Remember back when I knit socks?

Well, I do still knit socks, even though it seems to have been an age since I actually knit on a sock. Today I surprise both you and I with some sock progress, spurred on by the 2nd installment of Vintage Purls sock club (and very pretty it is to). I spent the last three days of last week at one of those self awareness personal development courses, Friday involved abseiling (yes it is spelt right), and meditating on an outside solo - it is winter here and we had 2 days warning of Friday's events. So what did I do? I knit me some Fetchings. Yes give a knitter 2 days notice of cold outdoor activity and they can knit themselves warm. My feather and fan grows, and a very nice piece of tatting came my way this week.

So socks, I'm still knitting up the first of the first sock club socks, Toasty. Toasty has a short row heel, which I have knit in the past, and was once a big fan of, but now my preference for sock heels lies more in a gusset and flap heel. Oh - yes, I do have a pretty clear idea of how geeky that sounds, when a person has a sock heel preference, but we are talking Knitting here, and to be specific Knitted socks, and I came to terms with my geekiness long ago. Notice my deliberate use of capital K in Knitting?


So I planned to knit Toasty with a gusset heel based on the math used in Widdershins, but then some thing I had read keep playing in my mind. CB suggested in her New Pathways that the gusset increases could go anywhere, and I'm so so tempted by Francie by Rebekkah Kerner, well my internal experimental geek said 'lets try this repositioning the gusset thing - Now!'. So there you go, I'm centering the gusset increases around the middle 3 sole stitches - and working my way towards the heel cup and heel flap. I'll keep you all posted how this turns out.



and the spark for me to pick up Toasty again? Vintage Purls released her 2nd installment of the winter 08 sock club. Isn't it yummy, the yarn and sock are called Honey, the package comes all wrapped up in brown paper and string (favorite things anyway), and with little sock needle sized stitch markers, and a box of Jaffa's. These are an oddly named chocolate centered orange candy coated lolly sold in New Zealand, there are traditions about rolling these down the wooden stairs in old movie theaters. Very vintage.


And my new Fetchings, I've knit these before, and as before I seemed unable to follow the pattern. Last time I knit them longer, and they were a gift for Toby's last Motessori teacher. This time the Fetchings were for me and I added a thumb gusset. The yarn was a beautiful silky heavy yarn from the Aspen Alpaca Company and is 100% baby alpaca. The skein label says the yarn was from two Alpaca - Magic and New Moon. Thank you Suzanne for this yarn, I hope I have finally put it to good use.



and even though I am back to knitting socks, my lace scarf still grows. See?
Feather and Fan - one pattern row every 4th row, very easy - as long as I count and don't split my stitches.

Late last week I caught up with another internet knitting friend, Suzanne, and we talked by phone for ages, or maybe that was the week before - time seems to flow fast right now. In addition Suzanne has sent me this lovely little tatted masterpiece of a bookmark. I am in awe, and just in case you are not suitably impressed,



below is the Tatted bookmark on my current knitting,

Well its Sunday, the sunday before school starts back after a 2 week break. So i should go and make sure the cubs are fed and to bed early and bags are ready for tomorrow and all the rest of the things that need doing (knitting/spinning).

Take care .. Stella