2016 Sock Pile

Just wanted to show off a quick little photo of all the socks knit for myself in 2016.

They brought my through FIVE countries in Europe, moving to a full time job, and the starting of my blog!

Thanks socks of 2016, you've been awesome. I think I'll try to out knit myself for 2017.

Resolutions

I usually try to write a list in the last month of the year as resolutions for the coming year. None of them are hard fast have to be done, but they help remind me of my goals. They serve in times of "I have no knitting mojo," "This feakin' isn't working," and "I'm overwhelmed in yarn," a perspective on my time and the art I like to produce.

1. Knit one pattern from each of the books that I own.

2. Put out three designs throughout the year.

3. Walk at least twice a week

4. Pursue the first portion of a Knitting Master degree.

5. Keep in touch with long distance friends once a week.

6. Blog at least twice a week.

7. Start a podcast.

8. Read one book a month.

9. One pair of Knitted Knockers a month.

Just little reminders to keep my life from flying away in these crazy times.

I finished the book Overseas by Beatriz Williams and now have moved onto The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. Its been interesting comparing the show to the book, so far things are very similar and vastly different. I'm joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams this week with their Alongs.

Changing Plans

My original plan for this yarn was the WestKnits Mystery KAL, this didn't actually happen. I planned to start after the first two clues had been released, but when I saw what was knitting up I decided it really wan't my style. With that in mind I searched for another Stephen West pattern that would use all the colors that I had purchased.

On my trip to New York I picked up WestKnits Shawls Book 1 so I took a gander through the book and decided on Garter Breeze. This is the striped version of Smooth Move and I am absolutely in LOVE! I knew the colors were going to look amazing together but this just makes me smile every time I go to put it on.

I worked with all Madelinetosh yarns (for the main colors), I picked these up on a yarn crawl/road trip with my knit group, two are madtosh sock and the other two are madtosh twist light. These colors worked perfectly with Stephen's signature short row construction with a finishing i-cord.

The colors for the madtosh are Jade, Torchere, Found Pottery and Plunge. I did run out of my main color (found pottery) and added in orange Sweet Georgia in Tough Love Sock, I'm so happy I had this on hand and it matched well with the other colors.

My i-cord was knit with leftover yarn from another WestKnits project; which again, this grey just fit perfectly as the finishing touch. I am enamored with how finished shawls look with an i-cord edging, just a step up with how clean the lines are. As always, there will be a new WestKnits shawl on the needles soon!

12 Socks of Christmas!

Well, not actually. There are three finished pairs and I am seriously happy about the amount of Christmas socks that I knit. This KAL was hosted by Sara from Love Sock Wool Podcast and this was the first year that I participated. So without further ado, here are the three pairs of Christmas socks I completed in 2016.

I organized a sock KAL at my yarn shop for the months of November and December, we all used Cascade Heritage Prints in the Holiday colorway but each person used whatever pattern they wanted too. I had so much fun seeing what all my knitting ladies came up with!

The only special portion to this sock was adding in a contrast heel so my stripes would stay in order. I <3 them!

The second pair I finished were purchased at my local fiber festival and are definitely a sport weight sock. I'm pleased as punch with the colors that are in the Blue Moon Fiber club colorway. I would love to dye some self-striping sock yarn to match the colors in these ones.

The last pair that I finished were a test dye for LunaPurl Yarns and I will be wearing them all year long. Although Andrea changed the colorway a bit, I definitely think this is going to be a great seller for her!

I did join a brand new book club! The first book that we've read, I just recently finished was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I thoroughly enjoyed the book but I found it a bit slow to start in the beginning. Can't wait to start our next book! So I'm joining Ginny and Frontier Dreams in their "Alongs" for this week!

All the Socks Still

I've been working away on more socks, surprise! These ones were a quick knit that was sent to me from my #fibreshare partner Sophia .

I've been finding that I wear tall socks at work and out of the house but prefer shorties/shorter socks for hanging out in the house. This yarn fit perfectly because I had just over 50 grams which is short socks for me. The yarn is Manos del Uruguay Alegria, not sure which colorway but it's amazing!

I had no idea that this colorway was going to knit up the way these socks turned out. I have a couple more hanks of Alegria that I can't wait to knit up now and see how they turn out! I'm also so pleased with how the contrast cuff and heel look with this awesome rainbow.

Eye of partridge heel (from Hermione Everyday Socks) is so pretty, it doesn't matter if the yarn is variegated, solid, or stripes this heel looks amazing. I'll have a new post up soon with my Christmas sock progress!