Jaywalkers Cross the Finish Line

I got the second skein of Jitterbug yarn in the mail today, (along with two more in semi-solid colors) only two days after ordering it from Jimmy Bean's Wool. Now that's what I call customer service. I wound it into a ball and found a knot quite near the end. The little golf ball of yarn that resulted was just enough to finish the second Jaywalker sock. The socks fit me, although they are a little tight going over the ankle. I'll have to wear them on less humid days when my ankles aren't so swollen, or save them for my mom as a gift.

I don't know why I waited so long to make this pattern. (Well, I do know: all the scare stories about the socks not fitting made me a little bit skittish.) The pattern is really easy and shows off the stripes in the yarn really nicely.

The next pair I make will be a little larger. This pair makes 10 finished pairs for the 52 pair plunge. I think I'm only one week behind at this point. I now have 5 first socks on the needles, so I'll have to concentrate on working on only one pair at a time if I want to keep up.

I almost forgot! I finally got the invite from Ravelry and it's everything I'd hoped for. I've been entering books, stash and projects all day today, at least until the mail came and the additional Jitterbug yarn arrived!

Jaywalkers hit a Roadblock

They would be finished if I hadn't run out of yarn!

I'm really getting good at those double decreases. I've been working on my first pair of Jaywalkers, using Colinette Jitterbug yarn in Jay. I've hit a roadblock, though. I ran out of yarn halfway down the foot of sock two. Not to worry, I ordered another skein, plus some in a coordinating color to make another pair. In fact, I followed the recommendations of kindred spirits on the socknitter's list and ordered the yarn from Jimmy Bean's Wool, which is up in the Sierras near Lake Tahoe, about 225 miles away from me. I knew about this store and website, but I hadn't visited before. I ordered the yarn before noon today, and they have already shipped it to me! I have high hopes that the yarn will arrive, if not tomorrow, then on Wednesday. They have great yarn, free shipping over $75, and some really nice free patterns too.

I knew there was a likelihood that I would run out of yarn, and probably should have knit these socks toe up or with shorter cuffs, but what the hey, I will have a wonderful pair of socks, and the second pair might be spectacular (I plan a slip stitch design.) I'm using the 76 stitch pattern, size 2.5 mm needles, and the sock just barely fits over my ankle. It's about 10" around, but these Jaywalkers really do have no sideways stretch. When I make the pattern again using this gauge I will follow Grumperina's advice for enlarging the sock. If I make the pattern with a finer gauge yarn I'll have to enlarge it even more.

While I'm waiting for my yarn, did I work on one of the other sock projects that I have going? Of course not. I started a new pair. I've wanted to make the Fancy Silk socks from Vintage Socks since I got the book in March. I'm using Regia cotton/wool in a nice denim blue solid. The top edge is quite nice and uses those double decreases again. The rest of the pattern looks pretty easy too.