24: Pass the matchsticks

Oh dear, it’s getting on for 2am, and I’m starting to flag just a little.  I spose that’s the trouble with this time-zone: half way through the ‘thon is tired time already.  I’ve had a walk around the flat, which has helped, and grabbed a KitKat.  Maybe that wasn’t a brilliant idea… I should probably have had a banana.  Oh well, I can always go back for one in a bit.

I didn’t do the Kareoke challenge that the Blogathon people set, because my upstairs and downstairs neighbours are trying to sleep, and I don’t see any point in doing it if you can’t do it with conviction and gusto!  Heather did it though – you should go and have a listen on her LJ.

Conquering entrelac

Or so far… not.  Heeeeelp!  I’ve been going backwards and forwards on the first half-inch (the setup triangles) of the entrelac sock pattern that is the second pair for this year’s Sock Knitter’s Pentathlon.  I was getting great big gappy gaps between the triangles and after I looked at this tutorial / pattern [Ravlink] for an entrelac scarf that someone on the mailing list recommended, I came to the conclusion that it was because of the extra two rows at the top of the triangles in the sock pattern – they didn’t ‘attach’ to the sock cuff.  (The triangles were made by knitting increasing short rows, using one more stitch from the cuff every time until you get to six.  I don’t think I can describe it any better than that, but the scarf tutorial has pictures.)  The scarf tutorial, which starts the short rows with knitting one stitch instead of two like the sock pattern, solves that problem.  So that’s what I’ve now done with those.

[thumb:1122:l:l=d:t=]Pattern: buttercupia: Noro Entrelac Socks. [Ravlink]
Yarn: Posh Yarn Emily in ‘Troubadour’.
Needles: 2.75mm DPNs
Ravelry Project Page: SKP09 Pair #2

However!  Now that I’ve done all the triangles, I’m a bit stumped.  I have to pick up stitches to start the rectangle / diamond section, and it says to work left to right.  But I’m not sure if I’m sposed to turn the work before I do that, or go “backwards” on the right side, or what.  Aaaaaaah, confusing!  I think I’m just going to have to experiment and see what happens.  I should have knitted a swatch first.  Oh well!!

Other than the entrelac socks, I’ve been doing some spinning, actually remembering to keep up with taking Project 365 photos (I’ll post those soon), and… um… also doing other stuff?  Oh, I know – I have new glasses which is great because now I can see what I’m typing (always helpful), and I’ve also been reading a fair bit.  In fact, I’m thinking of doing Dewey’s Read-a-thon, although I should probably make my mind up soon if I am going to join in.  If I do, I don’t think I’ll commit to the whole 24 hours because I don’t want to mess my sleeping patterns up again just as they seem to be improving, but I could do 12 hours easily.  I would say more, but it starts at 1pm BST (the site says GMT, but they mean current UK time by that, not actual GMT) and that would make my finishing time too late.  And in fact, since it’s just past 1am right now, I think I’d better go to bed and get some kip!  Night.