It may not look like much so far, but it looms large to me. This is the beginning stage of a pair of socks I couldn't be more excited about.
A little history:
Despite having learned to knit over 6 years ago, and having knit countless gifts for friends in that time, I have a couple of close friends who I have never made anything for. One friend in particular lives in a warm climate and spends most of her time tending to large aquarium fish. Up until recently, I hadn't been able to answer the question "What do you knit for someone who spends her working hours in a shark tank?" But then, when I saw her over the Thanksgiving holiday, she was practically living in her Smartwool socks she bought for her snowboarding vacations. (This is making my knitting hobby sound more and more tame!) Of course, I vowed then and there to knit up a pair of socks for her.
Two and half months later, her pair has made it's way to the top of my queue. Even though I want her socks to be relatively simple, I've come up empty-handed after searching for a basic pattern that fits the bill.
Meanwhile, I am packing for my Stitches weekend where I will be taking a pattern writing class. Not only do I need a portable project to take with me over the weekend, I also want to put my new pattern writing skills into action right away when I return. Besides, I am still in search of a fingering weight yarn that I would like to use for my own hand-dyeing. This MCN fingering is quickly rising to the top of my list, but I won't feel certain until I've knit a pair of socks myself with it.
In a few weeks, I hope to be done with a project that will be: a gift for a friend, a sample of my newest pattern, and a test of a potential base yarn for my natural dyeing. You can see how my plans are all coming together in a single pair of socks!
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That's a brilliant plan! I hope you have a great time at the conference and you learn a bunch of great stuff at the class! I can't wait to see what you come up with for both the dyeing and the socks.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are heading into exciting and adventurous knitting teritory. I hope they turn out well and that you have a lot of fun with it.
ReplyDeleteAnxiously awaiting the outcome on many levels. The socks will undoubtedly turn out beautifully for your friend. I'm really waiting for the pattern and your choice of yarn for your hand dying projects! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're killing many birds with a single stone-- I highly approve :)
ReplyDeleteIt's exciting just reading about your upcoming knitting adventures. I hope you enjoy your trip to Stitches! We went to Stitches South in Atlanta last year for the first time and enjoyed every minute. The marketplace was so wonderful I almost got teary-eyed. I took workshops with Melissa Leapman and Edie Eckman that were worth every penny.
ReplyDeleteOh, what a lucky friend! Have a great time at Stitches.
ReplyDeleteWow! I'm really excited for you to learn those pattern-writing skills. What a great skill to have! I don't know about Stitches and am off to google it right now...
ReplyDeleteKnitting those socks is going to be an amazing adventure. I can't wait to see the pattern that you come up with. Have fun at Stitches! Buy lots of beautiful yarn!
ReplyDeleteLove the colour. Your friend is so lucky!
ReplyDeleteA pattern writing class sounds brilliant! Have a good time!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like it is a fun project for you. Looking forward to seeing how they will turn out.
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