That cardigan ..

May be too large. When I began to knit it I had to work out two things. First, I didn't get gauge with the yarn I was using - so I had to pick which size to knit to get the size I wanted. Second, I am eating less and moving more in an effort not to be overweight, I had one of those glimpses in a passing shop-window-mirror and realized I was pretty much in fat-heading-towards-fifty territory. I can't change the fifty years old - that is inevitable, but I decided I could change the fat. I bought a Fitbit One back in July and used it to determine my activity level and calculate how much I should eat if I wanted to be smaller. In September I upgraded to a Fitbit Charge HR, and between the two devices and being honest with logging what I eat I've lost 16+kg's. The side effect of the not-getting gauge together with not knowing what size I actually needed means that the Slanted Sleven cardigan I have been knitting and that I am 2/3 of the way through is looking like it I'll be too big.

So the cardigan languishes, I've put it on a lifeline to free it from distortion of being on a circular needle, and tried it on. It's slightly big - and I know the superwash yarn will only grow and relax when I wash-block the work. For now I am leaving the project be as I come to terms with frogging and beginning again.

To distract myself I have begun a new project. Last year I bought myself a pair of Doc Martin boots, nothing to extreme, just dark navy 1460, I had a similar pair in my 'yoof' but let them go at some point thinking the time for such things had passed.

Anyway - the Doc's are comfortable, light and pretty much all terrain shoes, in Dunedin, home of the gothic trend Doc's even belong in posh places. When I wear them to work, Gavin calls them my 'don't mess with Stella shoes'. And best of all Doc Martins are perfect partners for hand knit socks, well almost perfect. I'm still working on the perfect length, most of my existing hand knit socks are too long and need folding over. Becasue they were not designed to be folded the exact science of where to fold them for optimal wearing ease eludes me. Too long and too much sock protrudes, to short and they sneak into the boots as I walk. That isn't a problem except typically one sock sneaks and the other remains - and the irregular perfectionist in me dislikes the one sock up one sock gone look that results. My perfectionism is weird - it objects to some things and ignores others - like spelling.

So the sock, well girly pink to go with the dark french navy blue Doc's. The yarn is Sock, Lady by Vintage Purls. The toe is a three point swirl, and I am working on a subtle eyelet pattern up each side of the instep. The eyelets are evoking the ones used for laces but there will be lots more than 8 of the boot. The custom knit to wear with a Doc feature I have planned for the leg is a two layer rib cuff, thick, cushy and just the right length to stay put when worn. I need to work out how to secure the layers at the right length, grafting, three needle bind off, transition from single to double and back to single layer and back again - so many possible options.

So far I've reworked the toe three times to get the numbers and transition to the foot sorted. I've worked the cable with two purl stitches either side and with one (shown) and I think I need to go back to two to set off the cable. The gusset and heel is next and won't be too showy but will be fitted. Then a band of ribbing before a transition to a double layer ribbed leg.

Honestly it is way more fun solving sock technical details than frogging, solving the gauge /size conundrum and reknitting a cardigan - especially as I might be smaller yet when it is done.

Na Stella

 

 

 

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