This here sock has been taking up all my spare knitting time for the past month. It’s my entry for the Hill Country Yarns Sock Pattern Contest. Meet Brancusi.

I had been all coy about showing it in progress, but now that it’s been submitted, I’m all for showing it off. I won’t know until August 31st if it was selected as a winner. I’m pretty darn proud of it. It took three sock sketches to arrive at the final pattern combination.

I graphed it out on June 2, the day we arrived back from Paris and started knitting it then. It’s been full-steam ahead since then, stealing 20 minutes at breakfast before work, a round or two between meetings and before-bed toiling. I’m at the heel flap of the second sock, so that should be finished within a week or so.

Inspired by Brancusi’s “Endless Column” these socks serve as support and compliment to one of the world’s greatest pieces of art: you. A densely knit, top-down sock with a hemmed stockinette cuff, a geometric twisted stitches and traveling cable pattern, an eye of partridge heel flap and anatomically-correct toes.

While they could be knit with a finer yarn, the thick Instant Gratification yarn and small needles pay tribute to the solidity of materials explored in Brancusi’s work, resulting in a long-lasting, hard-wearing, handsome, sturdy sock. The yarn tag calls for US4-6, but I needed 64 stitches for the pattern and didn’t want a baggy sock. That’s right, some DK-weight knit on US2/3.0mm!

Special thanks to the following inspiration peeps:

• To Cat Bordhi, for demystifying sock knitting with two circulars.
• To Rachael “Yarn-a-go-go” Herron, for helping me grow and stretch my mind as a designer.
• To Sile, of Knit One One for hosting and getting my butt into Rachael’s class.
• To Eunny Jang, for sharing the joys of traveling stitches in her Bayerische socks (now I gotta finish mine!)
• To Stephanie “Yarn Harlot” Pearl-McPhee, for showing me my first eye of partridge heel and hemmed stockinette cuff
• To Vogue Knitting Magazine’s Stitchionary Volume 2, for feeding my cable habit.

Another t-shirt… but appropriate for ‘mos, trannies, bi-‘s, poly-‘s, pan-‘s and friends.

Avert your eyes, sensitive viewers.

Here’s some gratuitous man-on-dog action.

Little puppy Tank is growing. He barely fits on my lap!

Just another perk of a dog-friendly office.

More knitting-related (and hopefully Paris, too) content coming this weekend. Until then, enjoy the unbearable cuteness of my little furry boyfriend.

No, that’s not Janie Sparkles; it’s Foot Foot! He’s a warm brown brindle Frenchie that we’ve run into at the dog park. Last night, he, Janie and Bibby had a wonderful wander in the dusty paths of Cesar Chavez park in Berkeley. It was our first big off-leash adventure since going away.

While not directly about Paris (they are French bulldogs after all), leaving Janie at Pet Camp was the hardest part about going away. I’m sure she enjoy her play sessions, both with the small dogs and the gentle larger dogs (we asked that she be moved up because she likes ’em bigger). It’s just not the same as sleeping in our bed or snoring next to us on the couch.

It appears that she lost some weight during her stay, as we expected. Foot Foot’s mom said Janie makes him look like a porker. That’s what you get when you’re not food-motivated. She has been a more frequent member of the clean-plate/bowl club and pooping like a champ.

Her stay at camp didn’t affect her personality. She’s getting so much love at the office and looking for cuddles and belly rubs whenever possible. She’s just as playful as always and seems truly happy to see us.

Four years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you that I’d be a knitter. The same goes for being a dog person. Although I’ve got the man of my dreams, my heart belongs to this furry little lady and her friends.

I succumbed… this is my project-that-dare-not-speak-its-name. Finished this morning, final dimensions: 6′ x 1′. I thought the drape of the SWTC Bamboo would make a nice gay Euro scarf and it would be a great chance to play with dropped stitches. Why not try the most contagious pattern on the Interwebs?

I blame the podcasts (specifically Brenda‘s first episode) for piquing my interest in this oft-knit pattern. Now, I’m not a shawl guy (per new ex-pats in Germany podcast Knitters Uncensored)… I call it a scarf. Besides, the c(l/r)apotis is not in the same league as these shawls#151;have you seen what Elemmaciltur and Mel have made?

I started this black/white/red/silver guy last December and it’s been hibernating for a few months as socks have taken over my world. Cataloguing it into my Ravelry account brought it back to my attention. Just about a foot left, it was a nice break from the round-and-round of my current cable-y sock fetish to work simple and flat. I started this to satisfy my long-running “gay Euro scarf” crush. Obviously multi-stranded knitted yarn is nothing like woven cotton/linen, as proven by the one item of clothing I bought in France (a striped green and blue gay Euro scarf).

Speaking of which, I’m well-aware that I owe you many a post (or two) about Paris. My best intentions have been sidetracked by the joy that is RAVELRY. (Thanks, Jenny!) Ravelry-ing/Ravel-rizing/Ravellring gives me a sense of control over my stash and future knitting projects. I feel like my knitting is now my friend, not an obligation or a list of to-do’s and to-design’s. Trust me, it’s worth it; so sign up on the waiting list NOW!

Please pardon the interruption to my regularly scheduled sock knitting. In the meantime, enjoy some of C’s Paris photos.