September is a big birthday month in my family; we have 6 birthdays this month and one on October 1st. This means I am very busy knitting at the moment trying to get presents completed on time. The big birthdays (other than mine :P) are my step-dad and my grandmother’s. I had big plans for knitting this year, but due to my ever-narrowing time constraints they are only getting one knitted gift each. It just so happens that both of them have developed a taste for hand knitted socks ever since I learned about a year ago. Now for every special occasion that is what they request. My grandmother likes fuzzy ankle socks for wearing around the house and K, my step-father, likes the full sock, as long as it is warm and non-scratchy.
I picked out the yarn a while ago and have been slowly plodding away. For K, I chose a very cool yarn called ONline Supersocke 100 Butterfly Color that is patterned to look like butterfly wings. These were an awesome find in the bargain basement of one of my favourite LYS, Romni Wool. Being a nature guy, I know that he will get a kick out of these. I really like the way the patterning of the yarn has come along. I am finished the first sock, but I have a whole other sock to go and only 1 week to knit it! I cast on last night and then promptly fell asleep – this full time work thing is really getting in the way of my knitting schedule.
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| Butterfly sock! |
For my grandmother, I let her choose the wool from my stash and she immediately gravitated to the Mesa colourway of Chroma worsted. I have made her socks from this before and they are so scrumptious and soft. Again, I have one sock completed that I made in Chicago, and another to go. These aren’t such a big deal because they have a very short leg and are made of a much thicker yarn. 2 weeks until her birthday.
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| A cozy ankle sock out of Chroma Worsted |
I always have about 5+ projects on the needles and I am dying to finish these socks so I can go back to a project intended for myself, Citron by Hillary Smith Callis. I am making this out of one of my favourite yarns Dream in Colour Starry in the Deep Seaflower colourway. I rarely make items that I end up keeping so I would really like to get this done for the cool fall days ahead.
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| Such pretty sparkly yarn! |
One last thing before I leave you, I came across this article from the guardian that I thought was really awesome. It's about Joe Strummer's daughter, Jazz Domino Holly and her new book about crafting. I have put this on my amazon wishlist!
My favourite quote from her: “Crafting is the perfect antidote to cookie-cutter mass-production, and gives us a means of expressing not only our individuality but also our originality in a handmade rebellion against passive consumption.”
I love this because it is so true! The reason I craft and knit is for just that reason. In an ever modern world there is so much focus on consumption of things that are easily acquired and that are essentially all the same. When I knit something it takes time and contemplation, and every item is distinct. I've yet to meet a knitter that doesn't make mistakes! Just like the people who knit and receive their craft, it is the imperfections that make something unique.
Happy Knitting,
msi
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