Socked Out On Knitting

February began with such promise. I cast on my Isle of Skye socks. Week one: first sock complete. Then a nasty case of second sock syndrome struck. I couldn’t get past the cuff. I’m not sure how, but I managed to finish the second sock this weekend. But with ten more pairs to knit, I question my resolve to complete the KAL.

Canon Hand Dyes, Charles, Isle of Skye

To stave off SSS, my March socks will not have stripes, nor will they be stockinette. I’m scouring my stash for a speckled skein or a sturdy semi-solid.

I’m also casting on a non-sock project. Before the holidays, I signed up for Indie Untangled’s Where We Knit yarn club. The first shipment, Drops of Honey, arrived in my mail box. It. Is. Stunning!

I’ve not knit many shawls, but the golden honey hue is versatile, and the pattern seems to satisfy my “set and forget” knitting style. Concentration need not apply. So between now and next weekend, I hope to luxuriate in this silky merino confection.

Comments

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 ...

Resolving My Sanity: Why Knitting Socks Does Not an Eccentric Make

The first day of school. New Year’s Day. Spring. Summer break. The calendar, with its infinite periodicity, means I resolve to re-resolve my resolutions. Blogging is one these. I wiled my summer away with sock after glorious, handknit sock. I have generously replenished my sock drawer with self-striping, variegated, and tonal knit footwear, but in the midst of this efficiency I've discovered one (negative?) externality: an exponential increase in the number of sock yarns I’ve curated hoarded in my home. How could this happen?! Because when I’m not knitting socks, I’m researching sock patterns, sock knitting techniques, and yes, different sock yarns. I've stumbled across stalked the Etsy, Big Cartel, and Ravelry Forums of several indie yarn dyers. I have tried to knit other non-sock projects this summer, but my attentions always returned to my size one needles and fingering weight yarn. My ...

Here Comes the Sun: TFA Saffron Socks

Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted an early spring, but the weather in the mid-Atlantic has been blustery and cold. I thought I would bring the sunshine indoors by knitting Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label in Saffron . I purchased this yarn two years ago during the Boxing Day update. I had never shopped TFA, and wasn’t prepared to be cartjacked. This skein was the only one I purchased, and it’s been hanging out in my stash, not quite sure what it wanted to be. When I came across the Wheatley pattern , I knew Saffron had found its match. Et voila . Despite being fingering weight, the yarn is a little thicker than I’m used to, so my 64-stitch cast on is not as snug as I would like. But I think these will be a great companion with my rain boots – socked full of sunshine on damp, soggy days.

Bon Tricot

Search This Blog