(or, alternately titled) socks+bread=contented

Although it did not include picking up the Slouchy Cardigan, this week was about checking off the to-do list. The mundane -- wiping down the interior of the fridge, dusting blinds, reconciling calendars -- was not put-off, rather done with a bit of self-imposed bribing: if a is done, I may go knit the cuff; if b is done, I can go mix the dough. Two projects consumed me this week...

The first was a special pair of socks. I won't say much about them (yet), but will give you a glimpse:


The yarn is The Plucky Knitter's fabulous Merino Cashmere Nylon base, and the color is much more of a rich brown in person. This pattern is simple, and is exactly what I'm after. I did follow the pattern and knit the leg 8" long, and then completed the heel flap, the gusset, and a few instep rounds before frogging back. Worried I would run out of yarn, I ripped the leg to 6 3/4". Should be good to go now.

The second obsession was the Master Recipe from the book everyone else has already blogged about. Unfortunately, the book had only moved from the county library shelf to my tiny kitchen shelf until this week when I finally purchased a food-grade container for the dough. Today was finally baking day, and I have to say, I am so pleased with the results.


...so pleased, the kids and I ate the first loaf for lunch and I promptly reached in to the fridge for another portion to bake off. So, so good! And honestly, the crust was so perfect, it did "sing" as it hit the cool kitchen air, just like the book said it would. The book also promised that there would be quite an oven spring, where the bread would rise considerably during baking, and the book did not lie. One lesson learned: I definitely need a pizza peel; a wooden cutting board does not substitute as well as I thought it would.

One snoozing project I did revisit this week was Sweetpea. I am in love with this pattern, especially paired with The Plucky Knitter yarn in "Audrey's Socks". The below photo was taken last summer, during my first attempt:


However, this pattern kicks my ass. Pardon my french. Last summer, I had started these on a size 1 needle, and of course the result was a sock that would fit one of my children. (I knit tightly.) After ripping, I began again on size 2's. Again, too tight. Then I put it aside. Fast forward to this week: Cast on with size 3. Perfect. Knit lovely flouncy cuff. Check. Begin first pattern repeat, make mistake, rip out. Begin first pattern repeat, make mistake, rip out. Both times, I had screwed up somewhere along the line and the yarn over zigzag gave the mistake away. I must have forgotten a make one, but for the life of me, I could not see it in the stitches. Again, this project is in a time out. Does this ever happen to you? Has there been a pattern that just gets under your skin?

Here's to more conquering of the exciting and the not-so-exciting in the coming week.