Weekend of Inspiration
We spent our weekend in Coeur D’Alene, ID with my sweet Great Aunt and Uncle. Now here is a master knitter! She’s 86 years old so doesn’t really do much knitting anymore, it makes her fingers go numb, but she’s got a lot of experience under her belt so during our visit I asked questions and wished the entire time that she lived closer (not just for knitting assistance of course). Our visit was sweet, my little boys got to spend some time with who they called Grandpa and Grandma. “I want to go back to Grandpa and Grandma’s house.” I mean they are Grandma and Grandpa after all, just not ours…but we like to take as many as we can get our hands on.
So I’ve got a few different projects in my bag these days, Aunt Jean is holding one of them above. She was teaching me how to increase and yo (yarn over). I don’t know how to do either of them and I wish I’d had a video camera…maybe I’ll have to take a trip back soon for another “lesson.” The project above is something – not sure what yet – I’m thinking a baby blanket. That is just a side project though, nothing too challenging just something to keep my hands busy when I want to turn my brain off.
This is the real project right now. I am attempting some socks for the first time. So here is the start on size 2 dpns (double pointed needles – look at that lingo!) or as Grandma refers to them “toothpicks”. This sock yarn is so pretty though. Thanks Jan! It is Premier Yarns, Deborah Norville Collection, Serenity Sock Weight. 50% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Bamboo, and 25% Nylon and so soft. The color on the label is Indigo and I’m just following the pattern inside the sock yarn label. I’ll share when I’m done. It is just a tiny taste of my birthday present that I mentioned previously (40 ish skeins of yarn coming in about 3 weeks).
I wished I’d been to the heel so I could get some assistance, but this is about all the further I made it while we were visiting. According to Great Aunt Jean the hardest part is the heel, that reinforcement. Hopefully I actually finish this pair of socks, I know now why people buy their socks, and don’t knit them.
Oh and I knit inside out for some reason? I don’t know what the deal is? So the reverse of this sock looks much better, but I didn’t take a photo of it for some reason? I’ll flip it when I’m ready to do the heel. I’m hoping one day I’ll have something that somewhat resembles Great Aunt Jean’s socks.
These are some socks she knitted herself (just one pair of about a million) using variegated yarn. She’s made argyles and all different kinds, she had a few examples to show me, along with probably 20 sweaters that she made for her grandchildren years ago (all of them amazingly beautiful)! So we had a really sweet visit and I was definitely inspired.
Oh and we stopped at several thrift shops, and at one hit the jackpot, tons of old knitting pattern books, 25 cents a piece! I am making a sweater next. Aunt Jean told me I should have probably started with a sweater…she thinks that would’ve been easier than socks.
Hopefully I’ll have a photo like this, of a sock I’ve knitted myself, very soon! Wish me luck!
Happy Knitting!
