It’s been quiet around here this past week, because the household has been felled by swine flu. The Feaster and I got it on Sunday, the Oyster on Tuesday. Niall either had it two weeks ago or will be getting it some day soon.

It knocked me over, attacked my children and scuppered [...]]]>

It’s been quiet around here this past week, because the household has been felled by swine flu. The Feaster and I got it on Sunday, the Oyster on Tuesday. Niall either had it two weeks ago or will be getting it some day soon.

It knocked me over, attacked my children and scuppered my birthday, but AT LEAST it didn’t prevent me from going to the Knitting & Stitching Show (though mind you, I was already feeling pretty urghy by Saturday, and I’m sorry to everyone I breathed near while I was there that day – I didn’t know!).

Of course, I added to my stash! The photo above is of some rather lovely Re Fa Baruffa laceweight from This Is Knit (I know, I can go there whenever I want, but their stuff is just so lovely). I’m planning to make it into the astonishing Forest Path Stole from The Best of Interweave Knits(here’s the pattern page on Ravelry). Entrelac lace! Yay!

Here are two skeins of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd’s Sock, which I bought in This Is Knit a long, long time ago.

I’m embarrassed (how interesting) to confess that I’ve made a grand total of – count them – two socks in my time. One pair, to be precise. Socks seem to have an [...]]]>

Here are two skeins of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd’s Sock, which I bought in This Is Knit a long, long time ago.

I’m embarrassed (how interesting) to confess that I’ve made a grand total of – count them – two socks in my time. One pair, to be precise. Socks seem to have an almost forbidding mystique about them, don’t you find? They are so the thing for the “modern” knitter to take up – quirky! Portable! Now!

Or maybe that’s just me. (I am not a “modern” knitter, I don’t think.)

I still want to make more, though, because they’re so satisfying, so astonishingly comfortable – and there are so many beautiful patterns out there in yon online knitosphere. Yet I procrastinate. Why?

Partly, it’s because my pregnancies brought on my latent varicose veins, and I’m supposed to wear horrible support stockings all the time – I mostly do, but it’s been seeming less necessary recently (hope!). Partly, it’s because it departs from my knitting roots: my grandmother knew how to make socks, but didn’t. Partly, it’s because I find sock yarn so pleasing in itself – and what if I married it to the wrong pattern? (I mean, what?) There’s that high stakes business again. Nonsense. I know it is.

So here. Let’s say I cast on some socks next, yes? Yes.

I went a little mad at the Alpaca Select stall (incidentally, that link has an automatic video, and it’s LOUD!) at last year’s Knitting & Stitching Show. That’s 100% alpaca, in a mixture of DK and 4-ply as far as I can tell (the weight is not marked on the band), and it [...]]]>

I went a little mad at the Alpaca Select stall (incidentally, that link has an automatic video, and it’s LOUD!) at last year’s Knitting & Stitching Show. That’s 100% alpaca, in a mixture of DK and 4-ply as far as I can tell (the weight is not marked on the band), and it feels gorgeous. So gorgeous, in fact, that I may one day use it to knit something with.

I bought it with fair-isle in mind, but then I started worrying that I know far less about fair-isle than I ought to (thank you, superego), and shouldn’t “waste” this beautiful yarn on a beginner project. Should instead, presumably, use yarn I don’t love to make something ugly, because it will build character. Yeah. (No.)