It's Been Quiet

This is due to a variety of reasons, lack of sleep, being busy, hands suffering from too much gardening, and the most frustrating-no internet!  Since Sunday, there has been a problem, but hopefully, it has now been fully sorted.  It's been very frustrating not being able to get online, or not to be able to do what I want when we can get a connection.  My boys probably think it would be fun to keep me quiet, but that's sons for you.

It's not been totally unproductive here, I did finish another pair of socks, not much to show for a week of activity.

I did receive a lovely gift though.  Some friends have just come back from Japan, and she brought me some lovely fabric.  I'm not sure what pleased me most, the fabric, or the fact that she took the time to go and look especially for something I might like.

Hopefully, other tasks have been done, and I can get a few days at home with enough time to get stitching.  I have two embroidery pieces started on the class that need my attention.

Pretty Socks

A friend was visiting and admired the boys hand knitted socks, and was say how she would love to to have hand knitted socks.  I did have some ladies socks I'd made, but they were too big for her.  She is tiny, so I found a couple of balls of this yarn and knitted a smaller pair.

I haven't done this pattern before.  They have a longer leg with a diagonal moss stitch pattern. All we need to do now is wait and see if I've done the right size.

Small is quicker

The intention was to do the last paper pieced block.  However, my printer has decided it doesn't want to play anymore until I buy some more ink.  How inconsiderate is that!  As I couldn't print off the templates for the quilt block, I went back to the knitting and managed to get the child's socks finished.

These are definitely quicker and more delicate than the huge monstrosities I was doing earlier.  I'm not planning on doing anymore socks at the moment, so there will be some new projects under way, and some older ones resurrected.

Forgotten These?

The extra balls arrived in the week, so I was able to get the next two pairs of socks finished.

 These are shorter socks, but still big to fit size 11 feet

And these are the longer ribbed socks, still to fit big feet.  Where have my little boys gone?  Jonathan will be 15 this week and I sincerely hope that his feet won't be getting any bigger!

Little Socks

Little socks are definitely more fun to knit than for size 11 big boys feet!  Now I have little socks to go with the little hat, now to work on the mitts.

Purple Socks

 I'm enjoying this pattern, it is so easy and quick to knit.   These socks didn't take long to knit up at all.

As there is still plenty of this wool left over, there will be a few more purple items appearing.

Shorter Socks

Another pair of socks are off the needles.  These were a lot quicker being shorter, and just plain stocking stitch.

Pretty wool is now on the needles while I decide what to do with the remainder of the brown and grey.

Socks, anyone?

After enjoying knitting the last pair of socks, I fully intended to do more.  A few weeks ago, I managed to get some of the yarn in the sale, so there is going to be bulk knitting of socks over the next few weeks.  These would have been quicker to knit if I hadn't been ill, the first sock, had to be undone a couple of times as the foot was coming out the wrong side of the leg!

 Second time around, everything was the right way and went without a hitch.  These are a men's size, to fit up to a size 11.  Yes, my boys have big feet!

And they're long.  The next pair are ankle socks, so it shouldn't be too long before they're off the needles.

And then there were two

In no time at all, one sock became a pair.  I don't even mind that they're not exactly the same, I love the variation in the wool colour, and even with the changes, they can't be mistaken for odd socks.

There is one ball of wool left, so another something quick is next on the list.

Something Different

It seems such a long time since I've had knitting needles in my hands, and they were just itching to knit again.  While I was in town last week, I picked up a couple of patterns for socks.  I've never knitted adult socks befoe, so thought I'd finally give it a go.  I didn't realise  until I got home, that the patterns were for two needle socks, and not dpns.  If I'd known that, I might have taken the plunge earlier.  What was even better, the yarn I chose was half price.

I now have one sock, much quicker and easier to knit than I had expected

I quite like the top too.

I used Sirdar Escape DK, which is 51% wool, 49% acrylic.  All it needs now, is it's mate.