I started the project on this Monday. The first a couple of days were pretty stressing. To be honest, before I finally got what I was happy with, I totally did 5 times of cast-on…. repetitive casting on, undoing and casting on again . There were two times that the stitches came off from the needles. I tried to pick them up but very soon, I realised that it might take more time to do so than simply re-doing it. Another two times were due to my lacking of experience of working on set of needles. I always felt there was an uneven crack between the first stitch and the last one, no matter how I joined 3 needles together. I also had once that I accidentally twisted the stitches which made the knitting look so funny and ugly. I almost turned to nuts at that night.

But I worked through it after several times’ failures. I talked on the phone with my Mom, who suggested me to cast on one more extra stitch and then knit two stitches together at the beginning of the first row. It works really well. And I further modified the tip by slipping the last extra cast-on stitch to the first needle, and using the fourth needle to start knitting the extra and the first cast-on stitch together. I noticed that how seamless the work turns out by this way. And my God! Mom is a genius!!!

By the way, I am a genius as well. I have no shame to say so at all, especially when I am looking at the work I have finished. Actually I taught myself almost everything about knitting. I read the book, I practised and I made it happen. Is there any other way could better state one’s intelligence and gift than her capacity of self-educating? I am so proud.

But there is still a long way to go. The most difficult part hasn’t come yet, which will be involved in grafting and heel shaping. For this project, the pattern is from Paton book again. I am using the Panda Wool bale 8ply yarn which is 100% pure new wool and really pleasant to knit with. The new knitting needles are also working perfectly.

The only thing I am not quite happy is the colour I chose (out of the consideration of the cost). It’s a kind of colour between white, light grey and light beige. It looks very natural but quite boring and ambiguous when knitting in stocking stitches. I am feeling bit repentant for not insisting to pick Cleckheaton’s Country Silk (purple with white spot texture). It might give the completely different effect if I used this yarn. Anyway, let’s face it. Country silk is $4.99 for each 50 ball while Panda is only $2.99. I kind of wanted to limit my cost of this pair of sock within 10 dollars, so there was a reason for whatever had happened. However, I am thinking to make up for it by attaching a knitted flower on the side of the socks to add a bit vigour.