Finished The Christmas Socks!

Yesterday I finished the Christmas socks; I'm really pleased with the fit.  The ribbing makes them feel nice and spongy. I am getting more used to doing this style of heel and gusset now. I stuck to a short row heel for many years. I like both of them. The more you practice a technique, the easier and more natural it becomes.  The sock yarn is Austermann. It's hand dyed. I absolutely love it.

I spent quite a while this afternoon untangling my poor, neglected Carbeth sweater. It had slid off of the circular needles while sitting in my bag for the past month. It took me a couple of hours to backtrack, put all of the stitches back on the needles, and to find the join. I had actually been knitting in the wrong direction for a while. Unbelievable. Because there are two balls of yarn, it was more complicated to organize.

I was feeling very reluctant to continue with this project. I toyed with the idea of ripping it all out and starting over from the top. (Well from the bottom, since it's a bottom up pattern.)  I realized that doing so would have been crazy. I am so closed to being finished. I figured out why I was having trouble. I had used the safety pin style markers, instead of the small circles. I didn't do the decreases on each side of the sleeve, because I didn't see the markers right in front of me on the needles. I also misinterpreted the pattern.  I was distracted and yakking at one of my knitting groups.

I said a prayer for some help, and things went along swimmingly. The yarn feels incredibly luscious. It is so soft and warm. I think it must be hand spun.  (There is no label.)  It is going to be the most divine sweater. It should be finished with it in the next few days. It is cold, (well, cold for California,) and I can't wait to wear it! I will post photos.   

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