Wednesday, April 05, 2006

randomness

I finally finished my the first of my Jaywalkers. Behold:
Jaywalkers fin!
another view:
Jaywalkers
The first two times I made the sock, I use the recommended needle size and made the size small. Unfortunately the size small couldn't be pulled on over my heel. So I tried again with the larger size. Still too tight in the cuff, and too large in the foot. For this final attempt, I made the smaller size using US2 DPNs. I was finally able to get a cuff that fits, but the instep is really loose. You can tell by looking closely at the images that the sock is really bunching up around my arch. The toe area is too large as well.
Elspeth and Mamma (among others) commiserated with me on the difficulty of getting the Jaywlker to fit correctly. I'm not complaining about the pattern at all....there are 100s of other people who have made gorgeous, well fitting Jaywalkers. I'm just not one of them! No pattern fits everyone, and unfortunately it looks like my funny feet don't get along with this one. I'm going to finish the second sock and this pair will probably go to my sis- who has slightly wider feet than myself.

My other WIP, Veste Everest, has been sailing along:
Veste Everest
I'm just about ready to start the v-neck shaping. There was some concern that the 41.5 inch size would be too big, but I checked it against another top that fits me well and the Veste seems to be similar. I threw in an extra pattern repeat before the arm shaping- I wanted to make the vest a little longer than the pattern calls for.
Abigale mentioned that my plan to rib the back (instead of more cabling, as the pattern calls for) will probably cause the back to be wider. I'd thought of that, too, and will have to do some swatching to figure out how wide I should make the back. My big concern now is spinning enough yarn to complete the project. I'm hoping that the front will be completed with the yarn remaining in the picture!

Non-knitting randomness:
-my car has been leaking oil pretty badly for the past month. In fact the other day I had to ask the Dearest to put another quart in because I check the dipstick and it was DRY. Yikes! I had been putting off taking my car into the dealer because 1) it takes 3 days for them to look at any small problem with the car, 2) I don't have a backup vehicle so that means I'm stuck at home with the kiddos for three days, 3) I just *knew* it would cost mucho bucks to fix whatever the problem is, and my car isn't under warranty anymore.
To my surpise, they called the same day that I dropped the car off, and told me that it was leaking oil because the oil filter was loose (their fault as I have them change the oil). So not only did I get the car back within 24hrs, but *gasp* it didn't cost me anything! Yay!

-I am really itching to spend some time knitting and kvetching with other yarn freaks. Due to the Dearest's work schedule and some non-serious medical stuff, I've missed the last three "sit n knit" nights at LPK as well as two of the last spinning meets on Saturdays.
Hopefully I'll get to go to the sit n knit tonight but the Dearest has a meeting with a windbag client this afternoon, so we'll see!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

the sock is lovely, and though I know you had to improvise with the toe, I think the solid color looks great! Too bad about the fit, I think sometimes with a stiffer pattern, there is less give for wear. They did turn out gorgeous! Guess you will just have to wear them for lounge time at home so that you don't have worry about the arch bunching in your shoe!

Anonymous said...

I had the same trouble with the Jaywalker, and finally unwound the thing. It was baggy, and I didn't like the way the colorway I was using turned out. Guess we have twin feet!

Anonymous said...

That vest is so pretty. I'll be waiting to see what you do with the back.
I'm knitting Jaywalkers now too and am having fitting problems myself. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one-I thought all of blogland had better, and smaller, feet than me. :)

Abigale said...

Oh wow! Your Vest Everest is gorgeous!! Love the colour variations!

I just had a bit of an oil incident with my car as well... The oil light had been going on, so I dutifully wrestled the hood open, found a dipstick (dipstick being the operative word in this little story), brought it out, wiped it off - it was fine, full as can be... Kept driving around like this with the oil light beeping at me alllll the time, until I thought I'd better check that again. Well, it dawned on me that I'd checked the *wrong* dipstick!!! Looked around till I found a dipstick that was actually sticking out of the engine block, and there was hardly anything registering! Luckily the car seems OK.

Anonymous said...

Don't you just love it when you bring the car to the dealer and it ends up being their fault? ;o)

The sock is a lovely color - and since I am another who does not have 'Jaywalker Feet' I commiserate on the non-fitting :o(

Your vest is beautiful!

Anonymous said...

I really like the solid color toe! I hope you don't get Second Sock Syndrome on it. I really wish I could get my current projects finished so I could work up the nerve to start some socks....

I haven't been making to LPK either for the last few weeks. I miss getting out of the house....

La Cabeza Grande said...

Your Veste is beautiful! And that yarn?! Love it!

Elspeth said...

Congrats on finishing! I am so happy to have finished mine, even if I never wear them. And what a great car story!