Wooly Delights!

It's been a while since I updated you on my wool working pursuits.  In truth, between our move and the warmer weather starting up (and all the fun outdoor activities that brings) I had put my knitting down for a bit.  But a few weeks ago, I got the urge to knit again, and out came the needles and yarn!

When I last posted about my knitting, I had just finished a pair of mulberry stripe socks, and I was about to begin a pair of boot weight socks in Fireside Red. Now, as some of you will recall, I was very excited about learning to knit.  I had always dreamed of being to knit socks and mittens.  Well, now I've achieved both dreams!

As I mentioned above, I had put my knitting down for a while, and just picked it up again a few weeks ago.  I really wanted to finish my second red sock, which was near completion.  I finished it off, and put them aside, as I had to wait for my friend Tasha of Fibre Rox to show me how to finish the toes using the Kitchener Stitch.  I had attempted to teach myself this technique, but judging from the number of times I've had to darn the toes of my mulberry stripe socks, I needed some expert advice.  Well, Tasha set me strait and soon both socks had lovely, finished toes.  I proudly field tested my socks on a hike and I am happy to say that they are the perfect boot sock!  The aloe infused wool and nylon blend was comfy and kept my feet dry and comfortable.  And they are so pretty!  They have lived up to my expectations in every way, so much so that I've picked up another ball of Kertzer's On Your Toes DK Boot Sock Yarn, this time in a pretty blue blend. (I can't find a funky name for this one, so perhaps it's been discontinued, but I'm also keeping my eyes peeled for a ball of Meadow Mauve or Wild Child.)  Will this pair make its way into my sock drawer, or will it perhaps make someone a very heartfelt Christmas present? Only time will tell!    The Fireside pair are definitely keepers; they were a labour of love and they still show the evidence of a new knitter.  My second sock turned out a little longer than the first one, although not as dramatically as the picture makes it seem.  However, once they are tucked into my boots, no one can tell the difference.

With two pairs of socks under my belt, it was time to tackle mittens. The funny thing is, I apparently did things backward by starting with socks, since most people do mittens first and then progress to socks. Now that I've made them, I can see the logic in this progression.  Mittens teach you the fundamentals of knitting with four needles without all the extra techniques of socks.

Mittens are fun!  I started with a pair of wristlets (fingerless mitts) which are great because I can start wearing them earlier in the fall than conventional mitts.  I had picked out a spool of charcoal grey angora for this project, and using smaller needles (I think they were 3.5's) I worked away.  I couldn't find a pattern I really liked; most weren't worked in the round, or they were far too advanced for me, so another good friend came over and basically put together a pattern for me.  What good friends I have!  I had started with a pattern that featured extra long cuffs, which I loved because they were different, and hey, no one likes cold wrists!

I was so, so happy with how my wristlet turned out:

  

What I had failed to consider was that the extra long, ribbed cuffs would take up an extra lot of yarn, and so I only have one wristlet!  I am really, really hoping that the yarn shop is still carrying this colour when I get back there (don't even get me started on the dye lot, that would be asking too much!).  My photos aren't really doing them justice, as I was wearing a bracelet when I snapped the photo and therefore they aren't pulled up all the way.  You also can't feel how unbelievably soft and luxurious they are.  They are like puppies wrapped in kittens wrapped in bunnies (angora bunnies, as the case would be):

 Luckily, I had stockpiled yarn, so I had a spool of moss green silk bamboo that I am knitting into another pair of wristlets, this time with regular, one inch cuffs.  So pretty!

I really enjoy knitting; I find it relaxing and rewarding.  I'm itching to learn to crochet now, so I was delighted to see that this week's Housewife 101 at Housewife Bliss is crocheting!  I think that this "modern home economics course" is a brilliant idea, and I'm looking forward to following it as it progresses. I will have to pick up a crochet hook when I'm at the yarn shop!

Have a wonderful week!