The socks and my February Lady sweater have been tagged and dropped off at the Fair. The drop off was completely painless, and I won’t see these items again until I go to the fair next week. I’m not expecting any ribbons, but am still very excited to see my projects there.

Note: They could, indeed, be deemed inadmissible for a variety of reasons (wrong category, etc.), but I’m really hoping that’s not the case.

These are becoming the most-photographed socks I’ve ever made. And (fingers crossed) there’s one more shot of them I’d like to take – next week, in the display case. Can’t wait!

Project: Mystery Sock 09, (Ravelry Link). Pattern by Kirsten Kapur of Through the Loops

Yarn: Sundara Yarn Sock Yarn, color: Orchid; on size US 1.5 circulars, Magic Loop method

Started: December 26, 2009. Completed: August 5, 2010.

Here is the shared Ravelry project link, if you’re interested.

A little background on the pattern: For the past two years or so, Kirsten of Through the Loops has shared a Mystery Sock pattern. Each week for about a month, she publishes part of a sock pattern, and folks knit along, not knowing what the next portion of the pattern will be. One week, she’ll publish the cuff, the next week the leg, then the heel, and so on. Then, when the month is complete, she publishes the entire pattern for folks (like me) who weren’t able to keep up on a weekly basis.

I absolutely loved the look of this pattern, so around Christmas I cast on. I finished the first sock lickety split, and even fished the leg of the second sock. Then – and I’m not sure why – I set them aside for a few months, until I decided a few weeks ago I wanted to enter these socks in the Kentucky State Fair. Hence the whirlwind knitting this week!

I love all of the details about this sock -the pretty heel, the stitch pattern over the toe. I love the cable effect without actually having any “real” cables. I love the way the pattern moves from the side of the leg to the top of the foot. Really, there was nothing I didn’t love about this pattern.

I’m still going to enter these in the fair, but there are a few problems here and there – some loose stitches in my ribbing, some strangeness at the ends of my toe grafting. But I still like them, even if they probably aren’t blue ribbon material. The fun is just having something in the case at the Fair to point at and say, “I made that!”

Beyond that, all I can say is – YAY! They’re done, and that’s one more WIP that I can check off the list. I still have a couple of secret baby sweaters to finish, but they’re close to completion. This means I may be able to play with some fabric soon! I can’t wait!

Counting to five – who knew it was so difficult?

I do, in fact, have five t0es. My pinkie t0e is just shy.

I should point out that these socks will not fit me when they’re complete. My size would require some computations and alterations of the pattern, since adding an entire chart repeat would make them too big, but without an extra repeat they’re too small. Since these are going to be displayed in public, I’d rather not risk wacky modifications.

I should have this one done tonight. I think I’ll need to rip back the toe on sock #1 (since, when I made it, I did include some wacky modifications) but that shouldn’t take long, knock on wood. Then, they’ll be ready for washing and blocking.

I’ll be so happy to have these done and off my mind! Especially since I want to get my sewing machine out – I’m itching to work on some patchwork!

It doesn’t look like much, but that’s a heel flap, picked up gusset stitches, and gusset decreases – all completed.

For me, the gusset decreases are the slog of the sock. That’s where I always hit a knitting black hole, and can’t understand why it just isn’t done already. So to have that part completed is a huge hurdle.

In fact, once that was done, I kept zipping along quite nicely. Only two more chart repeats to go on the foot, then the toe. Barring any unfortunate accidents (like a random cat attack, or the like) I should be in good shape to finish by the weekend. Then they’ll get a good soak and block, and be ready for the fair.

I am relieved, but not counting my chickens quite yet.

Today, almost four weeks since I decided to enter these socks, and less than three weeks away from the due date for entries (August 14th), the second sock looks like this:

Hm.

I think I see a problem.