Kitten and Socks

First of all, thanks for understanding about the little kitten (nope, still no name).  The enema worked and we should get the results of the blood test back today and tomorrow (quick stuff today and bigger stuff tomorrow - I don't know why, I don't work at the lab).  We did blood work because he was running a fever, but there were no signs of infection or anything definite the vet could put his finger on.  The kitten got a shot to reduce the fever and they gave him antibiotics just to cover our bases while we wait for the test results.  He felt better last night and this morning was full of sass.  He even approached Logan (who was on the other side of the child gate), and while he puffed up, he didn't growl or hiss.  Definitely feeling better.  He's asleep now on the bed, curled up in the down comforter - sensible kitten!

Also, thanks so much for all the pattern suggestions!  I've peeked at all of them and while several were in my favorites in Ravelry already, there were some new ones I'd never seen.  Thankfully the Ravelry favorites section seems to be infinite or mine would have popped ages ago.  I should ask you guys for pattern ideas more often, this was fun!

I did choose a pattern last night (but like I said, I favorited many more to knit later) - Mad Color Weave Socks.  The socks on the pattern page are solid, but if you look through the projects you'll see lots of multicolored yarns used.  Since you guys were so helpful with the pattern suggestions, I thought I'd do a little blog tutorial for you!

How To Knit Socks With A Kitten

1. Pick sock pattern and wind yarn.  Get everything together and sit down in easily-kitten-accessible location.
2. Remove kitten from pattern to find out how many stitches you should cast on.
3. Hide DPN's from kitten so the one's you're not using for cast on don't disappear.
4. Find page of pattern that kitten removed so you can recheck how many stitches to cast on.
5. Begin cast on.
6. Remove kitten from yarn.
7. Cast on a couple more stitches.
8. Remove kitten from yarn and turn him around so he faces a different direction.
9. Cast on a couple more stitches.
10. Remove kitten from yarn and put him in cat bed, suggest a nap.
11. Count stitches you've casted on so far.
12. Remove kitten from yarn, despite the fact that his purr volume suggests this is the best game ever.
13. Recount stitches you've casted on so far because you forgot the first count, lose count when you...
14. Remove kitten from yarn.
15. Finally get all the stitches on the first DPN.
16. Double check count three times due to ...
17. Removing kitten from yarn.
18. Begin cast on to second DPN.
19. Remove kitten from yarn and work steps 5-17 one time each for remaining three DPN's.
20. Being careful not to twist cast on stitches, join -
21. Remove kitten from yarn.
22. Being careful not to twist cast on stitches, join to work in the round very quickly before you have to ...
23. Remove kitten from yarn.
24. Begin Round 1.
25. Remove kitten from yarn.
26. Start knitting, lose place, due to...
27. Removing kitten from yarn.
28. Get your place in the pattern, find it on the sock and knit as fast as you can - not easy with DPN's for the first few rows, but do it anyway to conquer your fear that you might not ever be able to knit again because your new craft will be...
29. Removing kitten from yarn.
30. Finish Round 1 and breathe a sigh of relief that Round 2 is worked exactly like Round 1 and you no longer have to follow the pattern, but can just read your knitting.
31. Remove kitten from yarn.
32. At some point in Round 2, you realize kitten (who might be a very cutely disguised knitting nemesis and not a feline at all) has curled up and fallen asleep.
33. Knit quietly so as not to awaken the wee beast.
34. Knit Rounds 2-10.
35. Answer phone, which just rang and woke up the wee beast.  
36. Assure your Mother that kitten seems to be feeling better.
37. Remove kitten from yarn.
38. Mentally thank Mother for waking up kitten.
39. Finish Round 10 and put sock away after...
40. Removing kitten from yarn.

Yes, it's going to be a while for these to get done, but here are the first 10 rows and I fought for every stitch!