Frakking Socks - Episode I

On Thursday evening at 5pm on the dot I eagerly cast on the first of my Viper Pilots socks. I also tried out a Google+ hangout for the first time and could see and chat to knitters in the US also casting on their first socks, which was pretty nifty. Unfortunately we don't have a proper microphone so I have to talk through our skype phone which makes knitting at the same time tricky, so I listened to the other knitters chatting away about cast on techniques and the like. I was storming along, on about my third round of ribbing when I realised I'd cast on 10 stitches less than the pattern. While this wasn't a major disaster, as I usually make my socks narrower as I have thin feet and ankles, it did make me take stock of my occasional cockiness and pay more attention. Much like being back at school.

I worked out how to modify the pattern, adding a couple of increases before starting the leg and removing one stitch from the ribbing sections of the pattern making my socks a nice neat 70 stitches rather than the 78 on the pattern.

The fit was going well, however the other thing I had been cocksure about was the difficulty of the pattern. I really enjoy knitting cables but I hadn't looked at how fiddly the cables were on this pattern. Rib 3, then purl one, with all knit stitches being through the back loop. Yes, I can do this but not at speed. This was going to be a lesson in patience and perseverance....

I knit until bedtime and I think completed the first of the "Viper Vs"

Next time on Frakking socks, trains, swearing and a notmycat which is not my notmycat.