finally (when Samson had my sweater trapped). It went rather quickly (which is good considering it's just a sock) and I do enjoy watching stitches suck together when mattress stitch is tightened. I sewed with purple, be cause I'm bad. The back of the leg, where the seam is, is a purple cuff, a pink diamond, a green diamond and half a pink diamond. So I suppose I should have sewn with pink. I tried the sock on when I was done sewing and as far as I can tell the purple doesn't show through. And I think it might be a "no one should be that close to my sock" situation. I think I might sew the gusset gaps sooner rather than later as I'm working the sole of the foot so I can get a better idea of how long to work the instep pattern.

Stealth Knitting
On Saturday night I received the pattern for Pam's sock for the Knitting Central Sock Club. She gave me the yarn the other weekend when we were working together. I won't say anything more than that it's all very cool. How's that for a tease?

Going Dark
I'm leaving for Las Vegas in the morning. We have a 7:30 flight, so we'll be leaving the house at an ungodly hour. Don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for a while (which will be different from...?) because, of course, I don't have a laptop. I'm fairly certain there will be free email stations like at the conference in Philly, but this show is much, much bigger, so the stations will be much busier and I doubt I'll have time to hang out at them and blog. I could try to swipe Boss Man's or Mr. R's laptop, but they would probably expect me to make an official company post as well. Still you never know what might happen. It is Vegas after all.
Project wise, I'm taking the test knitting, obviously (I'm still at the swatching phase like a good knitter), and my Arrgyle Socks. I'm flying home Friday. So I'll be home in time for the start of Summer of Socks 08! I think my first sock will be my Alchemy Girlfriend Socks, which I lusted after for ages before buying and I think the furthest I got was swatching. They are the project my US2 dpns were in when one broke.

Ok, I think that will have to be in for now. Lunchtime is over!

Dear Metro North

Based on your behavior this morning, I see you did not take me seriously yesterday. Was I too nice? Your little games are not amusing! You let me get on my second train this morning, then change the rules on me and skip my stop? What made you think I would want to get a closer look at the Fairfield station? Because I didn't. It's a good thing you have lots of trains in the morning so I was still able to make my shuttle and get to work on time.
Now I'm asking you nicely, again. Don't mess with my commute home. If you can't do it for me, then do it for my puppies. They don't know how to open doors, they are counting on me to let them out!
On a happy note, I'm starting to make commuter friends. Of course all our conversations focus on how mean you are to us, but still. And I had more compliments on my knitting this morning, which is always a bright spot.
But don't think this means I forgive you.
Yours,
Traveling Ann
PS--if this keeps up, I'm going to tell my mommy.