So, on the eve of the Knitting Olympics, it suddenly occurred to me that I should begin training, i.e. wind up my wool in preparation and perhaps swatch to figure out if I'm on gauge. I don't own a swift or ball winder. Instead I depend on my mostly agreeable husband to hold the skeins while I wind the wool into balls. My husband was down in the basement doing testosterone-laden puttering, probably involving duct tape and wrenches, so I put the first skein around the back of a chair and wound that way. It was tedious and the skein kept getting tangled. I found myself turning into Cranky Girl and thinking irrational hateful thoughts toward all the knitters out there in blogdom who own their own swift/ball winder and have already prepared for the Knitting Olympics by winding their skeins into perfect fat little cushy center pull cakes. I ended up only winding up one of the four skeins destined for the Baby Bobble Jacket. I figure it's worth using valuable Olympic time to have my husband hold the skeins whenever he puts down his duct tape. Then I went to knit up a gauge swatch. I've got sport weight yarn and I want a gauge of 25 stitches over 4 inches, so I searched for my size 3 US needles. Now I'm willing to swear that I own at least four pairs of size 3 circular needles, but for some reason, they all seem to have gone missing. Or perhaps they have mutated into size 5 US needles, because I inexplicably seem to own at least half a dozen in that size. Anyway, I finally located a pair of Addi Turbo ("turbo" being the definitive word here, since I need to get this sweater done in 16 days of Olympics) and got gauge the first time. So, tomorrow when the torch is lit, I'm good to go.
In other knitalong news, I've been working on my Sockapaloooza sock. 
Yeah, it's the Jaywalker pattern (big surprise) in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in the Happy Valley colorway. It is very pastel. Lots of yellow, mint green, pink, pale orange, etc. I put a picot edge on the cuff, because it seemed to fit the delicate pale colors. My sock recipient gave me the go-ahead to use whatever colors I want, so my thought process was something Spring-like and Easter-y, since the mailing date is the beginning of May. Of course, having carte blanche color-wise is almost harder, because now I'm second guessing my choice. Maybe this is too babyish looking, too pastel? I haven't decided yet. I have loads of time, though. I could still knit up a second, more vibrantly colored pair and make a decision then. But until then, here's the start of the first dainty, girly Sockapaloooza sock.
I've got free choice for colour too and you're right, it is hard. I've been scouring her blog to check if she does have any preferences, but can I find any? Not a sausage! I shall make my final decision later and cast on Monday. You'll be done by then no doubt ;)
Posted by: Tracy | February 10, 2006 at 10:03 AM