Or, "How I Spent my Weekend"

I've been on the lookout for Canadian apples (particularly galas) in the grocery store for a while. I finally saw them when I was picking up things for Thanksgiving and, even though I knew I'd have no time to deal with them for at least a week, I grabbed up as many as I could. I had just enough time this Sunday before walking over to my mum's to get them all peeled and cut up and into a big pot.

I think I added a bit too much water because it boiled for longer than I remember last year but eventually it got there. I canned three jars plain and then added some spice for the last two (and the little bowl of leftovers - yum).

I love seeing jars of my own applesauce sitting waiting in the cupboard - so warm and cozy. The hour I spent peeling and chopping makes me think it might be wise to invest in one of those apple-peeling contraptions though.

Most of my knitting actually happened on Monday. I'd cast-on Rob's new socks on Saturday night and worked my way through the cuff and hem Sunday evening but really made progress sitting in my armchair in the living room on Monday. There is no clock visible from my armchair but I think I was sitting there for at least two hours. I didn't really have a choice - the cat was sleeping on my lap. I stopped to take pictures after the first spider repeat.

Like many very colour saturated yarns I've used before this one is coming off on my hands. By the time I stopped knitting my fingers and nails looked liked I'd been reading a newspaper. But I could tell it was from knitting by the stripe around my finger.

I finished the second repeat before I got out of my chair and, thanks to some time in the coffee shop on Tuesday and a power outage yesterday at work, I'm now finished the leg and three rows into the heel. I can't wait to see how the gussets work on this sock; they are a little different than the ones I've done before.

So you all know exactly what I did as soon as I finished my last post right? I cut open my sock club package (and then remembered the handknit socks that had been sitting in the sink in the laundry room for the last hour while I was typing and rushed to wring them out and hang them up) and pulled out the yarny goodness inside.

The sock club so far has been pretty representative of the many shades and variations of pink but we'd been promised a 'manly' colourway and I was very pleased to see that this month's kit was it. Meet Pining 4 Ewe - a green so dark that when I opened it up in the evening I first thought it was black.

This skein of yarn makes me so happy. I love knitting socks for Rob but whenever I go hunting for appropriate yarn I see a million colours I would wear on my feet and perhaps two or three (if I'm lucky) for him. I'm sure bright colours are more fun to dye but it is lovely to discover rich and beautiful darks. The manliness of this kit goes well beyond the yarn though. The patterns are manly too.

Pattern number one is a variation of Elizabeth Zimmerman's Moccasin Socks by her daughter Meg Swansen. The original pattern is a gift for those who hate to throw away a sock with a perfectly good upper because of a hole in the sole: when the sole is worn through and beyond repair you can remove the whole thing and knit a new one. Meg's variation adds complex twisted stitch motifs all over the upper.

Pattern number two, Buggin' Out, is as manly as a sock pattern can get and still involve fancy stitch patterns. It was even designed by a man (a long time sock club member it turns out). Stephen Houghton's socks have thick columns of ribbing that go right down the foot, a deeper heel, a slightly different, stretchier gusset, and spiders and apparently look pretty cool if you pull them on inside out.

I asked Rob if I could knit this month's pattern for him and which he would prefer. He chose the Buggin' Out socks (which, I confess, is the one I was hoping for). I gave him the option of not having the spiders (ribbing is usually as fancy as I get on Rob's socks) but he said they were okay. Now I can't wait to cast on; my ball winder will be getting some exercise this evening.

Oh, and the inside of my ball band says "Cone".

Pattern: My Heart Beets 4U by Anne Hanson for the 2010 Rockin' Sock Club (July kit)
Yarn: Blue Moon Fibre Arts Socks that Rock Lightweight in "Firecracker"
Size: Small
Yardage: 1 skein
Needles: 2.00 mm dpns

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It must be because I knit these socks so quickly that it has taken so long for me to get around to showing them off but my September kit arrived in the middle of dinner tonight and I'm forcing myself to leave it unopened until I've got this posted.

I made these socks in four days when I went to my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary at the end of August.

This is my current record for sock knitting speed.

I'm still kind of shocked.

I cast on in the waiting area at the airport here. Knit on the flights down to Vancouver. Knit the first heel at my Uncle's house during breakfast and while we got ready to drive up the province. Knit my way up the foot during the drive and kitchenered the toe just before we reached my grandparent's house.

Sock number two was cast on the next day when I woke up way before everyone else and had to wait around a while until breakfast. I worked my way down the leg in the course of the day (massive family breakfast, a little quiet time in the afternoon and then a massive family barbeque). I turned the second heel after brunch the fourth day. By the time we were back in Vancouver I was grafting the second toe and weaving in the ends. I snapped a few (bad) pictures in the Vancouver airport and wore them on the flight home.

I love this pattern. I have a feeling that even under normal circumstances it would seem to go quickly (comments from others in the Ravelry group corroborate this). It was very enjoyable to knit and I think it looks really nice on the foot. It would be nice to knit it up in a semi-solid to let the leaf pattern stand out more. The beets on the heel are just plain awesome. They're hidden by my shoes so unless (until?) I get myself a pair of clogs they are kind of like a secret.

Alright - now to get that new parcel open ...