Hedgehog Knitting: Sock Show Thursday: When Last We Left Our Intrepid Hedgehog

When we last left our intrepid heroine, she was facing down ENDLESS obligation knitting. It was a good obligation and mostly her own fault that she's past deadline and wasn't done. That went to the post office on Tuesday evening and hopefully will never have to be thought of again. If I get a finished object image, I'll post that but otherwise, know that it was way too much fussing with gauge and ended with me knitting worsted weight on size 2 needles--which only works for about an hour before my hands start cramping badly.

As I write this evening, Pye is curled up on the log cabin afghan that I made in La Crosse, which still needs it's ends woven in and a border. It's her favorite place to sleep, she's purring up a storm, all by herself. I catch her licking the afghan occasionally, apparently she has a special affinity for the flavor of sheep. She's recuperating from her spaying. I was happy to get her as a kitten but there need be no more kittens in the world from my two ladies. Gypsy had one litter before I adopted her and Pye was the last litter of a female who my friend's mom was trying to catch and spay in order to end a colony.

Obligation knitting done and Philosopher required to sit down, I could finally get around to the toes on all of the various and sundry socks I've been working on for him. One sock wasn't as far along as I thought, another needed a few rows ripped out. Anyway, all of the socks are done, off the needles and are only awaiting one final fitting--just in case.

First up are the Green Ray socks. I knit most of these at Computers in Libraries in March, though Ravelry has a January start date. Ouch.

Needle: 1.5 (2.5 mm)
Stitch Count: 56
Yarn: Ewetopia Fiber Shop Merino Sportweight
Purchased: WI Sheep and Wool 2011

When I realized I had other places to go and needed more on the go knitting (that'd be around Easter), I started on the Philothree socks. Note that the Philosopher could only remember that I was knitting him a pair of green socks. He didn't realize that I was knitting him two pair of green socks until a couple days ago when I made him sit for all of the toes. Suffice to say, he's pleased and looking forward to wearing them in the fall/winter.

Needle: 2 (2.75 mm)
Stitch Count: 52
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Superwash Sportweight
Purchased: Yarnation, 2010

Lamb's Pride (according to Ravelry) is 100% Wool. It's definitely not merino, it's tougher than that. It still knits up into very squishy socks though and I will be interested in seeing how it wears. I think it may pill less than the Ewetopia Fiber.

The socks that I started at Dark Lord Day have gotten a few scant rounds knit on them, though they've been hauled hither and yon. Now that all other socks are done but for end weaving and toe verification, I'm hoping to make some faster progress--though on size 0 needles it's still going to be a while.

Oh--one other modification to my usual pattern with these. Normally, I start the toe of the sock at the base or thereabouts of the recipient's big toe and proceed thusly. Philosopher has longer toes, so this doesn't work with my row gauge. With these, I knit most of the way through his toes, then did a few rows of decrease (not every other--every row) and then a three needle bind off. I still need to teach myself to kitchner but this seemed perfectly adequate as a bind off.

There wasn't a lot of yarn left, but there's some for repairs if needed.