Toe-up sock update

I've been browsing toe-up instructions today and thought I'd post the progress I've made from class on Saturday. I have to say that being in learner's mode in multiple areas of my life makes me a bit slow to pick things up and increases my frustration level exponentially. I have to say toe-up is a very different sock method and I came away from class thinking I might never do another toe-up sock after this class. I even had to rip out my progress, what little I made in class #1. My initial frustration came from crocheting a chain as a provisional cast on. I couldn't remember how to do this. Second, my sock yarn was gorgeous, but too dark, and third, I can't retain instructions and converse with other people at the same time. I came home, ripped out my work, set the sock aside, and last night picked it up again. This always happens to me - I go to class, am confused, and then go home and get it right in the peace and quiet of my craft room. So, I settled on Enchanted Knoll Farm's Little Fish for the yarn (great yarn, by the way, 435 yards, 90% merino, 10% nylon for added strength). This is the toe to the point where I've completed the short rows and now I begin doing a different kind of short row that incorporates knitting or purling 2 wraps and a stitch together. This is where I'm stuck and why I'm looking for instructions on the web.



I downloaded Wendy's Toe-up sock pattern where she describes the process better than the Knitty generic pattern we are using in class.

I was making a few things for a surprise, but I'm not sure the surprise is still going on. There was a glitch in surprise action this week. Regardless, here are 2 future gifts I knit in the past week. A lacy butterfly pattern I found on Ravelry



and a lacy bookmark that I think I found on the web.



Please excuse the blurriness of the pictures. I don't know what is wrong with my camera, but many of the pictures are blurry on the screen, though they aren't blurry when I preview the picture on the camera.

I should be doing 8 hours of overtime today, but I'm still trying to gain some distance from the 16 hours I did the week before. I still hate my job!

I had lunch with Kevin and we met in downtown Vancouver. It was a pleasure to have lunch with my son, who treated me, actually. We ate at The Tiger Garden and afterwards went to get gelato at a nearby gelato store. We both had the dark chocolate/orange gelato, and I have been craving more ever since. That was the best thing I ate all week!

Speaking of gelato, another nephew, Christopher, has a blog called Fire and Flavor Test Kitchen. Chris is a chef for Fire and Flavor grill rubs and planks, etc. and he makes up recipes for this company. The blog has lots of links to good recipes. The other nice thing about his blog is that, in addition to recipes and food talk, he chronicles my grand niece Caroline. I would never see pictures of Caroline without this blog.

I had hoped to post news that I won a place in the Wollmeise sock club lottery. Alas, I did not. This is probably a good thing, but I'm sorely disappointed. Even Lyn was disappointed for me, which surprised me. He said he thought I would have really enjoyed it. Bless him. He is so getting some Wollmeise socks!