Ankle Socks

I've started knitting socks. This is one of the third pair I've knitted in the last month.

I have another pair using the same yarn but they are crew style socks. I had some left over from each ball so I'd thought I'd try some toe up socks to insure I had enough yarn.

I specifically bought the latest issue of Interweave Knit for the Ann Budd article on toe-up socks. I don't buy many knitting magazines much because I don't seem to end up knitting anything in them. But the toe-sock article with step-by-step directions and a chart for knitting different size socks with different gauges is worth the $7!

The directions and picture for the toe-up cast on, a Turkish or eastern cast-on, was very confusing in the article. I just couldn't figure it out. Luckily, after a little bit of surfing, I found a great tutorial on the Knitty site called Magic cast-on for toe-up socks. I used DPNs though.

Today I drove over to Burnet which is about 20 miles from where I live. I saw a yarn store listed in the latest phone directory that came out last month. It is called Artisan's and is wonderful!

Carrie owns the store and is into cleaning and carding fiber. I talked to her about doing something with the alpaca fiber we have from this year's shearing. She'd like to buy some so we might be able to work out a deal where she'll clean and card some and we'll give her some in exchange. She also knows someone who spins so we may be able to get it turned into yarn too!

Peggy works at the store and helps people with their knitting. She has somewhat informal classes on Saturdays. I may start attending one next Saturday. It will be the Road Scarf pattern from the Lion Brand's website. I'm sure I could teach myself how to do the stitches required but I like the idea of knitting with others and learning from more experienced people as well.

Peggy also told me about two groups that meet at the store. One group meets at 11 am on Fridays and the other group meets at 1 pm on Wednesdays. I'm so excited that I'll have an opportunity to get together with other knitters like I did with my groups in Austin when I worked there.

Speaking of which (or is writing as such?!?!?!), I'm going into Austin tomorrow with Amy so she can take a karate class. And I plan to go to Cafe Caffeine at 10 am for the Austin Knitting and Crochet Meet Up.