Monday 25 April 2011

Spring knitting

I've been knitting, honest I have - it's the finishing that isn't happening. I have a major case of startitis ... maybe it is a Spring thing (new growth everywhere, new growth on my needles? ). I don't know, but I have at least 5 projects on the needles right now in various states of "done", so not much of interest to show here!

April is always a busy knitting month for me, as my Mom, T's mom and T himself have birthdays within a 4 day span - this year that 4 day span fell the week of Easter (Mom's birthday is April 19, T & his Mom are April 23). Both of our Mom's love handknit socks, and I have gotten in the habit of making cotton wool anklets for them for their birthdays (or at the latest , for Mother's Day). I did get two pair of ankle socks knit and gifted (however, I only photographed one pair! Oops! In the excitement to get presents wrapped and out the door, I forgot to photograph my Mom's pair!)

This shot is of the pair I gifted to T's mom - it was a gorgeous sunny Easter Sunday, and the picture is a bit overexposed! Gotta learn to shoot in the shade!
My Mom's are almost exactly the same, except for colour - both were knit from my standard made up ankle sock pattern - Cast on 64 rib 2x2 for 8 rounds, divide for the heel, EOP heel, standard heel turn, traditional gusset decreases, and 68 rows of knitting from the heel pick-ups to the start of the toes shaping.

Details
Needles: 2.75 mm
Yarn: Patons Stretch Socks (my first time knitting with a stretch sock yarn. Verdict? not bad! I had been afraid I would pull so tight that there would be no stretch left in the sock, but there is ALOT of stretch in the yarn, so I was ok!)
Colourways: T's mom's anklets were knit in the "Sugar" colourway (pink, grey, white), and my Mom's were knit in "Grape Gumball" (purple, mauve, orange, mustard, grey, white).
Pattern: my own, from my head
Size: both Mom's are size 7 ... so that makes my knitting life easy!
Again? - of course! as long as there is spring, and a need for a fast gift, I will continue to knit ankle socks! I also liked the Patons Stretch enough that I will knit with it again!

I've also knit a few dishcloths so far this year, to add to the "quick gift bag". Not much exciting about them, but I do like to show what I have made, so I have a visual record of when I made things.

I am knitting away on a shawl for me, in Patons SWS (no pic to show, as I have no progress on it - just a long skinny strip of knitting that will be the ruffle around the edge). I am also knitting three other pairs of socks - all are pretty plain socks, and not near completion yet, so no pictures yet. And I am trying hard to finish a cardigan I cast on several years ago (2008?!?) and have not far to go before it is done and out of the project bags!

Soon, there should be a very picture filled post with FOs galore!

Hope you had a great Easter and that the bunny found you!

1 comment:

lexa said...

I'm mostly knitting just socks right now, I'm in the 52 Pair Plunge (well, not really, I signed up for the mini plunge of 26 pairs) and have 3 pairs left to make by the end of May. So I'm aiming for that, and I soon have to whip up some dishcloths for the teachers for their end of the year gifts.