sock it to me

Another set of completed socks:

two peas in a pod

A finished pair of socks! Two actual, matching socks, completed one right after the other. A whole pair of socks in three days. I'm bursting with pride.

And the stripes come so close to lining up.

I loved knitting these. While I was knitting, I began imagining all the other pairs of socks I could knit, contemplating gifts for everyone I know, concocting plans of beginning my Christmas knitting early. Then I began frendziedly searching for the next perfect sock pattern. I decided I was ready to take the next step, produce a beautifully patterned lacy bit of wonder. I rummaged my stash and came up with a skein of Magic Stripes yarn that I had given up for lost, and I cast on a pattern featuring a lovely feather and fan pattern over the whole sock.

After a few hours of yarn overs, I ripped out the whole thing. The pattern was simple enough, but I realized that what draws me to sock knitting is mainly the soothing repitition of stockinette stitch on smooth size 3 bamboo dpn's. The rhythm is hypnotic. I feel all my stress melting away as the yarn flows around the needles. Turning the heel and making a heel gusset provide just enough stimulation to get my brain going before the trance sets in. The length of the rounds is just right--long enough to keep from getting dizzy, short enough to keep an easy count. I tossed the lace and began a new stockinette pattern which I modified to include a rolled cuff.

one down

I spent lots of time this weekend fussing around searching for a knitting project that could hold my attention for more than ten minutes. Finally, after plenty of aimless shifting about, I settled on socks.

Bound and determined to overcome "second sock syndrome" and actually complete my first pair of socks, I bravely cast on.

By Saturday evening, I had turned the heel.


By Sunday afternoon, I was the proud creator of a single sock.

Nice and soft and toasty and stripey (self-stripey, that is).

Now for sock number two...

Once Again...

After a nearly three month lapse in blogging--which, consequently, was not accompanied by a lapse in knitting--the bug has bitten once again, and I'm back. I really don't know how to span my writing lapse, except to post some random photos of what I've been up to in the intervening space.

First, the Sheep and Wool Festival:

This festival is held in Maryland during the first weekend of May every year and features contests, vendors galore, sheep dog demonstrations, and (naturally) sheep.

I can't begin to describe the vastness of the vendors and the multitude of their wares. After a great deal of heated decision-making, I purchased this:

Two lovely skeins of mohair/wool blend from Brooks Farm Yarn. Destined to become a shawl. And also this:

Bamboo yarn, fast on its way to becoming a "Soho Sling," a pocketbook pattern from the Bags installment of the Knitter's Dozen series (highly recommended). I also picked up three of these:

Adorable to behold and yet challenging to photograph sheep buttons. Fate as yet to be determined.

My other project in the works is a kerchief, for which I'm following a shawl pattern on a tinier scale:

The pattern is a simple combination of yarn over increases and alternating garter stitch and stockinette bands. The result is incredibly pleasing to touch and to knit. I can't wait until this piece is finished and blocked.