Knitting socks on my summer holiday

The sun has been shining all weekend and we’re looking forward to a few days away at Center Parcs. I’m looking forward to letting the girls run around outside as much as they like. They’re looking forward to staying in a little house in the woods with Grandma. It’s all starting to sound like Little Red Riding Hood.

I’m hoping to have some time to get on with my socks. I’m currently testing the Kollage circular needles which have recently come into stock by knitting two socks at the same time. My sister-in-law tells me it’s the way to go, but I think I prefer the rhythm of knitting on DPNs. Maybe I’ll change my mind when I have two socks completed at the same time? There’s a certain appeal to the idea! So far, after 30 rows of 2×2 rib on 2.75mm needles I can say that Kollage’s claim that they put less stress on the hands seems to be true. I’ve had none of my usual problems with aching hands from working on fine needles.

When I get home, I’m hoping that my copy of “Sock Innovation” by Cookie A. will have arrived. It appears that  knitters worldwide have gone sock crazy, it took me ages to find a company who had a copy in stock. (Try www.searchpress.com if you’re looking, it was full price but free postage.) I’m planning to join the Ravelry KAL for the book. If you’re looking for sock yarn, I’m expecting Mini Mochi from Crystal Palace to come into stock in June, and there’s always Noro’s sock yarns; Kureyon and Silk Garden Sock.

–Nicola

Lots of yarn, never enough time.

I can’t believe how busy the last few weeks have been. Manos Silk Blend has arrived, in volume, the first shipment from Kollage Yarns is here and lots of goodies from Blue Sky Alpacas (like the incredibly fluffy Brushed Suri).

I’ve had a quiet evening this evening for a treat, watching Ashes to Ashes while casting-off a hat, after a day out and about with “little one” on the back of my Trikidoo (www.trikidoo.com). I’ve pedalled miles in the wind and my legs really know about it! Anyway, back to the tale of the hat…I’ve been postponing the cast-off for the last week because once I’ve stitched the seams I have to be really brave, or crazy, and felt the hat in the washing machine. I’m still trying to get my head around the idea of knitting something in a lovely yarn and then deliberately shrinking it in the machine. I felted my favourite cardigan by mistake when I was 18. It went in the washing machine my size and came out suitable for a ten year old! I’ve been wary ever since. I’m trying to convince myself that the hat is intended to be felted. I’ll post a picture when it’s done – good or bad!

Once that’s done I need to decide on my next project. I’ve admitted that the crochet granny squares blanket is on hold for now. I need about 20 more squares and I’m not quite in the mood so I’ll just keep stitching the other 100+ squares together. I think next is going to be the Katerina Shawl from “The Knitter” but now that all the Manos Silk Blend has arrived I can’t decide which colour to use. I want to make using Kollage Square Circular needles to see if they really do reduce the strain on your hands. Of course the other option is  pair of cute little pedi-sock things I’ve found a pattern for, but again which yarn to choose? (I think Yarn Box needs a couple more sock yarns to choose from.)

As if I don’t have enough things I’d like to knit, I signed up to www.knittingdaily.com on Monday. There are some great free patterns. Added to www.Ravelry.com, www.Knitty.com and www.knittingpatterncentral.com, I  don’t think I shall ever run out of inspiration.