Comments

Thanks heaps for all the helpful comments regarding my first applique attempt. I don't feel so bad about it now.

I always try something new (applique, setting up stuff on computer etc) with the thought "How hard can it be?", only to find that it is quite hard after all. I think I should be able to get it on the first go. Not so, obviously. I suppose I thought that I wouldn't need to do too much preparation, but now I see that I do. That's cool, as long as I know. When you see other people's work you don't often get to see what goes on behind the scenes. "The one I prepared earlier" gets whipped out, and it just seems so easy! Joke's on me I guess!

While thinking about the applique I thought I'd try the sock knitting. The real reason was that I was in the vicinity of the very nice wool and thread shop Threads and More last week, so I went in and asked for the basic sock pattern. The lady also sold me a set of double ended needles that were so small they looked like the skewers you thread meat on to make satay sticks (they were bamboo). Anyway, I got home and opened the pattern, expecting to see a couple of sizes, which I thought was indicated on the back of the packet. Wrong. Then I measured my (HUGE) foot, to find it is 2cm longer than the larger of 3 foot sizes for the One Size Fits All pattern.

At this point a bizarre and evil thought came over me.... "Perhaps I should knit the tension square?" Now I have to tell you that this concept goes totally against my philosophy in life ie. "Work smart, not hard". I mean to say - does anyone ever knit the tension square?? That's just extra work as far as I can see it, for not much pay off. But I did it. Well I started to. Just enough to establish that it wasn't going to be big enough. Blast. I found some old needles of my Nana's that were a 3.5 not 2.25, and started again. I did that bit you see in the photo, and think that they are probably the more appropriate size. So tomorrow I will be near the shop again, so I will buy some more pointy skewer sticks. Then I will start asking for help! I think I'll be able to get to the heel if I can get my 4 needles working. After that I will be needing help. Keeps me off the streets.