I finished knitting a pair of socks while I was at sewing camp.
These are the basic, simple, no pattern socks I usually make with self-striping yarn. I am calling them my Lillian socks because I started the first sock while I was sitting with my aunt Lillian during her final days. The yarn is Urth Uneek Sock in color number 53. There is actually enough yarn in the skeins to make knee-high socks, but I don’t really wear knee high socks all that much at the moment, so the extra yarn will eventually be used in another project.
I finished that first sock shortly after returning to Knoxville, after which I was distracted from knitting for a bit. I actually hoped to finish the second sock prior to leaving for Nashville, but no. At least I thought to pack my sock blockers, so I could block them immediately, in the hotel. Good job Mardel!
Sock weather has not quite arrived, but I am ready and these socks are full of memory and meaning, both of my Aunt and of getting through a particularly stressful period in my life. Triumph socks.
While I was in San Antonio I also finished another project, my Cloud Cover Tank. This is a silk tank knitted in two colors of Artyarns Beaded Silk and Sequins Light using a pattern called “Striped Illusion Tank or Tee” by Iris Schreier. The colors are sequoia yellow and cloud cover. The latter is the multi-color yarn, and the yellow yarn was purchased specifically to go with it. I don’t normally wear a lot of yellow, yet I struggled to find a yarn I liked with the colors in cloud cover. This worked. The whole thing has ended up being a little more autumnal in its vibe than I imagined initially, but I am happy with the results.
The neckline and armscyes were supposed to be finished in the yellow, and I did indeed finish one armscye before realizing two things:
- I did not like the appearance of the finished band.
- I did not think I would have enough yarn.
I lengthened this top considerably from the pattern, which used more yarn, and I knitted the bottom ribbing in yellow before considering whether or not I had enough yarn so I hoped to find a yarn that would solve my problem without making me rip and reknit the hem. I took myself to a yarn store in San Antonio where I found a skein of Bamboo pop in this nice brown that seemed to work well with the colors of the sweater. On a whim, although none of this was really planned, I finished the bands with a row of the yellow sequined silk.
I love this sweater, although I haven’t really worn it as part of an outfit yet, only to take the photo below. I do like the fit, even it is difficult to see that because my arms are reaching forward for the selfie. I suppose this means I really do need to break down and get a selfie stick or tripod.
In reality, finished objects tend to sit in my closet for a period, making friends with other garments, before I actually get around to wearing them. This tends to be the case with new purchases as well. There are exceptions, but they tend to be rare. The red top I made in July is one such exception as I’ve worn it at least a half dozen times. I can’t really explain the difference, why some things need to wait and marinate and others don’t.
I suspect it is all just a matter of mood. I tend to think of life as being rather cyclical. I certainly go through cycles of activity or interests, of mood, of wardrobe choices as well. Eventually a switch is flipped and I’m off to explore something else.