It tends to get to this time of year, and my needles will get completely fired up to knit everyone else's Christmas gifts. I'm not talking any small feat here, we're talking at least 3 jumpers, 3 pairs of socks and various accessories for people. I knitted a jumper for my Dad last year, (see right - a generic image as I await one of my father actually using his) and he never wore it, claiming it was 'far too special to use', despite an overall cost of about £150 and three months of knitting around my studies. So I've taken the decision not to bother with knitting for Christmas this year, instead, I'm going to get back to bases and knit for myself. Which in my mind, is not selfish, as I knit far more for other people than I do for myself.
"This week, I are been mainly knitting socks".
...that's a very obscure reference. hat's off to you if you have any clue as to what I am referencing there!
But I'm not just knitting socks for the sake of it, I am so heartbroken at socks of mine that have been outworn, that I am having to revert to re-knitting my favourite ones, and that brings me nicely onto Monkeys.
Ravelry lists this is a pattern costing £6.00 but if you follow my link, it is definitely still free. This is a very easy patterned sock design; I must have knitted them at least 6 times. The long-lost pair to your left have heartbreakingly become felted, and therefore I am needing to knit replacements. Which is joyous! I have a similar shade, and have managed to get the bulk of the pair knitted in 2 days; that's knitting on the commute for you! Socks are so portable, I think they knit themselves!! The next pair to become unloved were the Hederas.
This is my pair, see right. Knitted in Lang Jawoll in the most vibrantest, clear winter pink, and with an included yarn in a matching shade to be knitted in for reinforecement (which I did), these poor babies succumbed to pilling. Really fuzzy, cheap looking pilling. I have contacted them about it, they asked for a picture, and I can't find them (under the bed somewhere I think!), but yeah, heartbroken. So these will be having to be replaced. They aren't unwearable, so I may have to go back to square one and pick a new colour here.
I chose to knit these in a very soft pure merino, the highly coveted Wollmeise Pure 100% Merino. A Superwash yarn with a super-tight spin that gives the illusion of strength. I don't think I'll ever knit a pair of socks in a yarn that doesn't contain any nylon or man-made fibre, ever again. These both have areas of weakness at the heel and ball of the foot and will require some darning, and possibly re-knitting part of the foot. I am not best pleased, they took a very long time to make and I don't know if I have it in me to do them again.
Other Casualties Include my Kai-Mei's (Felted) and my BFF socks (also felted). Luckily my mum has teeny teeny feet and is often more than happy to inherit my sock failures. But it is starting to mean that I am having to knit my entire Cookie A collection all over again. You'd think, after all these years, that I might possibly be bored of her designs. But I'm not! I have, however, started to look at other designers. I had a good old Butcher's at Rachel Coopey's stuff this morning, and I have to say, I really like her sock designs! She's done a whole book using the Rowan Fine Art yarn, which excitedly is about to land in semi-solid colour, which is my opinion is always better for a patterned sock; so I quite fancy having a bash at some of those!
I haven't seen the books anywhere in London, though; and I always prefer to have a proper look through before I buy a book, any sort of book; so I'll just have to keep looking! These are them, don't they look cool?
Working for Rowan I was a little surprised to not have seen a copy anywhere but I'm certain it's only a matter of time. The one on the right is the one I'm after. Gotta get out of the habit of only knitting from one designer for socks! ...or design my own!!!
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