Thursday, October 1, 2015

Tales of traveling socks

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Hey you guys, happy new month!!

Today, amongst a million other things, I cast off a pair of socks. The last pair of socks from our trip. Which made me think about those four pairs of socks that I knitted and the where's and the when's and the how's.

Back in July, just before we left home, I agonised over craft projects; What would I make? How much yarn could I fit in? What would happen if I ran out of yarn? And what would I do with the finished projects?

After a while I decided that socks were the solution. A pair of socks usually uses less than 100 grams of yarn so they are a small project and therefore very portable. Socks can be simple pimple or all kinds of intricate. And the finished product can be worn straight away. Yay!

So I wound a few balls and the night before we left Melbourne I cast on the pair above. I like to have the socks actually started before I go through the security check ins at the airport just in case they hassle me for having sharp pointy things in my carry on. They never have though.

I knitted that top pair in Israel and took the photo in the first Airbnb we stayed in in London. I wore them all the time in England after that. Summer hey?!

I Raveled them here.

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The next pair I cast on in England and knitted most of them at Spoonfest. At Spoonfest I discovered that I am more of a soft, woolly type of person, than a knife and axe type of person.

A few people came up to me and said they wished they had brought their own knitting or crochet but they didn't, so I knitted while they all chopped and carved.

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I finished the second pair in Tuscany.

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I've Raveled them here.

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I cast the next pair on on the train trip from Florence to Roma, knit them in Roma and then cast them off in Crete.

These socks were so very simple and quick to make and I think they'd be a great project for someone wanting to try colour-work. I really love them. In fact I love them so much that I think I have to keep them and not give them away to a friend as I had planned.

I've raveled them here.

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I'm most excited about the next pair because I bought the yarn to knit them from Loop London. I have a whole blog post planned about our pilgrimage to Loop, hopefully I'll get to it soon. Just know that it is as cosy and gorgeous and inspiring as you've imagined.

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Virtually as soon as we walked in the door Miss Indi spotted the yellow Socks That Rock yarn and begged me to knit her a pair. I love how cheery it makes that pile of gorgeousness look.

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It took ages for me to get going once she'd picked the pattern. I think that was partly due to the fact that the pattern I was following was written for socks that are knitted from the cuff down to the toe, whereas I knit from the toe up to the cuff. And also I find that there is a point in cable knitting when the pattern just clicks and makes sense, for some reason this one took a few repeats to get there.

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But after that beginning bit where I had to concentrate like crazy - I knit them everywhere. I knit them on a boat, by the beach, in a cave house, by the pool, I could even knit them after a few shots of raki!!

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Ahhhhh how I loved living in a cave house. (Except for the bit where we had to throw the toilet paper in the bin after use, ew!)

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I cast those sunshiny Greek Island socks off today. My farmer boy was in Ballarat with Indi at the orthodontist and I should have been planting seeds but instead I was squooshed up to a sickly Miss Pepper on the couch while she watched a movie. Good Mothering + the last few rows of my knitting = win-win!

I've Raveled them here.

Tomorrow I'll darn in the ends and hand them over. I'm excited to move on to a new project, but at the same time a little sad to see another part of our adventure ended.

I think I need a quick and chunky project next.

So how about you?
what are you making/baking/creating/growing?

I hope your October is oh so awesome!!

Lots-a-love,

Kate

xoxo

ps I saw my first snake of the season today in the rhubarb patch. Not happy.
ps It's 11pm and one of Indi's friends just came in to thank us for our hospitality. So sweet!


21 comments:

  1. I love your socks, especially the colourwork one. All you lovely bloggers with your knitted sock have got me tackling my knitting phobia and this morning I cast off my first sock!! x

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    1. Sharon that's so cool!!! I'm so excited for you. Get onto that second sock straight away and you'll have a pair in no time. x

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  2. Socks are one of my favourite projects to do...soooo portable. This year I have been knitting shawls but next year, I'm on a sock mission! Thanks for sharing your socks Kate and the best thing is that they all have their own story to tell. I love that! X

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    1. That's so funny Sheryl, I've been talking about a shawl-a-thon. How can I call myself a knitter if I only have one shawl?!? xx

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  3. Weaving is taking my attention now along with coloring-the latest adult craft craze to hit here. There's a baby quilt in my near future but for now I feel the need to be in this room with hubby rather than off sewing so it's looms and gel pens for the foreseeable future.

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  4. Such a portable hobby, and each time those socks are worn they will bring back memories. I remember staying in a house Mykonos many many moons ago, and having to that toilet paper in bucket thing too.

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    1. I think that trapping memories into projects is one of the best parts of being a crafter. Aren't we lucky. xx

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  5. I love the sweet little pair you made in Roma / finished in Crete. They just whisper 'coooosy soooocks' to me. I would love to have your ability to lose yourself in wool. I just don't have it in me. I think my ongoing life project is to learn to slow down and savour the moment. Being still escapes me still. x

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  6. Oooh love the socks! The yellow is just great. My sis dropped by Loop en route the Ireland/Romania WRC match :-)
    Watch out for those snakes! I'm planting my new garden with geranium and wild garlic in the hope they'd be deterred...living adjacent to a riverine area also known for puffies :-0

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  7. Oh yes have to keep them, they tell a story!

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  8. Thanks for checking out my blog post at our weekend cabin Kate. I have just finished making my first pair of socks using a blog post by Susan Anderson. I need a few more stocking stitch ones before I try a cable! Jo x
    http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk

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  9. Your sock knitting is incredible - so many pairs you must knit like lightening... those colourwork ones are so so beautiful!

    I'd love to have a go at some toe up socks, or just another pair of socks, have only made one pair and they were cuff down... if you ever run a sock knitting class let me know!

    ps. I get the loo paper thing too, everywhere in Peru was the same and it totally grossed me out... until I found the 'traditional' loos at Chinchero Market, then I was grossed out to the max!!!

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  10. How wonderful to have all these socks to remind you of your travels! :)

    I made a blanket when we traveled in Canada last year and it is now my "Canada Blanket" which brings up memories of our travels :) Such a treasure!

    Take care
    Anne
    Crochet Between Worlds

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  11. I've just started (for the third time, but going strong now!) a sock from the toe up and it never occurred to me that I could be knitting a pair simultaneously - that's just pure genius Kate. If I hadn't frogged so many times already I'd be tempted to start all over again! You are the sock queen. All hail....

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  12. What beautiful socks Kate. I am thinking I will have to knit some socks too and find my Coop Knits book which is packed away in a box somewhere. I love all those pairs you have knit. The blues in the first post are quite saturated in color and beautiful. I cannot wait to read your post about Loop. I wonder why we dont have a shop like that here in Melbourne as it would be great. I hope you dont find anymore snakes either, ugh!

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  13. I would never have thought to knit socks from the toe up. does it make it easier. All your socks are gorgeous but I really love the last pair. The colour is amazing.

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  14. i am so desperate to learn how to knot a pair of socks!! it's like on my bucket list, might have to get me a book to teach myself. I am blowing what feels like a million lights!! (probs more like 70, but you know), i'm tired and ready to go home, i want to spend more time planning my exhibition and maybe take a day off!

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  15. I love that you knit socks, I'm so getting on board with this one. Very much a beginner I am. Where do you buy your yarn from mostly?

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  16. I'm about a third of the way through if a corner to corner crochet blanket for my grown son. I'm using beautiful Bendigo Mills wool in shades of blue to Aqua. As I live by the sea in SE Qld the colours remind me of the changes in the water colour. Loving it. Hoping to have it QB size by his birthday in March. Time is not the issue but the amount of heat is.
    Love the bright summery yellow of the sock colour for Miss Indi. She is going to love them.

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  17. Oh I just went to the US and would have loved to take my crocheting on the plane with me but didn't want to risk it. Plus I'd need scissors?
    Such a waste of valuable craft time I thought.

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Thanks so much for stopping by...

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.

Kate XX

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