Posted on December 6, 2004 at 8:14 am
I finished my socks. I reluctantly put them on for the chilly photo out on the patio this morning, but I haven’t taken them off. Why save them for a special occasion when they feel so nice now?
Besides, we all know you can wear handknit socks several times before they really need to be washed, right? I am loathe, I guess, to give up the distinct and pretty little colour blurbs to the bloom of the first wash, and I will put off that first wash for as long as I can. (ew, you think. Too much information. Don’t take your shoes off in my house, thanks)
So last night, I finally purchased another size 9 needle to continue the knitting of the Manos sweater, in spite of how un-encouraged I am now to finish it because I didn’t "blend" the rows as advised. I have several projects on the needles, but they all have honest to goodness obstacles to overcome (the yarn for the floral felted bag is back-ordered but coming, so don’t think I have forgotten, Margene, I will finish it). Getting my hands on this needle did involve a masterful bending of the space-time continuum and powers of toddler persuasion unseen since Terry Brazelton retired, not to mention an invocation of steely resolve to not buy any yarn, even though Hannah, 
the local new yarn store owner ( but who is not my friend who was hoping to open a yarn store–more on that later this week) waved new inventory under my nose, and looked crestfallen when I told her that I was on a yarn diet. I promised her that I would do my part to keep her in business, but not until the end of February. Geez, I had no idea how badly she would take that. Annie may be the "center of the fiber universe", but someone thinks that I am the fiber kin of Alan Greenspan.
So please, do me a favour, if you’re anywhere near Newburyport (very festive, highly decorated, lovely place for seasonal shopping), drop into Three Bags Full on Pleasant Street, and buy some delicious Frog Tree Alpaca in many many colours (it benefits Bolivian women) or Brown Sheep Company anything (you always need an new colour for your collection, right?), and tell her Julia sent you.
10 comments
Mmmm. I can almost feel the softness through the screen. Lovely!
Oooo, the Frog Tree Alpaca is wonderful yarn and locally we can’t get more than a couple of colors. Maybe after MY YNBA I’ll contact your friend for more colors.
I wear my handknit socks several times, too! That pair is so pretty…blue always is!
Those socks are Loverly! The “rule” in our house is that you wear your handknit socks until you wash them yourself…which means that DH’s socks get stored out on the back porch for air.
Of course, there’s always the “once a year bathtub soak for all things knitted” whether they need them or not. That adventure comes every year during the MLK birthday weekend. Must remember to make sure I have some lavender essential oil for the final rinse…
I’ve been to your blog three times this morning, just to look at your socks. Again. And again. And again. Beautiful!
Where is the pattern from? I like the yarn (color and subtleties of color). I just cast on for my second first sock…..
I love your socks – both the pattern and color are wonderful. One of my LYS’s has Frog Tree alpaca, but has discouraged me from using it for socks. Hah! I’m heading over there tomorrow – I need some alpaca immediately.
I love your socks!!! THey are beautiful. My son wears his spiral socks (my first pair ever) a few times before I wash them, too.
Simply *Gorgeous* socks! Love the cable pattern and the blue shade – very elegant especially with jeans:¬)
I love the Frog Tree Alpaca, too but I gotta say it does not hold up to heavy wear. I’ve got a pair of gloves knit from it and they pill like it’s going out of style. Oh, so soft and oh, so warm, but I’m pickin’ wafts of shed fibers off of them all the time.
Note that this minor detail will not deter me from making more gloves and whatnot from the yarn, but just do be aware that it’ll do this.
(There’s a shop in Peterborough, NH, that specializes in peacecraft-type goods and they carry the Frog Tree alpaca in quite a few colors. My latest project is a Latvian mitten in this yarn. Who knows how it’ll work out?)
Loving the fresh baked bread.
Re: refusing to blend the yarn. You have to do this the wrong way the first time to understand the necessity of doing it the right way. I am currently re-knitting my own personal variegated nightmare. It’s really not hard to alternate and once you do, you will never go back. (If you’re willing to go back to variegateds, that is.) Save yourself the work and heartache. Rip now!
xox, The Other Julia
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