As I noted yesterday, the first of the pair is finished.

I did have some trouble with the bind-off being too tight. I figured that binding off in my 1×1 ribbing would allow for enough stretch — it didn’t. So I took it out and tried again using the sewn bind-off demonstrated by Silver’s Sock Class. This looked beautiful . . . only I got carried away and did it too tightly, so again, I couldn’t get the sock on my foot!

Rather than rip the entire thing out and try again, I took out several of the bound-off stitches and tried again, more loosely and with a larger darning needle — success!

Now all I need to do is get busy and finish up sock #2 of the pair by the end of next week!

Other than that, I’m having a little setback with my plan to knit the Simple Knitted Bodice for the Tour KAL. I’m new to knitting with 100% silk, but I do know from reading posts on Ravelry that silk has a tendency to stretch. So I was very careful to knit a gauge swatch — on US Size 7 needles — and then to wash it (in baby shampoo) and dry it flat.

And yes, it did stretch. It also became quite limp and lifeless. I was hoping that baby shampoo was mild enough for silk, but maybe I was wrong.

As far as the gauge, I’m considering knitting yet another gauge swatch, this time on Size 6 needles instead of Size 7. My gauge HAD been spot on before washing, so I’m concerned about the situation. Up until now I’ve been pretty lazy about swatching, washing, and blocking my knits; I think I just got a taste of reality, and, no big surprise, I don’t like it much.