Sock progress

I'm not going to finish my socks by the end of the month.  I may try to focus on just one pair, and see if I can manage that.  Let's see - toe up, otherwise plain vanilla socks, working two at a time, but  need to frog and restart; January mystery sock, all clues saved now, but only about one sixth of the way into clue two, working two at a time, well written, nice easy charted lace pattern (so far);  Hermione socks, one at a time, wondering if it is the pattern or the yarn, but so far isn't looking like I expect, working on four dpns, one of which keeps breaking; pink sock, flora and fauna, my own new design, one sock at a time, first time with yarn, the sock is a bit loose but no problem, will use smaller needle in future but this sock is pure wool that should be hand washed, so I see potential for being able to shrink it a bit, am really liking how the design is coming now. 

So, that is the progress on the four pair of socks.  My January goal involved two other projects, neither of which I've been able to touch, and another sock, that I'd hoped to work on, but had to "steal" the needle from for one of the pairs above...

I will be doing the end weaving on the baby blanket tomorrow evening, then washing on Wednesday.  So that will be finished.  I wrote up the pattern, rough draft, so I wouldn't forget it.  Now I have to polish the writing, then I'll post it here.  It won't be tested, though...

Well, I guess it is too soon to post February's crafting plans - but I think I won't add any new projects to the mix.  I'll focus on finishing what I started in January, and the UFO's.

As for the house - yeah, I'm feeling a little better this morning.  But I'm still overwhelmed... I still don't know where or how to start.  So, I guess I'm going to start doing what *I* want to do - the craft room.  Then I can get it finished, organized, see what other UFO's and WIM's I have (going to call all those already bought enough yarn to make things WIM's, I guess) and maybe give me incentive to finish the ones I have going, and add in some other unfinished stuff.  And then I can start some new WIM's already in existance.  I have to stop looking at all the new and new-to-me patterns online, or I'll never finish everything!! 

DH is going to be working late nearly every day this week, so I should manage to get a lot of crafting done.  ;)

Pictures... Some may not look much different than the last time, but they really are.

The baby blanket border, but before the reverse single crochet was added.  And here is the corner of the border (again before reverse single crochet):

I mostly had taken these pics to help show how it should look for the pattern publishing thing.
Now for the sock progress pictures: 

I played with the editing a bit - trying to get an accurate read of the colour.  When I take pictures, it comes out a nice blue.  But it is really a turquoise colour.  I tried adding green to the pic - getting closer.  :)  Think the colour of... hm... I can't think right now of anything it really reminds me of... Maybe, some pictures of resorts in the Carribbean - the swimming pools, not the ocean.  That kind of turquoisy blue.  I also noticed that the yarn stripes subtly - I thought it would be more mottled.  No big deal.  I also noticed that while I didn't attempt to make them, the colours line up rather nicely...

I know I haven't gotten very far.  I'm only twelve rows past the ribbing... but I can't see the pattern coming up at all.  It seemed, when I looked at the picture that accompanies the pattern, there are a lot of little purl bumps on the sock... yet, when I look at mine, I can hardly see them.  Now, I'm going to continue with the socks anyway - I do like the colour for one thing.  The dark bits are actually a sort of lavendar-puple, not dark blue like they seem here (no sunlight today, and I think that makes a difference - look at the missing yellow again from the baby blanket).  And, I want to get further along the leg following the pattern, then put my arm in it or something - the pictures that come with the pattern are all take with the sock on a leg, so it is stretched out, not all bundled up on the needles... Speaking of which... Expensive, Lantern Moon, Ebony needles - snap like toothpicks... Not happy.  Can't return them - they were a special buy from a store that no longer exists.... This is the first time I've used them.  At first, I thought it might be because they've dried out.  BUT - this is the same needle that broke the first time.  Just in a different spot.  So, the needle is at fault, not the dry air.  Glad I don't own any more Lantern Moon needles.... and I won't buy more, ever, either.

I'm pleased with how this sock is turning out.  I like the butterflies at the top, and I am happy with the two rows (though I think I might write up the pattern with three rows, maybe making a second pair in a different colour and with smaller needles) of eyelet flowers.  I thought I could do a gansey style purl bump flower, but they just weren't showing up.  That is what I ripped out the other day.  I do like these little eylets, and they will be a nice segue into the lace cat's paw that I'll be doing next.  In real life, it looks like the ten rows below the flowers is enough of a break, but here in the photo it looks a bit close... maybe I'll add another five rows plain first... I am pretty sure I have lots of yarn left to make the leg a little longer.

So.  That's it for today.  Talk again tomorrow!