Skip to main content

Beached – My Non-Knitting Vacay

We just returned from a week at the beach.  In keeping with tradition's past, I over-packed the knitting projects.  I took two sock WIPs, and three, yes you read that correctly, three skeins of sock yarn, with the expectation that I would knit an additional three pairs of socks, despite knowing my monthly sock output is two and half pairs.  Oh, and did I mention that I tucked in my Claire Randall shawl – the one I have yet to cast on? Nope?  Well, I did.  Honestly, my knitting could have taken up its very own suitcase, and well, it kinda, sorta did.   And the best way to describe my knitting last week is simply - beached.  I accomplished very little.

But I was successful on other fronts, namely just being a mom.  My days were spent with the kids, who at 4 and 7, are not likely to sit in their age-appropriate beach chairs and watch the waves roll in.  Our days started early and ended late.  We swam in the ocean, built sandcastle kingdoms, searched for seashells, and mini-golfed until I could putt no more.  After the boys tumbled into bed, I would drag out my limp, stockinette tube.  I’ve developed a bad case of second sock syndrome.
 
However, I did manage to read three books – one mystery, one biography, and one collection of essays.  And by trip’s end, I was close to completing my August KAL socks, but only because the nightmare that is Interstate 95 turned a 6.5 hour drive into an 8.5 hour one.  As the husband navigated the roads, I knit on.  All that’s left is to shape the toe and add the heel.  Hopefully I’ll be able to post my FO next week, but in the meantime, I’ll leave you with a picture of the most dreamy yarn that I bullied my husband into helping me unskein.  I’m hoping to cast on this weekend, because by then my vacation glow with be gone, and I’ll need some yarn to fill the void.  Bon tricot!


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Back to Basics

The first week back after a long holiday is always the hardest.  I also find it’s where I tend to lose focus of my goals…and so it went this week for journaling and the yarn diet.  While I managed to journal four nights in a row, I missed three by week’s end.  I also fell off the destash wagon visiting a charming LYS seven minutes from a conference I was attending for work.  I don’t feel as badly about that relapse since I bought a non-fingering weight yarn in a 100% marled alpaca.  They also had some knitting notions that I’ve only seen online – bamboo chunky circs and a Knit Kit. The Knitting B, Richmond, VA But how to explain the sock yarn purchase?   FOMA (fear of missing out).   One of my favorite dyers posted a 24-hour- only skein to celebrate her 6,000 th sale on Etsy.   Those exclusive speckles did me in. Canon Hand Dyes by the amyleeshow on Etsy This week has shown me that it’s easy to get off track, so before I ...

Outlander Sockhead Hat

So in keeping with my school year resolution, I cast on for my first Sockhead using a limited edition color of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in Fraser.   I love the color orange and I debated whether or not to knit up a pair of socks or cast on for something else, and I don’t know why, but a hat using yarn named after Jamie seemed most appealing.  I’m a late arrival to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series and when I saw all the publicity for the Starz television show this summer, I knew I had to check out the book.  I was not disappointed.  This is my first time making a hat with fingering weight yarn, so my patience and WIP commitment is being tested.  Plus, I’m a bit unsure over the fit.  I’ve read through a lot of modifications on Ravelry and I’ve cast on fewer stitches as well and have knit only 2 ¾ of the ribbing instead of 4.  I will probably shorten the body of the hat from 9 to 6 inches too.   I have a really small ...

To Frog or Not to Frog: My Foray with Fingerless Mitts

In all honesty, I did make an effort, twice, to be eccentric.  Unfortunately, neither yarn worked the way I hoped it would.  I’m knitting something I need, and I’ve always found that when I’m on the hunt for a particular item, I tend to leave empty handed.  The same cannot be said for things I don’t need, which appear in abundance (yes, I’m looking right at you self-striping sock yarn).  Fall has arrived on the east coast and the mornings are chilly, but not cold.  It’s a bit overkill to wear a puffy coat and mittens at this point.  But even with my coffee mug in hand as I walk the kids to the bus stop, I’m still cold and a pair of fingerless mitts would be enough, but not too much.  I have small wrists, so I knew getting the right fit would be a bit of a challenge.  I purchased some Quaere sport weight yarn in Tokyo Underground, but unfortunately, the density seemed more worsted, than sport.  After knitting up a swatch, it felt less, o...