O.K. Shannon (in Oregon, not Montana), here they are. Well, one of them anyways. I tried...over and over and over! I took this yarn with me to Panama last month and spent days attempting to make the Jaywalker pattern work for me. First I tried the toe-up version, but didn't get far before I decided it would be best to try the original pattern before messing around with any modifications. I ended up modifying anyways (in true Grumperina style) and I can't even remember how many times I ended up ripping this sock out all the way from down at the toe attempting different heels. I don't even remember what all the issues were that I was having, but I was determined to make these work somehow.
The picture above (taken on the porch where we stayed and spent hours just lollygagging the rainy days away, knitting and reading) was the last attempt, following the pattern to a "t", I believe. If you look closely, you can see how much extra fabric there was underneath the instep of my foot right after the heel turn. I was skeptical but decided to follow through to the end. Then, when I thought I might run out of yarn, I started decreasing a bit on the early side and it turned out it was far too soon. I love what this pattern does for the yarn but....
... on the bus across the country to Panama city, I started knitting straight from the yarn at the toe of this sock, unravelling it as I knit, making a toe up basic, ribbed sock. The other one to match was knit on the plane back to Seattle the following day. The problem now was that the two socks looked and fit completely different, probably due to the fact that one was knit from already knit, and therefore kinked, yarn and the other was from a fresh, unknit ball. I'm going to rip both of them, skein up the yarn, wash and dry it, and start all over, probably not Jaywalkers.
I was hoping to have these done by around Easter, but maybe, if all goes well, these will be done by your wedding date, Shannon (only 49 days to go!)? On your wedding website you DID say "whatever your choice of comfortable footwear". I think this will qualify, don't you? It's an evening wedding in Montana...I'll freeze without them. Maybe not, as long as I don't stop square dancing!
The other picture, by the way, is a carved panel in a building on one of the islands where we stayed in Bocas del Toro. There were many like this, but this was the most rusticly carved one that I saw. And that spot on my calf? That would be dried mud leftover from earlier that day when we hiked through the jungle over the island to a beach on the other side. There were boards and logs laid out on the trail to step on in the muddiest spots. I missed one time and sunk almost up to my knee. With my next step my other leg did the same. Then, trying to step up onto a board I realized that my feet in Keen sandals were suctioned down into the mud. When I tried to pull my feet up they started slipping out and my sandals were stayeing down there. I was afraid that if I let go of them I'd lose them down there so I ended up handing C my bag and camera, reaching down into the mud, grasping my sandals by the loop in the heel, and pulling them up with my feet inside them. Believe it or not, I've found myself in a similar situation before, only then I was walking along Barker Reservoir in Nederland, Colorado, wearing hiking boots and jeans, and I sunk up to my hip! That time, I pulled myself up and out onto solid ground and laughed harder than I've ever laughed before or possibly ever since!
