The First One

Okay, so this is the first one. I've never done this before, but I thought that blogging might be a great way to keep track of what I'm working on and to motivate me to get some of those projects that have been sitting in a basket waiting for me for way too long.

Right now, I am working on another pair of socks-the seventh or eighth pair I've made. Now that I have knit a pair or two, I find that I am very particular about the sock yarn that I use, and while I have plenty of future socks sitting in the closet, I am not too excited about the types of yarn I've purchased. Because I am so enthralled by color and texture, I tend to buy yarn compulsively--absolutely no idea what I'm going to do with it, but it's so beautiful that I figure something will present itself (a sweater, a sock, an afghan ...). So, basically, it ends up sitting in the closet and I forget that I have it altogether.

I did find the absolute BEST sock yarn, though, Alchemy Yarns, which I bought from Simply Socks Yarn Co. (link below); so now I am less motivated to make those future socks. I am using Alchemy maple leaf for my current project.

I don't know about you, but I LOVE knitting socks two-at-a-time! I like that "all done" result--when I get one sock done, the other one is done too! Knit and wear. There is something to be said for efficient knitting, especially when you have to eek out time to knit from a totally insane weekly schedule.

I am also working on a collection of preemie hats for charity. Guess what. You can do those two-at-a-time, too! I've tried a gazillion different patterns for preemie hats, but I think simple is best. I haven't gotten brave enough to try intarsia--I'm saving that for summer vacation.

I have been fussing about starting a pair of fingerless gloves. Even though I live in the South, my hands get cold and crampy when I knit (too cold in the winter, too much air conditioning in the summer ...) and I saw a cute, simple pattern on giftabledesigns.com called "how-now-space-cow armwarmers". I just haven't found the wool I want to use. I understand an aran weight is best, but I am playing with the idea of using a merino sock yarn instead--I'm not trying to prevent frost bite, just warm up a bit, so the lighter yarn might work. But I haven't found anything I like well enough to pay more for shipping than the hank costs. So, the search continues.

And, well, I guess I could be working on those socks instead of typing, since the cats and I are the only ones up this early on a Sunday morning. I have to take advantage of the quiet time while I can before the chaos begins.