I wish I could show you some fun knitting, but I have none to share. The nurse friend I’ve been making masks for said her team was required to wear masks now and they loved the ones she had, and I’d offered to make more, so she wondered if I’d still be willing. I definitely was, especially since I had supplies on hand. I used up the last of my dish-cotton yarn and the last of the cotton shirt I’d cut up to make six more masks.
I think this is a total of 16 I’ve made, and I might be done now. It felt good to do something to help people in healthcare, and my friend said her boss, a senior VP and CIO of a major hospital system, liked it enough to ask for one herself. That made me feel pretty cool! If you’re interested, I used this pattern and added a two-layer cotton lining. I used the sewing machine to sew the two pieces of lining together, then hand-stitched the lining in place. I ran out of ribbon so I slip-stitched yarn into place on the corners and just chained for 18″ to make the ties. I tried to make them as sturdy as possible to withstand many washes in hot water.
Besides masks, I had a short interlude for another puzzle. The girl is now sheltering in place with us, which is really comforting for this mom’s heart, and she’s my puzzle buddy. (She’s also my showtunes/musical buddy and my chick flick buddy.) Good news: I have someone to help me. Bad news: the puzzles go much faster!
I was spreading the ModPodge on this one last night and the husband walks by and says with dismay, “You’re gluing that one together too?” LOL! I guess he’s not a big fan of finished puzzles either! This is the last one to get glued, I think, so he’ll be fine. But I like the idea of hanging this one in our sitting room, which is where we have our record player and piano, and where the kids used to practice their instruments.
Now, I’m gratefully back to sock knitting, which is good because I have a VERY GOOD supply of sock yarn thanks to pandemic stress-shopping! (Somehow, I am still in the black for the year: I have used more yarn from stash than I’ve added! NO IDEA how that’s still true and no idea how long it will last.) The latest is my first skein from Mint Rain Yarns, a self-striping in a color called Make Me Smile.
And it does! The hardest part might be deciding which awesome sock yarn to knit next!
Okay, it’s 8 am which means it’s time to get to work for the day. Happy Thursday, friends. Hang in there.
I love the rich colors. I love the stitch definition. It’s a dense, supple yarn. I loved how it slid across my needles, catching just enough to not be slippery. It blocked beautifully, with no bleeding of either color. I wore it around the house for a while, and it’s warm for sure. I like the drape — it has enough structure that it actually stands up enough to keep my whole neck and chin warm. I enjoyed knitting with it, but it’s the tiniest bit itchy to wear. However, I know the skin on my neck and face is sensitive, so your mileage may vary. Alpaca, in my experience at least, makes for a slightly hairier yarn than merino, giving it a fuzzy look and feel. I kept thinking I had single dog hairs trapped in the cowl, but I’m pretty sure it was (usually) the yarn. I think I’m just learning that I prefer smoother yarns, like 
I could see this being a great, warm yarn for outerwear like hats and mittens, or beautiful cabled sweaters. I might not wear it on my neck, but I’d test-drive some thick boot socks. And I love Manos for 
The socks only grow if you actually sit down and knit on them!
Those are all first socks but at least I’ve now got two completed first socks, and that feels good! Plus these are both quick socks, with one being a shortie and one being worsted weight, so second socks shouldn’t be too far behind.
These will be shortie socks using leftovers from other projects. I’ve only got three pairs of shorties and have been enjoying them as spring has sprung. I’m pretty sure the pink is Hedgehog Fibres and the black mix is Madtosh. The colors don’t exactly match but eh. Whatever. I’m even tempted to use some of my smaller balls to make single socks and just mix and match. Great way to use up some sock yarn! Happy Friday, friends.
The toes will also be the darker brown. He says they’re “vibey”, which is apparently a good thing. However, now I am tired of brown so I need to switch back to something lighter and brighter! Also my new puzzles came today so I have something besides knitting to keep me occupied.
Hope you’re all coping well today. I’m currently in the “this is never gonna end” state of mind, which hopefully will pass quickly. If not, there’s wine. Well, honestly, there’s wine either way.
I used the 
Now I don’t know what I’ll look forward to, with no more yarn en route. I got too accustomed to happy mail days!
Sigh Whatever. Happy Saturday, friends. I hope you’re not freaking out about not being able to sew well enough to make masks or about possibly never being able to find chicken breasts at the grocery store ever again or whether your kid at college will be able to pay their living expenses. It’s not fun. I’m gonna go knit now.
bonnyknits 