sleeves

I hate sleeves.

Sleeves knit flat. Sleeves knit on DPNs, and don't even get me started on those crazy new-fangled circular needle tricks.
I think the issue is with the number of stitches. For instance, I have no problems knitting socks on DPNs, but you average, reasonably-gauged sleeve has oh, half the stitches of your average, reasonably-gauged sock. Turning work, or rearanging yarn & needles in my hands is one of my least favorite bits of knitting. Yes, worse than seaming (I really don't mind seaming all that much). My most satisfying knitting experience so far has been rounds and rounds of fingering-weight 1x1 rib, since it was all on a circular needle, and I never needed to readjust anything. Sleeves, it seems like half my time is readjusting, and I never make any progress whatsoever.
Oh yes, and you have to count. Always awkwardly long sequences, like, inc1 every 12 rows.
I realized this thinking about a my first-stab-at-fair-isle sweater, and that I was nearing the top of the front (yes it's back and forth, not steeked. Somehow, the purl rows aren't any worse than the knit ones - not that the knit ones are good. Maybe this has something to do with my first colorwork being DK?) I keep putting off knitting it, and my new theory is this is because somewhere, subconciously, I know the sleeves are coming.

So, I guess this means I won't be figuring out the template purties for this blog before I start posting. Don't worry. It will be purple soon. I figure I can change the default colors first, and wrangle with getting the image uploaded for the header as time allows. At least it's something.

The other active WIP is the second pair of socks. Last night I realized the first sock had a *really stupid* mistake, which explained why the heel was turning out kinda wonky the second time through the same pattern. Well, actually a recipie. Sockulator III from the knitting fiend. Silly me had blamed it on her math not being able to deal with the smaller gauge rather than the much simpler problem of me making only 1/2 of the called-for gusset increaces. It does fit close-enough though, so I think I'm stuck making the same mistake on purpose in the second sock. Which really smarts.

added later-image:the infamous socks, & yarn. I'd take a better picture, but they're so much more done now
aaaand I'm gonna have to felt them a little since I think I want a little more negative ease than I initially guessed - and I lost track of count so they're a little longer than they should be too or maybe I want negative length-ease as well.
otoh, they're definetly confirming my decision to make the first pair as a gift. Those will always be perfect in my mind (well, I didn't mess up the gusset for one) while these definetly have their faults, and are more of an exercise in 'good enough'. If I'd started with these, I think I'd swear off sock-knitting. It doesn't help that while the yarn for these looked great in the picture, in person, I think I prefer the STR I used for the other ones, even though I found it a little odd at first brush. They both ended up self-striping rather than randomly varegated. So while I guess that's better than pooling in vertical stripes, I'm still hunting for a sock-yarn staple. There are several etsy stores on my short list.

Working on pictures of FO's, WIPs and stash. Need to decide whether to keep the camera or get one with image stabilization. Would like this blog to be useful as a log of what I have (and, oh, silly things like what gauge it was) even if no one else bothers to find it.