regia silk... don't make me cut you

The one-armed wonder perseveres, despite oppression of the UltraSling II®.

So much to tell, so few arms to do it...

1. I finally got around to casting on Mr. Dashing, which I'm working using some combination of Magic Loop and Side Loop knitting. This is officially my second go on this project. I first cast on around nine months ago with overly-thick, cheap yarn. I know, I know. I was a noob. It was turning out chunky and inelegant, and eventually I frogged it and began summer projects (which are now shamefully hibernating in the closet).

Needless to say, the Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo I'm using this time around is a vast improvement. In fact, this might be my most favoritest yarn thus far. So soft. So snuggly. Yummy yum yum.

I decided that I wanted an elbow-length arm warmer, so I'm working 5 cable rounds instead of 3. Nearly finished with the first one. I need to analyze the sequence and location of my cables... which got a little haphazard... before I work the second one. I was going to do both at once using a super long cable, but I chickened out at the last minute.

2. Amidst a haze of Romantic and High Victorian film adaptations (thanks, MCR!), I realized that mid-October was upon me. Thus blossomed a mild panic about my first pair of socks, Widdershins, which I hope to knit as a birthday present for my mom by November 6th.

I created my first toe last night, and I'm exceedingly proud. I was braced for the worst (recalling LP's sock-induced nervous breakdown last summer), but things seem to be going really well. Despite having never cast on for a toe any other way, I feel that Judy's Magic Cast On is indeed magical.


There is, however, a sour grape in my sweet, sweet bunch. Upon the recommendation of the very knowledgeable MCR, I'm using Regia Silk. The yarn is lovely, and I have every confidence it will knit up beautifully. BUT... when I pulled out the center of my first ball to wind it and prepare it for work, I found a little knot about a yard in. This wasn't a tangle, but rather a place where the yarn had been cut. Annoying.

Not wanting to deal with this nonsense on my very first sock, I dug out the second ball and pulled out the center. Lo and behold, another knot, in almost the exact same place. What the hell?! I paid $8.95 for each of you! Why you gotta play me like that?!

3. I'm pleased to announce that Ravelry will soon feature each and every one of my knitting projects in my relatively short knitting history! It's a bit of a cheat, as I don't have all that rich a history, but I'm tickled pink nonetheless. The only missing link was my very first scarf, which I photographed earlier this week and will be adding to my notebook shortly. It's just a garter stitch scarf with a moss/garter edge (yes... moss stitch. again, I was a noob, and I didn't know any better). It's made with pointedly inclement acrylic, which is unfortunate given the amount of time and effort (see "noob" above). One of the many reasons I love my husband is that he cherishes this scarf, as plain, impractical, and scratchy as it is.

I feel oddly complete.