Well, I am done. Weaved the last end in Sunday afternoon. Take a look:
I’ll start by saying I like them. I love the pattern, like how the colors turned out, and really enjoyed the process of fair isle. You can feel it coming though can’t you?…the but. I guess I just have a hard time accepting that I am not an expert fair isle knitter on my first try. You can tell by looking at the picture that not all the stitches are even and I mentioned in a previous post the errors I made on my first stocking.
I did knit the second one a little different then the first so it would fit better. I knit until the decreases on US 3’s and then switched to 2’s for the rest so it would be more form fitting on my lower calf, ankle, and foot. I like this much better. I also knit a shorter heel flap since it is too long on the first stocking. I think I have a short heel because that was the same problem I ran into with the first sock I ever did (and never finished the second pair of because I was too new to knitting to know how to adjust a pattern.) Here is a close up of the better stocking:
One thing I still need to do is add elastic to the ribbing at the top. I am not sure how to do this but they don’t stay up well on their own and I am hoping elastic will solve that problem. The big question I need to ask myself is this: is it worth it to re-knit the first stocking to match the better-fitting second. Really, they don’t look that different�??they just feel a lot different. But is it worth it?
I still haven’t blocked them and I am thinking that and the elastic will make a big difference in how I see these so I am going to withhold judgment until then. Honestly, I don’t want to re-do it so I am hoping I don’t feel compelled to.
I did finish but I can’t help feeling my Olympic dreams were not exactly as I pictured. You would think that to earn a gold medal it would be my best work�??the pinnacle of my knitting achievements. So I was a bit down when I finished because I just didn’t feel that was the case. And then yesterday, while wearing my newly finished stockings and watching the Olympics wrap up, I heard something eerily relevant. A commentator was saying that often Olympians do not give their best performances for their Olympic medal wins. Not that they don’t try their best but that an olympic medal performance isn’t always their career best. I worked so hard and spent so many hours over the last 16 days on this project that I think I am going to look at it in this new way. I tried my best, it was a project that was an accomplishment to do in 16 days for me, I learned a new skill, and I finished. All this makes me a gold medalist and I am happy and proud of me.
I am also proud of sister/roommate who is also working on these babies and finished her first stocking this weekend. I am not going to write about how embarrassing it must be for her to have one finished when I have finished two. We all work at our own levels.
I will leave you with the obligatory stocking with shoes picture:
I would have given you an outfit shot but I am wearing a bathrobe in all these pictures. It was a nice look.
Girl Who Knits 
The following 15 comments were originally left at blogspirit:
What am I up to? Thanks for asking.
So this is what is on my needles. My sister and I were doing a mini-Norwegian Stocking KAL. Um, yeah. She’s done. You wanna know where I am at?
That’s my second stocking. Well, at least I am done with one. These are the infamous Norwegian St…
They look fabulous and yes, the commentator was right. We do the best we can day to day. One day that may mean near perfection and other days not quite so…it’s all good. Wear and enjoy your fabulous accomplishment!
WELL DONE!!! They are gorgeous, I rank them up there with Yarn Harlot’s sweater. I am so envious of you talented knitters, I am new to the “sport” Maybe I will be ready for the Vancouver Games!!!!!
They look great! I don’t see any mistakes and most people never will. Do yourself a favor and never point out the errors when you wear them. Just revel in people’s compliments!
Gurl,
Your are being way too hard on yourself. Those stocking are GREAT! I mean do you realize you took the whole sock thing to the next level? I really commend you on your progress, and I consider you success and the outcome of your project a GREAT success, even if you don’t.
Necia
Your stockings look awesome! Mistakes? what mistakes? You did a great job : D
They’re absolutely lovely and you should be quite proud. Congrats!
WOW!
Definately a gold! Congrats! They are amazing! 🙂
They look spectacular! Even if one doesn’t fit as well as the other, they both sure look like they fit perfectly…I can only imagine how comfy they are! (Well, hopefully I won’t have to imagine for much longer and will have my own pair to lounge around in!) Good for you for meeting your own challenge, and for recognizing the value in your effort even if you feel it wasn’t your “personal best”! Because trust me, no one else is noticing. 😉
No you didn’t…did you just call me out?? If I were you I would sleep with one eye open and a pair of knitting needles.
They look great!!! Enjoy them.
Well Done! Absolutely stunning stockings…honestly, I am in awe of you and your sister’s talent…who knew?
Wow! Your Norwegian Stockings are just beautiful! Especially for your first time doing something like this. Really you should be so proud! This pattern just looks so great. Way to go!
they are incredible! i’ve used super skinny elastic after the fact on a hat that was a little too big. I just wove it in and out of the inside of the hat, every other back side of stitch or whatever tightness you need and made sure did the same thing on several rows of the band, and it turned out great! i was so surprised at how uniform it will look if you just weave the elastic in a consistent way. also, i think the socks will relax after they’re washed and worn and will form more to your foot anyway, so i think you should just wear what you have already knit. they are seriously, beautiful! maybe framing them would be better?…nah…