As usual. I need to remember to post my WIP on Wednesdays! But it’s okay, I didn’t want to hold onto these pictures for another week. I’ve actually had a lot of progress on projects this week, and hoping to get a lot more done by next week too. First, I actually have a foot on those socks that I’ve been working on since…..um…. *wispers* August. And for once I wish I had the excuse of second sock syndrome, but I don’t. I’ve been working on the first one, but I am just a toe away!
I also have finished a leg warmer. I never thought I would knit leg warmers. Oh my, I never thought I would wear leg warmers. The trend is back, and it’s actually much cuter (i think) than it was in the 80′s. But needless to say these leg warmers were not knit for myself. I mean, really? How often do I actually knit anything for myself anyway? I love the way this yarn knit up. The colors self striped diagonally. I also learned a lesson about my own gauge when knitting these. I knit most of them one day. Picked them up again another day, and the self-striping went away!! I thought something had changed with the yarn. Well apparently my gauge had changed, because my tension changed. I guess my tension can change with my mood or something? It doesn’t surprise me, I just never realized it before. I frogged my progress from that day, changed it up a little, and sure enough the striping continued! And the first one fits! Which is good because see that little bit of extra yarn? That was all that was left!
I also did some swatching. Not for a specific project, but because I learned how to knit continental style! I’m so excited about it, and I’m hoping I can really get the hang of it when I start some new projects. I’ve been told not to switch in the middle of your projects because your tension can change drastically. And I really want my socks to match, and not to change sizes! But I understand the continental a lot better now that I actually met with someone else on post who knits to teach me. It’s much better than trying to watch videos online. Often the camera shakes, the person works too fast or the video isn’t close-up enough. I also want to work each step, and I don’t want to have to continue pausing a video to do so. Hopefully I can continue making progress with this style.
Oh, and before I forget, my husband had me take this picture just to share:
Onto the book. I can’t believe I read it in a week. With all, and I emphasize the word all, going on in my life right now. We will get to that later though. The book: Made From Scratch; Discovering the pleasures of a handmade life. Being a very crafty person, I thought this was a book concentrated on crafts, and recycling for personal use and whatnot. I was quite a bit off track, and I guess that happens when you don’t read the description of the book. I’m blonde sometimes, what can I say? But the book is about self-sufficiency. Basically, living off the land, buying local, raising chickens and bees. That sort of thing. With a very minor mention to knitting and spinning. I have no objection to this way of life, and some I agree with and some of it I don’t find practical. For me. But this book…..I just couldn’t put it down. The author Jenna Woginrich just writes well. Everything flowed so well, and made so much sense. I didn’t feel I was reading, as much as just listening to a friend. And I think that’s why I read it so fast. I do suggest it, to anyone who has even a small interest in self-sufficiency and making more of an everyday connection to our ancestors in everyday tasks.
