Tag Archive | Christmas socks

FO Friday: Christmas Socks

There has not been a lot of knitting in my world the last week or so. I’m overdue for an eye exam and eye strain hit me fast and hard. Looking at screens and reading for work gives me a headache and makes my eyeballs tired, so by the end of the day, I just want to chill with my eyes closed. Still, I have managed to finish my second Christmas sock.

These are the Uneek sock kit, with two “matching” cakes of yarn. I’d call them mostly matching; the second one started at a slightly different spot but I managed to make them match pretty well. The yarn is a little bit splitty, but not annoyingly so, and the socks are soft and thick and squishy. Now I’ve moved on to the gray socks for the boy. My Oxbow will probably wait until I have my new glasses. I go this afternoon so hopefully within a week or so I’ll be good to go.

Happy Friday, friends.

Here come the holidays

Nov21

Oh golly. 2020, amiright? Good news: we’re all feeling fine, the boy’s test was negative and my tests have been negative, and the two weeks since possible exposure are up Monday. Of course, we’re very lucky: someone else I know tested positive this week (though honestly, I’m not sure they’re very good about staying home/not socializing etc).

Bad news: the girl is not coming home for Thanksgiving. I know it’s the right decision but I hate it quite a lot, and today it’s hitting me hard as the husband plans the menu and I know it will just be the three of us. I am trying to remind myself to be thankful that everyone I love is still alive. And the three of us are going to be as careful as possible so that with any luck, she can be here for Christmas. (Just let me be optimistic about something, okay?)

My recent ennui has extended beyond this blog and into my knitting. I frogged that cowl and it was satisfying, but I don’t have a new pattern picked out for the yarn. Besides a third swatch for my Oxbow, which is drying now, all I’ve done is make two bobble hats.

My former boss has commissioned four of them for new lab members, which is the only reason I will consent to doing bobbles anymore. But now they’re on hold because I’m waiting for more brown yarn to arrive in the mail. (I wanted to say “post” there. I think I’ve been watching too much British TV. Can I just say, watching Diana on The Crown is quite sad. We’re not too far into the new season yet, but it just makes my heart ache a bit.)

Today, though, today I’m going to try to break through the wall with some Christmas knitting. I remembered I had a sock kit in my stash, plus my new self-striping from Two Sisters is here. Which one to knit first? Oh, and I also got some gorgeous new yarn from the Lemonade Shop the other day. So many yarns I want to play with!

I think today will be a couch/tea/knitting/movie marathon kind of day. And dogs. Always dogs. Here, have a photo of Duncan in his new pajamas. He’s quite dapper, I think.

Happy weekend, friends.

Sock It To Me Monday

Nov2

I’ll tell you what, election anxiety is socking it to me today! I made the mistake of scrolling through Facebook and it’s just not worth it right now. Unfortunately my job involves social media so I can’t unplug completely, but I’m doing my best to limit exposure. And the best way to do that is by knitting!

We’ve been bingeing Designated Survivor the last week or so, so my sock got plenty of love. We also recently watched The Queen’s Gambit and it was fantastic. Highly recommend! The black is the hat the boy asked me to make for him; he even thanked me when we decided on yarn and pattern, bless his heart! It will probably be my voting knitting, since it’s just 1×1 rib for several inches, and it will go in my new bag, which just arrived this morning.

Happy Monday, friends. Wishing you peace today!

Happy Halloween

Oct31

Though I am not a big Halloween fan, I know many of you are, so I wish you all a fun and safe celebration tonight. We’ll be home with the porch light off, acting like it’s any other Saturday night. We never get trick-or-treaters even in good years, so it’s not like we’re depriving anyone anyway. And after this maybe I can start slowly bringing out the Christmas decorations. I don’t know why I want them out already; I never do this early. But it is my favorite holiday, so maybe I’m seeking the joy it’s brought me in years past, since this year is such a dumpster fire. I’m avoiding social media as much as possible and just kind of holding my breath to get past the election. Though I know it won’t be OVER that night, it still seems like a big hurdle I’m ready to get past.

In the vein of wanting Christmas spirit, and also feeling unambitious, this has been my knitting this week.

It’s good, a happy sock. I’m not excited about any of my WIPs right now, but I can’t tell if that’s their fault, or my own lack of mojo. I’m feeling the itch to do a bulky cowl, and the boy asked for a simple ribbed beanie, so those might be started soon.

Oh, and Jack is still in the cone when he’s unsupervised. The hot spot was a bad one and is very slow to heal, so while it’s getting better, I’m being very cautious. Thankfully, he is a good and patient boy and when it’s time to put on the cone, he sits and tilts his head back so we can slide it on.

Happy Saturday — hope all is well (enough) in your world!

Saturday Socks

Oct24

I finished a pair of socks last night! But I’m not sharing those today; I’m saving that for Monday. But the best thing about finishing a pair of socks? Casting on a new pair!

I’m itching to get into the Christmas spirit so I’m casting on a new Christmas sock now. Maybe I can get two pairs done before December!

I also need to start socks for my son, but he wants a long leg, about mid-calf. I’ve never done any that long and am wondering if I need to do any shaping to make sure they fit will. Anybody have any tips?

Dissent Cowl, plus yarn

Oct5

I know, it’s Monday in Blogville which means I’m supposed to be writing about socks, but I can’t do that. A) I have no sock progress to share and B) I want to share today’s upcoming cast-on. My favorite LYS, Yarn Social, is partnering with another LYS to host a Dissent Cowl KAL/CAL. Since I wanted to make the cowl anyway, this seemed perfect! I’d already bought the pattern, but to participate I needed to buy at least one skein from either store. (Haha, “at least one skein”! Like it’s ever just one!)

Saturday found me at the yarn store along with a fellow knitter buddy, a poor soul I convinced to knit along with me. I’m excited about my choices!

I got a new jumbo winder for my birthday, so I used that to wind the yarn last night. The KAL starts today and I’ll be casting on as soon as my work day is done. But of course that’s not all I came home with. They had a new (to me, at least) color of WYS Christmas sock yarn, so that plus the green had to be mine as well.

Oh hey, look at that: there’s a bit of sock in here after all!

Also, this is my 1,000th post on this blog! Who knew I’d be hanging around so long? Happy Monday, friends!

Sock It To Me Monday

Dec30

As I’m sure you are aware, Christmas is over. And this year at least, I’m one of those “okay it’s done let’s put away all the Christmas stuff!” people. That doesn’t bode well for Christmas socks that are still on the needles! I used what little self-discipline I had to at least finish the one in progress yesterday while binge-watching ER.

img_6453-1 Now I can put them in hibernation until late next year with a clean conscience, and I’ve freed up a set of sock needles, because you never know when you’ll need to cast on a new pair of socks!

Duncan is doing relatively well with his new restrictions. We have had to block off the couches and the stairs because he’s stubborn and thinks he’s fine, but he’s got a couple of comfy dog beds and has learned to lay down when we tell him to…sometimes. He still gets bored and restless every so often and decides it’s a fun time to wrestle with the other dogs or zoom around the dining room, so I’m hoping he’s easier to keep calm once he’s doped up after the surgery. Now we just need to get him used to pooping somewhere other than the backyard — it’s like potty-training a toddler again.

Happy Monday, friends!

Sock It To Me Monday

Dec16

Yesterday I showed you my new sock yarn, now I’ll show you my new sock WIP! I actually started this one on Saturday when I had a bit of time in the car going from one shindig to another. It was so much fun that I kept knitting that night while I watched Gone With the Wind, a movie that changes for me each time I watch it. There are things about it that make me cringe now, but there are also parts that make me laugh and parts that break my heart. Anyway! Where was I? Oh yes, sock.

fullsizeoutput_2506 I have given up hope of having them done by Christmas but that’s okay. I’ll probably set them aside and then I can have a brand new pair of socks next year!

My Pennyroyal hat is done and blocked and even has the pompom sewn on, after a minor hiccup. This is one of those poms that has a snap, so you can switch out colors, and somehow I always sew the base on upside down. Spoiler: it doesn’t work that way. But it was easily remedied and I have a lovely hat for the boy’s girlfriend.

The other skein of yellow is on the needles to make a second hat, this one for the girl. She might end up with a matching yellow pompom, though, since I didn’t buy a fancy furry one for her!