This past month has sped by at an alarming rate, and I'm not quite sure if I remember all of it. There were ups and downs, changes in logic, and gob-smacked moments. I'm happy for where we have ended up, but- my-lands -that was a bumpy ride!

So we finish up SOCKtoBEER with not a single completed pair of socks, and look forward to better knitting juju in NOROvember.

Part of the pressure of this last month was SOCKtober and a SSSS swap. (No definitive name was set and I've seen variations all over the board.)

Oh, sure. We really had two months (plenty of time) to work on one sock, but somewhere along the way it jumped the track. Knitting a single sock for one of my favorite knitgrrls from stash yarn was plain tricky. First, I had to narrow the yarn options down from the many possibilities, then decide on a pattern. This is where it gets tricky. The over-achiever in me forced me to obey her and modify a good pattern. No, there was nothing wrong with the pattern as it was written. (Stoopid me.)

Then to up the ante, me decides to knit complimentary kiddle socks for the Squid. (Figured out my secret pal now, right?) I work up the first Squid sock to test out the pattern and secure that I would have enough of the main color for the mini pair. Eh - the bind off needs to be redone, but it was successful enough that I got started with the adult sock.

My second assurance for yarn quantity was to knit it toe-up. Which is fine. Heck, I even "unvent" a new toe-up method that adds a cute lil' purl ridge on the top of the foot. I knit up the foot, short-row the heel, and start up the leg. I'm doing great time wise (it's still September), when I decide to admire my progress.

THUNK

This ain't gonna fit. Aye, carumba. Rip... riiippp... RRRRrrrrip! [sigh]

I get started right away, changing the stitch count and working from the cuff-down.

And I work, and work, and work. But my progress is slow. In my non-knit world, Bonez and I are finalizing last little bits on buying a house. And if that isn't distracting enough, most of my knitting time is while I'm social with my knitgrrls or hanging out with Stalker Angie. Neither of which are conducive to knitting secretive socks for possible recipients.

I press on and was able to finish to finish this one sock in the F'in' nick of time. (Honestly, we were late to the party because I was weaving in ends all panic-like.) Don't even ask about the second Squid sock (or fixing that bind-off edge).

But I think my pal likes her sock (all both of the single socks). And I really, really like mine knit by the awesome BotGurl. (Plus, I was gifted with felted slippers that say "Knitting" and "Lover", perfect for the new home and no-shoes-in-the-house policy.)

Also during SOCKtober, I was publicly working on my Dye-O-Rama yarn socks. Unfortunately, this, too, fell wayside while life got all jiggy with my shite. Ah, but at least the beers were good!

But hope (stoopid hope) springs again with the flip of the calendar as we start into NOROvember. Although I've only ever knit with Silk Garden, I love Noro and all it's crazy color shifts and dances. I was recently gifted with four skeins of Silk Garden, and will attempt to knit the Elizabeth Zimmerman Baby Surprise Jacket.

The best part? This one project will count for so much (if I can only get it done): the pattern gets me credit in Zimmermania!, the yarn for NOROvember, and once completed I will donate it as part of The Dulaan Project. (Shazam - a hat trick!)

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