Hedera - 1 Down, 1 to Go!

So...I got a little concerned, cause I screwed up. I didn't make the heel flap long enough, it was five rows too short. So when I went to pick up the stitches, I was short five stitches on either side. Just when I was convinced that I totally had the "pick up & knit" part down. I was confused, but made the decision to increase five stiches at each side, and move on. It took me until after I had worked a couple rounds to realize my mistake, but at that point....I mean, how do you rip back in lace? I'm sure it's possible...but would you really want to? Would anyone? Without a life-line? So, I pressed forward:



Then, I started noticing how droopy it was looking. I mean, the gusset isn't supposed to flare, right? But I stuck to my guns, I will finish this one, I thought, and the next one I'll do properly. I learned, I will move on.


And finish it I did! One sock, anyways.


What's that last picture, you ask? Is that a dimple in my gusset? Why yes, it is. But it's my dimple & I'm proud of it. So there.

And in case you're curious about the relaxing atmosphere I knit in & where I get my inspiration to keep at it every night from, well:

Stashed

Spent some time yesterday organizing my stash on Ravelry. Loves it. Still need a better camera, tho, trying to photograph my stash by the remaining 45 minutes of light when I get home from work is tough. Especially when also trying to entertain the birthday-boy. And clean. And drink sippy:Some pictures came out better:

But not great. I harken back to my beginning photography class, and my teacher telling me that no matter what I do while developing, if there's no light, there isn't going to be any image. The same holds true in the digital world, and apparently, especially so if you have a crappy, old, crappy camera that was never meant for anything more than drunken late night pictures of your cat.
Those will not be featured here. At least, not today.

Behold! Progress!

Okay, I now have four rows of the lace repeat done:














And this is the yarn I'm using:

And this is what the lace pattern looks like:

Hopefully I'll have some time this weekend to continue, but it is DH's birthday, so, we shall see. Hopefully he'll need some video time...

Hedera

Allright, let's get straight to the meat.

After toiling over Cookie A's German Stockings (mine are at left)for 8 months, after cursing the designer's name numerous times, after finding that they don't even fit the recipient correctly...I started a new sock by her the next week. Behold Hedera.
I've made three gauge swatches. Not that I actually knit all 48 rows of them all, but enough to get an idea...hopefully. The pattern calls for US 1's, so I tried that. I'll try to follow directions once, sure. But this yarn I'm using, I just don't know. It's says it's a sport weight, but it's really fine, and 2 ply - I got 19 WPI. The yarn called for in the pattern is like, 14 WPI. So, I made a second gauge swatch with US2's, shrugged at it being short, but went ahead & cast on anyways.
After about 3 rows it was clear that this thing would never fit over my ankle. I ripped it out, and cast on again last night with 3's.
But now that I'm onto the lace part...what if they're too big? I curse the gods that make me second guess myself. I will plow forward, at least until it's obvious that it's not gonna work. Which may be when I get to the toe, sure, but hey, it's all a learning experience, right?

So...now what?

Okay. I did it. I've succumbed. Now I just have to figure out what to do here, and how!