Monday 18 June 2012

Handwork


Toddler sock

I finished knitting a pair of toddler socks. They provide “growing room,” sez mum. As soon as my order for more Harmony yarn (30% wool, 69.6% cotton, 0.4% lycra) from Bendigo Woolen Mills arrives, I can begin knitting another pair... that's what you do when it comes to twins... you knit more!

I used a sock pattern called ChippySocks for Kids by ColorJoy. The pattern calls for 2-3 colours (and looks incredibly cheerful), but I had only one colour on hand. I found the pattern easy to follow. I think I'm getting quicker at knitting socks... but that's probably a personal illusion inspired by such small socks.

Have you noticed how many people these days seem to believe whatever suits them, ignoring facts to the contrary?

I cling to my small fantasy of getting faster at knitting socks. It gives me hope that I can produce knitted socks faster than the twins outgrown them. Since we live in the Tropics, socks are winter wear. Kids in Summer favour bare feet. I can take a break then... or get a headstart on the next winter.

Sleying the reed
When it comes to weaving, I've finally come to enjoy the complete process: winding a warp, sleying the reed, threading the heddles, beaming the warp, weaving and finishing. The complete process takes however long it takes. To avoid aggravating shoulder problems, I divide my weaving chores into numerous short sessions. I've reached the halfway mark in sleying the reed. 

Coffee assists with sleying the reed
You can see that a mug of coffee adds to my pleasure. I warp my loom front to back, following excellent instructions found in Warping All By Yourself by Cay Garrett. (No longer in print, but used copies can be found.) 

Post by M in JaM
Pix by J in JaM

2 comments:

Diana Troldahl said...

I love that sock pattern! When I was testing it for her I made a super sized pair for Oscar. The color patterns (which of course were different for each sock) made it feel like a quick knit :-}
He wore a hole all along the bottom of the heel, so I need to make him another pair as they are one of his favorites. I used cascade 220.

I also loved seeing you stringing the loom. My grandma had a vertically standing rug loom in her back room when I was growing up. She used it for making rag rugs :-}
I hope to get a small table-top loom after we move to play with ;-}

Diana Troldahl said...

I love that sock pattern! When I was testing it for her I made a super sized pair for Oscar. The color patterns (which of course were different for each sock) made it feel like a quick knit :-}
He wore a hole all along the bottom of the heel, so I need to make him another pair as they are one of his favorites. I used cascade 220.

I also loved seeing you stringing the loom. My grandma had a vertically standing rug loom in her back room when I was growing up. She used it for making rag rugs :-}
I hope to get a small table-top loom after we move to play with ;-}