Pursuit of Happiness

My sock yarn arrived yesterday.  It's quite a lot.  In fact, this pretty much doubled my, albeit small, stash.  I'm not sure if I'm having buyers´ remorse or what - but I think we can all agree that I lost my senses a bit. 

OK, I don't want to say that I have remorse.  Rather, I'm a bit startled by how obsessed I got.  I felt truly juiced up.  I haven't been that way in years, maybe not since I was way too into the Smurfs.  My dad still teases me about the Smurfs.

I need to be more careful next time.  I should have taken a deep breath to pull myself out of the frenzy of the moment.  I don't regret it because I know that I'll have fun making all these socks, and I won't buy any more yarn until I work my way through the stash.  Still.  Next time: breathe.    

In more sock news...

Dreamsicle is coming along, but I think the toe is too pointy. 

In case you were wondering, those are my shoes and the sock is for me.  For disclosure, and also so that you don't freak out when you see the finished product: I'm only 5'1" if I stand up really straight, and I wear US 4.5 (Euro 34) shoes, sometimes smaller.  I know!  I sometimes wonder how I support myself with such widdle stubs.  I joke, but finding shoes that fit is a total nightmare.  I got these Chuck's at a kids store.  Shhh.

For those looking to branch into the magic loop technique, I'm following two tutorials at once:   Toe-Up Socks on One Circular Needle from Silver's Sock Class and Knitting Basic Toe-Up Socks Using the "Magic Loop" Circular Method by Barb.  I find that it helps to read two "voices" when learning something new in case I don't understand something.  It's not easy learning this stuff without someone there to show you, but I promise you that it's possible to learn even really complicated things by reading online tutorials.  Just check multiple sources.

You'll also notice that I'm only working on one sock.  What Silver says at the beginning of her tutorial is so true - you really need at least a 40" chord on your circular needles, and you really do need good quality needles at that.  I started with a set of cheepies that I picked up from the shop around the corner, and the cable was way too short for two socks and arguably too short for one.  Also the join was so wonky that I was having trouble sliding the stitches on and off the needles.  I was beginning to wonder why the magic loop is so great.  Then I got my new needles, and it all became clear.  This is far less fidgety than working with double pointed needles.  I'm sold.

I'm off to Costa Rica manana, so I'll see all you chicas and chicos when I get back after Easter.  I promise to bring back many sock portraits. 

Hasta luego!  Namaste.

Comments

[Heather]

Moi aussi j'adore les Schtroumpfs!

Have a great, relaxing trip!

[becky]

I am so completely jealous of your stash!

[Jen]

Heather, did you ever see the Belgium Unicef ad featuring the Smurfs being carpet bombed? It came out last year I think. It's truly jaw dropping. Mon dieu! My inner 7 year old was really shocked. Don't show this to kids: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/unicef_smurfs_video

Becky, no don't be jealous of the stash - it was very impulsive and I should be ashamed. Also this is seriously like all of it. Everything else I have laying around is for a specific project or was frogged from a project. Until now, I wasn't a yarn collector.

[Jennie]

Great purchases from Astrid's! You are so lucky to be able to get it so quickly. I live in the states so it took a whole 2 weeks for the package to get here and I checked the mail box everyday for it, since I am crazily obsessed with sock yarn. :)It was well worth it since I bought a heck of a lot. LOL.

[My Merino Mantra]

All that yarn is ok, as long as you really use it. Someday. :)
I've seen those links before, and I am ready to start socks again! I'll use Magic Loop, as nothing else looks good to me. Your Dreamsicle socks look wonderful, so far. Good luck!

[Cassandra]

Well hi there! It's always exciting to find other American transplants here in the Lowlands. Where do you live? Do you go to a Stitch and Bitch? Ours in Amsterdam is getting big and bustling, lots of Americans. Nice to find your blog!

[Jen]

Jennie: Yeah two weeks is about how long it takes for mail to move across the ocean. Packages always take longer than envelopes too. Astrid has an amazing supply though - rivals any LYS I've ever been in, so totally worth the wait. My only problem now is that I apparently knit so slow that it's going to take me years to get through this. There I was thinking that I'd be through that stash by the end of the summer. ha!

Mantra: The magic loop is working out great, especially with the two socks at once. Now that I've been through both tutorials, I think I like Silver's better, but Barb's measurements are good if you are trying to knit a pair of women's socks. When I'm done with them (almost), I'll post my experiences with the Dreamsicles. Good luck and do share your experiences Great blog title, btw!

Cassandra: Goede Middag! I'm in The Hague, actually. I posted to Expatica when I first came over to try to start a S-n-B here, but it didn't come together - not enough people. Someone tried to start a S-n-B at the ABC, but I turned up once and no one was there. Some Dutch ladies meet at a cafe somewhere, but my Dutch is really bad, which instantly makes me very shy when I'm otherwise pretty outgoing. Also I'm not keen to hang out in a smokey cafe with my knitting. Seems like all the good things happen in AMS, but unfortunatley my husband works in Rotterdam. Maybe I can crash the AMS S-n-B semi-regularly. :)