Tag Archive | handknit socks

A few new goodies

Hello. My name is Bonny and I am a yarn addict. It has been exactly four weeks since I purchased yarn. I’m still feeling strong and have only briefly been tempted by seductive skeins in photos on Instagram. It helps that we are making progress in getting our finances in shape so that we can do a very big home improvement project this year, and the pleasure of not feeling stressed about money is better than the pleasure of impulse-buying yarn. (Let’s hope that lasts. Knock on wood for me, will you?) However, I feel I must be honest and say that I did ORDER a new skein of yarn. I just didn’t technically pay for it, since I used some credit from returning a Christmas gift. And really, new yarn is even more fun when you don’t have to pay for it!

This is KnitPicks Hawthorne Fingering in Turkish Delight and it will become socks. I’m tempted to use some leftover bits of variegated yarns for heel/toe accents. I haven’t used this yarn before, so I’m eager to see how it knits up. (side note: did you know you can buy some KnitPicks yarns on Amazon?? Craziness!)

I also ordered another size 6 needle, since that’s the size I use for almost all of my shawls, and I’d rather buy a new needle than finish a shawl WIP. Makes sense, right? I chose a 32″ ChaioGoo fixed circular, mostly because it was cheaper than the Addi Turbos. And since I’m talking about knitting accessories, let me show off my other recent acquisitions!

I finally got my pocket scale, which I’ve been wanting for ages! I haven’t needed it yet, but it goes with me in my knitting bag and I know it will come in handy one day. And I also got a wall hanging to display all my enamel pins! I kept thinking I’d figure out how to make one, since they’re so simple, but I just don’t like sewing enough, so I was tickled to get the gift. It holds most of my pins and hangs in my bedroom so I can easily pick a pin to wear in the morning. As much as I love having pins on my project bags, I’ve now lost two that way, and I’d rather keep them safe by wearing them myself.

Did you get any fantastic knitting gadgets for Christmas?

Meager progress

Jan16

Well. Here it is Tuesday and I haven’t posted since Thursday, and in between those days were two lovely snowed-in days, and you’d think I’d have a ton of knitting to show you.

I don’t.

I worked on my Boho Blanket but it looks about the same so there’s no point in showing another photo. I worked on my Wave shawl and the yarn is still gorgeous, but again, not enough progress to warrant a new photo. So this is all I have to show you today.

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Since I had three first socks done, I spent part of Saturday casting on three second socks. That way they’d be ready to go and I’d have no excuse not to work on them. That’s the theory anyway.

So I guess maybe that was plenty of knitting for the last five days? I don’t know. All I know is I better start finishing some projects soon!

Two socks done

Jan10

I had a few hours of waiting time today, and the best thing to do during waiting time is knit. And since I had two socks almost done, finishing them seemed perfect. So I have a complete 80s sock:

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This yarn is Show Me Yarn Bootheel in the color Hit Me With Your Best Shot.

And I have a complete Guildhall Yard sock:

+ldyup7rrvwqnbnj4hjpva Isn’t that lace panel stunning? I swear, I’m so in awe of knitting designers who can create such pretty things! This one is from Jem and Under the Olive Tree Knits, and it was a test knit so I’ll have to let you know when it’s live.

Now, do I cast on second socks, or work on one of my other WIPs?? Hm….

And then there were three

Jan6

People, that is. The girl left yesterday to go back to college. With her here for a whole month, we’d gotten used to her being around again, so it was like pulling off a bandaid. But not as bad as the first time around, and it helps that she was happy to be going back. I’m glad she loves college; I just wish paying for it was simpler/easier/less stressful.

Anyway, we kept ourselves busy after she left by taking down the Christmas tree and having a movie night, and I of course had some knitting therapy, and now there are three…socks on my needles! I’ve still got the second Gossip sock to make, and I’ve been cruising along on my Show Me Yarn 80s sock. Just a foot left on that one!

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Plus I cast on a third sock, this one a test knit for Under the Olive Tree Knits. It’s called Guildhall Yard and features a beautiful lace pattern down the front of the leg, but I’ve only gotten the cuff done so far. I’m hoping to reach the lace today.

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Her sample was done in a solid color, and when I went to my sock yarn stash to choose my yarn, I discovered that apparently I don’t really like solid color socks; my stash is full of striped and variegated yarns. But I had two balls of this KnitPicks Stroll in Razzleberry. I’d ordered it to have on hand for accent colors in heels and toes, but it will be lovely in this lace pattern. I need to have the first sock done by the end of the month, so it will take priority over the other socks for now.

We’re having unseasonably warm weather right now, so the pups and I might spend some time outside again today!

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Happy Sunday, friends!

Happy New Year!

Jan1

Did you all have a wonderful time last night? We did, with our excessive amounts of junk food and multiple board games, even if I did lose at both Trivial Pursuit AND Scrabble. What can I say? It just wasn’t my night to be smart. And I didn’t knit at all, which was a little weird. But we laughed a lot and enjoyed each other’s company and it was the perfect way to wind up one year and start another.

This morning I got off to a good start too. If New Year’s Day is supposed to be an indicator of how your year will go, then I will be finishing projects this year! I’ve got the first Hedgehog Fibres Gossip sock off the needles.

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While I was weaving in ends, I noticed how fun the reverse of the leg was, and I think I need to do this on purpose with my next pair of socks.

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I love those little ridges! This is my modified Vanilla Latte pattern, of course. I modified the foot a tiny bit this time, making it a quarter-inch shorter, to see if I like the snugger fit better. I guess I should finish this pair and wear them to test that out before I make another pair. Hm. And here I was wanting to cast on another sock today!

Back to socks

Dec27

After a brief affair with super bulky yarn, I went back to my sock yarn over the holiday. And wonder of wonders, I finally finished the second Paddington Station sock! (The Ott light I got for Christmas made a huge difference in the knitting experience, I have to admit.)

I need to remember that I don’t like knitting with plain dark yarn. I liked the pattern and I liked the yarn, but I never wanted to knit on these. So I’m delighted they’re done and the boy stole them before I could get a better photo. Now I can move on to my new sock yarn!!

I got three skeins of sock yarn from Show Me Yarn from the husband and I’m totally going to cast on that self-striping 80s colorway first (the neon pink/blue/green, called Hit Me With Your Best Shot). BUT. I’m going to be good and try to finish the socks on my needles first, the hot pink Hedgehog Fibres Gossip socks. I’m zipping along now that I’ve got the black socks done.

I’m not doing the #MakeNine challenge that’s so popular right now. It’s overwhelming for me to think of that many ambitious projects at once. Instead, I’m challenging myself to start a knitting journal this year to plan/make notes/dream etc. It can be whatever I need it to be, and right now, I need it to be a list of ideas for my next super bulky project!

I hope you all had a peaceful and fun holiday and have fun new yarny things to play with!

More new projects?

Dec14

Well, clearly I don’t respect my own limits. Or maybe subconsciously I do and they’re not as low as I thought they were. Despite my whining about feeling overwhelmed by WIPs the other day, I have added more to my queue. One is a sock but that’s totally justifiable: I needed a simple travel project for car/concert knitting. And I had beautiful new sock yarn calling my name.

This is Hedgehog Fibres Sock in the color Gossip. Love it! After the boy’s band concert, I have a good two inches of leg past the cuff, but it got too dark to take another photo.

Okay, the sock is understandable. But apparently I have also agreed to make two cowls…before Christmas…as gifts…for a friend to give. But hear me out: I like this person a lot, and I like to help my friends, and I like it when people like my knitting enough to ask me to make things for them. Plus, I like it when they’re willing to pay me to make said things!! So, two cowls are on the list. They’re bulky weight and it’s baby alpaca which means they’ll be fast, fun knits for me. Right? Right. Thank goodness it’s Friday so I can get to knitting ASAP! Anyone else taking on last-minute gift knitting?

Too much knitting?

Dec12

Is that a thing?? I’m afraid it is–I have something like six WIPs and there are at least three more floating around in my head and I feel like there are some I’m forgetting that I’m supposed to make and AAAAHHH! Knitting is supposed to be my therapy, not my stressor! I don’t really even understand why I feel like this, because I can sit down and plan out my projects, the timeline of gifts and review projects, and it’s fine. I’m doing fine. But for whatever reason, my head feels full and it’s like I’m not staying on top of my knitting.

I don’t like associating that feeling with knitting. But I’m not sure how to fix it. One thing that seems to help is finishing projects, so I probably should focus on that before casting on anything else. Yesterday I finished a sock, one of a pair I started about three months ago, and that’s a long time for a sock for me.

They’re fraternal twins and the feet aren’t the same length but I love the colors and they fit and feel good on my feet today so that’s a win. Now to finish the other sock project that’s been lingering for months!

How do you wash your socks?

Dec7

Okay, for those of you who may not know, I have dogs. Three dogs. Three large dogs that go outside and inside and outside many times a day.

Grace, Duncan, Jack

I also like to knit more than I like to clean house. Those two things mean that my socks typically have quite a bit of dog hair attached after I’ve worn them, and hand washing them in Eucalan just doesn’t feel like it’s getting them clean. So now that I’m down to my last clean pair of handknit socks, I’m asking for advice: how do you care for your socks? Do you hand wash? Machine wash on delicate? Lay flat or put in the dryer? What’s been successful for you?

On my needles this weekend is a new cowl, called the Growing Leaves cowl. I spotted the yarn in my stash recently and it immediately made me think of a work friend. I could make her a gift, I thought! Well, it’s a lace cowl in fingering weight yarn and I have other projects calling my name too, so it might not get done by Christmas. But since she has no idea it exists, I think I’m okay.

And the best news of the day?? The girl comes home tonight for winter break! That’s almost a whole month we’ll have her home! Maybe I’ll even get her to sit and knit with me one evening! I bet if I share some good yarn with her, it’ll happen, don’t you think?

Happy Friday, friends!

Not much knitting

Dec6

There is little knitting happening so far this week. I had to finish a book for book group (City of Thieves by David Benioff, VERY good!) and last night had a fancy work dinner for the husband. So basically all I’ve been able to work on is my easy lunch break sock knitting. I’ve got one Felici Goth Kitty sock done:

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And I just started the heel on the second yesterday, so a new pair of socks is in my future. If I don’t get distracted by holiday stuff, that is. It is also the time of year that my craft room becomes a wrapping station.

q5QQRiQmQQWBbLZutb9WAg I set up the extra folding table and put out boxes, paper, tags and markers, and it makes wrapping gifts so much easier. At least it does when I don’t borrow the table to block my knitting!