Wednesdays Are For Knitting: Doreen’s Socks

February 24, 2021 By Carole

Remember how I knit scarves for Jo-Ann and Rose for Christmas? And remember how I said I wanted them to feel like I was going them a big ole hug every time they wore their scarf? Well. Sometimes hugs come in the form of socks, too.

I knit my OG bestie Doreen a pair of socks for Christmas. And I finally (finally!) saw her last Thursday for the first time since August and I gave them to her.

The yarn is Sophie’s Toes Merino Sock in the color Vintage Kitchen. It’s been in my stash for-ev-er.

The pattern is my basic Picot Edge Socks. I just love that little picot edge so much!

There’s a slip stich heel.

And a rounded toe.

They are the perfect hug for my friend’s feet!

Wednesdays Are For (Sock) Knitting

January 20, 2021 By Carole

The pink sock continues. I actually had to rip it out and start over last week, I was using the wrong size needle. In my defense, it was in the wrong package. I knew it felt small and the stitches seemed tight but I kept going, finishing the ribbing and even knitting a couple of inches of the leg. Sheesh. WHY do we do that? We ignore the little voice in our head and knit on.

Anyway.

I’m on track now with the correct sized needle (1.5 if you’re wondering) and I’ve been picking these up for plenty of television watching. Sock knitting keeps me calm.

I hope these socks are up for the task today.

Wednesday Knitting Things

January 13, 2021 By Carole

Do you remember back in the early days of blogging, some 16+ years ago, when we used to send each other little gifts and packages in the mail? Sometimes it was an organized event where we would inquire about favorites and then get matched with someone. And sometimes it was just a surprise. It was fun! And we don’t do it anymore. I mean, I think we don’t do it anymore. Maybe all y’all are out there swapping gifts and not telling me.

In any case, I came home yesterday to a package from Vicki! It brought me right back to the blogging days of old. I had completely forgotten that I left the 30,000th comment on her blog a while back and she sent me a sweet little thank you prize.

In the box was a nice big mug, a leather measuring tape key ring, a lovely little box of chocolates, and a wonderful note. Truthfully, the note might have been my favorite part, reinforcing the idea that we need to write to each other and enforce that connection.

Thank you, Vicki for the goodies, for taking the time to send them to me, and for your steadfast and continual blogging. Your voice matters to our community and I’m so glad you’re here. You were a true role model to me back in those early days and I appreciate all you’ve done to connect this community.

In other news, I’m knitting socks. I can’t explain this, honestly, after confessing about the big old bag of socks I have to deal with but here I am anyway. They are pink, like Bonny’s current hitchhiker and Juliann’s current quilting. I’m declaring pink the color of 2021, despite what Pantone says.

Have a great Wednesday!

Unraveled: Knitting & Reading

June 17, 2020 By Carole

Today I’m joining with Kat and friends today to talk about what I’m knitting and reading right now. If I was being completely honest I would just say that all I’m doing in my spare time (which isn’t much these days anyway) is playing Animal Crossings . . . but you’d think less of me for admitting to that so let’s go ahead and talk about knitting and reading and pretend that I’m spending more time on it than I actually am.

The knitting: still working on NightShift and loving it now that I have yarn that provides more contrast. The rows are loooooong and seem to take forever, particularly the wrong side when you purl and slip stitches, bringing the yarn from back to front between each one. It’s pretty meditative, though, and that’s not a bad thing. I’d like to say I’m close to finishing but I’m not and I’m okay with that.

Also, socks.

The reading: I am currently reading We Ride Upon Sticks bu Quan Barry. Here’s the description from GoodReads:

In this tour de female force, the 1989 Danvers Falcons are on an unaccountable winning streak. In chapters dense with ’80s iconography–from Heathers to Big Hair–Quan Barry expertly weaves together the individual and collective journeys of this enchanted team as they storm their way to the state championship. Helmed by good-girl captain Abby Putnam (a descendant of the infamous Salem accuser Ann Putnam) and her co-captain Jen Fiorenza, whose bleached blond “Claw” sees and knows all, the DHS Falcons prove to be as wily and original as their North of Boston ancestors, flaunting society’s stale notions of femininity in order to find their glorious true selves through the crucible of team sport.

It’s as fun as it sounds and I’m certainly enjoying it.

Okay, back to ~~Animal Crossings~~. I mean, knitting. Yep. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Wednesdays Are For Knitting: Geek Socks

February 5, 2020 By Carole

I have a pair of finished socks to show you today . . . the first pair of socks I’ve finished since July 2019. Remember how I used to knit a pair of socks/month? Yeah. That doesn’t happen anymore. So, a finished pair of socks calls for a little party!

The pattern is geek socks and the yarn is Knitterly Things Vesper Sock Yarn in the color Falling Water and I knit them for Jessica.

Super fun to knit and, despite how long it took me to finish them, relatively fast, too.

I knit my first ever after thought heel for these socks and, while I can’t say I enjoyed it (picking up those stitches on teeny tiny needles ? not fun) I do really like the way it maintains the striping. I don’t have close ups of it for you, though, because when I gave these to Jessica she immediately put them on and that was that. No more photos.

It’s all good, though, because knitting socks that are instantly loved brings me a lot of joy.