Monday, July 08, 2013

Socks - 2013.1

I may have mentioned that I love knitting socks.  I have two drawers full of hand knit socks at the moment and I have finally walked holes in the heels of one of the first pair I ever made.  I'm trying to decide if I should darn them or if 11 years of wear is sufficient.

This is the first pair I finished this year: yarma

I received this pattern and yarn as part of a sock kit of the month.  The yarn is Regia Silk.  The pattern is by Nancy Walsh.  It's a nice yarn.  The socks are lovely.  

Monday, July 01, 2013

Checking in after checking out


I spent the last weekend sorting my stash.  I have seen many moths in my apartment so I felt a wool check was in order.  So far I have found no infestation or damage.  It has been good to go through it all and see it.  It reminds me that I already have lots of great projects waiting to be knit.  I need to knit faster.

After two years spent knitting down stash I'm not able to find any noticeable reduction.  However, I am much better at looking through stash for projects or yarn for projects.  I'm not longer tracking the amounts in and out.  I may go back to that at some point, but I'm now more than 10,000 yards more out than in.  Still too much yarn to add to Ravelry stash.

I have decided to attempt the Tour de Fleece challenge.  I have enough fleece and spinning everyday would be good for skill development.

TDF

I have been quite busy knitting socks this year.  I have finished 9 pair and I have also finished a sock on several other pair.  I'm working on a list of socks to start when I finish another pair. So many nice patterns!  I already have two drawers full of handmade socks.  I'm not sure I need more, but I love them so.

Last week I finished another shawl.  This one was a pi shawl.  I hope to get it washed and blocked this week.  I am very pleased with how it came out.  I used a Russian Join as I added new skeins so there is only one end to weave at the beginning and one at the end.

I am also busy sewing project bags.  In addition to yarn inspection, I found all the bag fabric in my stash so that I can make even more bags.  Having all my projects in bags would be nice, and I hope that  by having all the bits together I won't lose necessary bits for finishing a project.  I'm going to put them up for sale on Etsy as well, and selling them all so that I have to make more in order to have one for me wouldn't break my heart.

Mother and I are going to Knitting Camp again this year.  I'm looking forward to that.  Hopefully this time there will be pictures.  I'm very bad at remembering to take pictures.