sockdolagy: Welcome, you intrepid knitters!

This blog is for the knitters who are taking on the challenge of reducing their sock yarn stash by creating a different project each month of 2010. Just think - 12 Christmas presents taken care of! Photos of your completed objects will be posted here, as well as the announcement of the monthly winners and new patterns, errata, etc.

The title of the blog comes from a play on words of the word "sockdolager" which according to Websters means a hard hit, a knockout or finishing blow; something exceptional. And you knitters are certainly exceptional!

The first pattern - Gaia is causing a wee bit of concern due to its wording and stitch marker placement. We havve worked around the stitch marker placement as follows: Do NOT use a movable marker that attachs to stitches - just use a round marker that you will place after stitch 2, before the centre stitch and before the last 2 stitches of the row. These markers will be slipped each row.

So, if you're knitting along on the right side - the side that has the Yarn overs - you would:

Knit 2, slip maker (sm) YO, knit to next marker, YO, then slip the marker, K1, YO, knit to next marker, YO, sm, k2. Be sure you keep the markers in their correct spots - always 2 stitches in from the edge, and directly beside the centre stitch.

Another problem a few have had is disappearing YO on the purl rows. Because the yarn is at the front, you need to put it to the back and then purl the stitch - it will create a YO for you. Another fun thing I noticed when making my scarf was on the purl row, you never need to take the yarn back and forth to make the YO. You knit 2, leave the yarn at the back, purl to the next marker, sm, k1, purl to next marker, sm, k2. The markers end up in the correct position, and the yarn overs are created.

I changed up the pattern a bit and added a garter stitch edging with beads. I am praying I have enough yarn to finish it....