Thursday 3 January 2019

Once Upon a Sock - January 2019

Well hello!  Not only is it a new month, it is a New Year.  I missed Once Upon a Sock in December, because I was attempting Vlogmas and did not have enough hours in the day , or mental energy to blog as well.  It was a project worth doing, but it took up more time than I was expecting.

For those who do not know, a group of us who knit socks all meet up and blog about socks on the first Thursday of every month.  If you wish to join us, you are more than welcome.  All you need to do is add a link to your blog at the link up found here, hosted by Paula of Spin a Yarn

Since I last posted, we had a new member of the family join us; my sister's second son.  Of course, proud auntie that I am, I knit him some hats - which was an excellent way of getting rid of spare scraps of sock yarn.

Three hand knitted hats - one in blue and turquoise stripes, one with an orange brim blue hat and the third is mottled red, yellow and blue stripes.
Baby hats for my nephew


So, casting a brief eye over 2018 and looking forward to 2019:

I attempted the box of socks challenge, hosted by Voolenvine and didn't complete it.  (The challenge was to knit at least 12 pairs of socks over the year, ready to be worn this year).  On New Year's Eve, I had three pairs of socks (which would have completed my 12) yet to be completed.  What was waiting for a pair of afterthought heels, one had a dropped stitch which needed dealing with and the last needed its heels turned.

My incomplete Box o' Socks - with only nine pairs of the twelve finished

In my eagerness to get everything finished by midnight (and after messing up the heel three times from not properly concentrating), I ripped back one of this pair with the aim of doing a fish lips kiss heel instead.  I then realised that would mean knitting with kinked wool, which I would only do if my life depended on it.  So, in an attempt to get everything finished on time, I actually made more work for myself by messing up what had already done.




Messing up was a theme with my December socks, after inadvertently increasing a stitch, then dropping the stitch back to where the error was, so that I could pick it back up again.

A hand knit sock in red, white and green stripes, with a very wide ladder down one side.  At the bottom of the ladder is a crochet hook, holding one stitch.  The ladder is wider than the one stitch on the crochet hook.
Oops! 

At the beginning of today, that sock looked liked this:

Two pairs of socks, with red, white and greens stripes.  The toes at the bottom and cuffs at the top are red.
Add caption


I ended up sorting out the unintentional increase by ripping back 17 rows, then somehow managed to drop a stitch just before the ribbing!

A hand knit sock in red, green and white, still on the needles.  To the left of the photo is a hand holding a loop of red yarn from behind the top of the sock.
And again, oops!

So, that was that.  I accepted the challenge; whilst I did not complete it, I still have some lovely socks to show for it.  I had decided this year, but I was not going to do the box of socks challenge again.  There are more things that I want to knit than socks, and socks I would like to knit for more people than me.  

Then I saw Amy Florence's video on 25 Days of Christmas Socks (and the associated discussion on her Ravelry group), and then somebody pointed me towards the UK sock knitters group on Ravelry, who are doing a year long KAL based on the periodic table of the elements - and suddenly I want to knit all the socks again!


Some of the socks I knit this year

To help me on my way, I have some very nice yarn for Christmas.

The first is some red and white striped yarn from Twinkly Knits on Etsy.  I bought this before seeing Amy's video, but after seeing a pair of red and white socks with a contrasting green toes, heels and cuffs.



The next was a gift from Mr Knitty; London House YarnsLondon House Yarns in the colourway Baubles



The last one was bought in the sales from Giddy Yarns in the colourway Christmas Tree Fairy.  The suggested contrast colour was pink, however, I preferred a more vibrant red.


Whatever happens, I will be knitting Christmas socks at some point before December this year.

At the moment, I don't have any socks on the needles.  Well OK, I have a pair for Mr Knitty, which are a belated Christmas present/ very early birthday present and the mosaic socks which need some work.  Apart from that, I don't have any socks on the needles and have a mass of yarns to choose for socks to get on the train when I visit my dad and his wife tomorrow.

And the candy cane socks?  I finished them whilst watching a film this evening .....


They may be The Wrong Trousers - but Gromit has certainly chosen the right craft! 

4 comments:

  1. That is definitely a round of applause worthy box o' socks there. Well done!

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  2. So sorry I am so late in responding to your beautiful post! Isn't it funny how we don't think we want to do a thing and then we want to do all the things? I absolutely adore your box of socks. Imagine how many you would have knit if you wouldn't have had that challenge! Probably not 9 whole pairs. I purchased some yarn to make Christmas socks too and must cast on once I'm finished with my Parkamoors so I actually have socks at Christmas.

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  3. Oh...I totally forgot to say Congratulations on the new nephew! I can't believe my next to youngest nephew will be 21 in two days. Crazy how all that time flies by!

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  4. What an awesome year of sock knitting! You did a lot and should be very proud :) Don't we always mess up when we are in a hurry? I will also have some Christmas socks on the needles at some point this year. I have the perfect yarn for it and can't wait to see which pattern I pick out :) Love all your socks, all your colors, and your wee little baby hats made out of scrap yarn! Congrats on the new little one in the family :D

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Happy 2020

This blog seems somewhat neglected, but I promise I've not forgotten it.  Both life and knitting have happened, and plans are being made...