2. The Last Socks of 2007 and the First Socks of 2008

I'm once again struggling with blog procrastination. Travel and late meetings are good reasons for not posting; uncovering the fruit fly breeding ground in my kitchen and the complete chaos in my digital photo storage are just excuses for blog avoidance. Once I don't post for a while, I find it incredibly difficult to post again. Stop laughing Dad. Right now, I've got notes for a handful of posts scribbled out either on paper or as drafts in TypePad, no travel planned for the next two weeks, and a husband who will be stuck at the office for the rest of the month. Expect every other day posts for the rest of January. Feel free to nudge me if I fall off of that schedule.

There were no posts last week because I was in California for a sales team meeting. Those meetings always include team dinners—late nights with too much wine—and early mornings. When I'm on the West Coast for meetings, the only time I have to respond to email is before our meetings start at 8:30 or 9:00. Waking up really early and working from 6:00 to 8:00 am reduces the inbox backlog and helps me avoid jet lag after the trip, but 10:00 pm bedtimes, 5:00 am wakeup calls, and coast to coast travel take a toll. I finally felt human late Saturday afternoon. I searched for the notebook in which I had scribbled out notes for a few posts but couldn't find it anywhere. I finally found it on my desk when I arrived at the office this morning.

One thing that those California meetings are good for is sock production. In November, I knit most of a pair during my last California adventure. I almost finished that pair—the Provençal Socks—while I was on my holiday trip to Wisconsin. I declared this pair finished on December 27 even though I had one hem to stitch down. Last week, I finished my first pair of 2008. Two cross country flights, 3 days of training, a sick day, and the NFL playoffs create a lot of knitting time. Knitting short socks helps, too.

Provençal Socks
Pattern: The toe up sock pattern in my head.
Yarn: Regia Jaquard, discontinued color 5270 Provence.
Notions: 2.25 mm short Clover Bamboo dpns.
Time: November 11 to December 27, 2007.
Comments: This is my last short row heel. I know I've said that before, and I'm sure I'll finish the lingering incomplete pairs with short row heels, but after that no more for my own socks. Flap and gusset heels "pop" onto my foot so much better.

CJ's Socks
Pattern: Cast on 60 stitches, work K2P2 ribbing for 15 or 20 rows, make a heel flap, turn the heel, decrease back to 60 stitches, knit until long enough, do 4 point decreases for the toe with 2 rows between each decrease for the first half, then 1 row between for the rest. Kitchener when there are 24 stitches left. Or something like that. I've got more complete notes in Ravelry so I can make more socks for her.
Yarn: Plymouth Sockotta Jaquard color 505 (I think).
Notions: 2.25 mm short Clover Bamboo dpns.
Time: January 6 to 13, 2008.
Comments: I'm sure I'll be making more socks for CJ. Her feet are as wide as mine, but even smaller. Here are her comments on receiving custom knit socks.

Thanks to Sandy and Norma for the idea to number my 2008 posts so I can keep track of my progress to 200.

Comments

[claudia]

Good to hear from you! Hopefully you'll have at least two more Patriots games to knit through.

[Norma]

You make notes for posts???? I just sit down in front of the computer and GO. :)

[Beth S.]

It's nice to hear some praise for the flap-and-gusset heel. It's my standard one and is so often maligned in blog-land. ;-)

I once knit a friend a pair of socks in that wonderful Provence colorway. I was loath to give them away!

[Kimberly]

I'm finally able to read again and what do my eye's see?! The very same colorway I have on! And the second pair? Used that for socks for The Boss and Younger.
Short row heel works for me but for Younger I do a modified flap & gusset.
Looking forward to seeing more 'relatives'.