Now that I’m a knitter, I realised I would need something to knit on the road. But what?

My first thought was to take yarn and needles for socks. They can be quick and mindless when you want them to be. Then I thought I’d really like to knit something that would become, not only a treasured handknit, but also a souvenir of the trip.

My decision has been made and this beautiful Waves of Grain beaded lace scarf will be my “Atlanta scarf”. (I don’t want to nick someone else’s photo so go check it out…it’s just gorgeous!)

Initially, I wasn’t going to bead it but now I’ve decided I will. I’ve got the yarn (Malabrigo Lace in Jael, a green colourway quite similar to the Turner used for my Somewhere Else socks), I’ve got the beads, I’ve got everything except US 5 needles. So, in deference to my “we don’t need no steenkin’ pattern” side, I’ll be using US 4s.

I can’t wait to get started!

(Note: a PDF version of this pattern is also available)

The design for these socks came about while I was “on the way to somewhere else”…in other words, while trying very hard to design something completely different.

Finished Size

To fit a woman’s medium foot

Circumference: 7.5 inches

Materials

v 1 skein Malabrigo Sock (440 yards)

v Set of 5 US#00 double pointed needles

v Tapestry needle

Gauge

22 stitches and 27 rows = 2 inches in eyelet rib after blocking

Notes

v Don’t worry if these socks look really tiny while you’re knitting them…the eyelet rib pattern is very stretchy.

Abbreviations

CO cast on
K knit
k2tog knit two stitches together as one
P purl
Rnd round
Sl slip stitch
SSK slip 1 stitch knit-wise, slip next stitch purl-wise, knit the two stitches together through the back loop
YO yarn over
* starting point of repeat

Stitch Guide

Eyelet Rib

Heel Stitch

Gusset Decrease

Toe Decrease

Instructions

CO 70 stitches and join in round, being careful not to twist. Distribute stitches as follows: Ndl 1: 21 st; Ndl 2: 28 st; Ndl 3: 21 st.

Cuff

Work in k1-p1 rib for 1 inch.

Leg

Work in Eyelet Rib for 5 inches (or desired length).

Divide for heel flap by placing 35 stitches on each of two needles. Each needle should contain 7 pattern repeats, starting and ending with a single purl stitch.

Heel Flap

Work in heel stitch for 36 rows.

Turn Heel

Row 1 K21, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 2 Sl1, p8, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3 Knit to first st before gap formed on previous row, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 4 Purl to first st before gap formed on previous row, p2tog, p1, turn.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all stitches have been worked.

Gusset

Using a new needle, pick up and knit stitches along edge of gusset. Knit across instep needle in pattern. Using another new needle, pick up and knit stitches along other edge of gusset. Knit across half of the remaining heel stitches. Transfer remaining stitches to the first gusset needle; you now have three needles. One of the gusset needles should hold one more stitch than the other; don’t worry about this…it’s all good.

Begin your gusset decrease rounds; continue to decrease until 70 st remain (35 on instep needle and 17 and 18 on needles 1 & 3).

Foot

Ndl 1: knit in stocking stitch; Ndl 2: knit in pattern; Ndl 3: knit in stocking stitch. Continue in this manner until you reach your desired foot length less 1.25 inches.

Toe

Divide instep stitches onto two needles.

Knit four rounds even. Work one toe dec round.

Work three rounds even, then one toe dec round.

Then work toe dec rnd every other row twice more (54 st rem).

Work toe dec rnd every row for four more rounds (38 st rem).

Knit across Ndl 1 with Ndl 4. Combine stitches on Ndls 2 & 3 onto a single ndl (19 st on each of two needles).

Finishing

Graft st together using Kitchener stitch. (Tip: Knitting Daily’s Sandi Wisehart has a fantastic blog post for those who hate the Kitchener stitch!)

Weave in ends and block.

That’s been my mantra for the past several days. The start date of the next big road trip is fast approaching and I’m afraid I won’t have everything taken care of before heading out.

So far, I’ve managed to:

• put out drama queen fires in a group to which I belong;
• pack Rogie’s suitcase;
• invest in a new edition of The Next Exit;
• finish Somewhere Else socks; and
• finish writing the pattern for said socks.

Tomorrow I will take pictures of the socks and publish the pattern. Oh, I guess I should start printing out trip documents and maybe start packing. (Can’t rush these things…I’m not actually leaving until Tuesday!)

First, he said this:

Then he said this:

“My apologies to the Canadian military, they probably could at least beat the Belgians,” Gutfeld mused in his Twitter account on Sunday.

Next, he said this:

“The March 17th episode of Red Eye included a segment discussing Canada’s plan for a ‘synchronized break,’ which was in no way an attempt to make light of troop efforts. However, I realize that my words may have been misunderstood,” Gutfeld said in the statement. “It was not my intent to disrespect the brave men, women and families of the Canadian military, and for that I apologize. Red Eye is a satirical take on the news, in which all topics are addressed in a lighthearted, humorous and ridiculous manner.”

What he really needs to say is this:

I am truly sorry for my ignorance of my country’s closest ally, my disrespect for the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces, and my colossal insensitivity to the sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers. I am accountable for the content of my show and, due to the irresponsible nature of the March 17th broadcast, I resign.

In other words, grow some balls, Greg, and do the right thing.

It makes me cry. Every time.

After a busy morning yesterday, I was laid low by a sudden and severe migraine (heh…as if there’s such a thing as a “mild migraine”). While lying in bed waiting for the meds to kick in (or death–either would have been welcomed equally), I thought of all the things that might help give me some relief.

Although they seemed so very reasonable at the time, in retrospect, not so much…

Sounded good: scooping my left eye out with a melon baller
Was good: closing all the blinds, turning off all the lights, and covering my eyes with a thick blanket

Sounded good: shoving a knitting needle between my eye and the socket, driving it up into my brain
Was good: migraine medication (my current fave is Maxalt although it wasn’t too much help yesterday)

Sounded good: tractioning my neck until disarticulation occurred
Was good: gentle pressure on various pressure points on the neck

Sounded good: placing my head in some sort of press (my fantasy press was a large steel thing…the sort you might find in a machine shop)
Was good: placing head under a hot stream of water (i.e., a very hot shower)

Sounded good: lead aspirin
Was good: OTC pain killers (current fave being one each of naproxen and acetominophen…works better than Vicodin)

And yes, the migraine is still there…

That’s what I’m up to these days…trying to write up the latest sock pattern and pulling my hair out over it.

Grrrrrrrrrr.