I've been a busy bee of late! I knit two pairs of socks (see "frankensocks" from previous post, plus a newer, better second pair of the same pattern, pictured below)
The socks above were sent away in the mail for a raffle to raise money for my old summer camp. I hope they find a good home! I really wanted to knit a pair of these for the raffle. They would have been perfect. But I've never knit intarsia before, and there wasn't really time to learn. But mark my words, I'm gonna do it. And soon.
Knitting my first two pairs of socks also necessitated having a pair of sock blockers. Since we're in a recession (and I broke the bank on Euroflax!), I decided I'd better make my own. I googled "DIY sock blockers" and came across a simple pattern using vinyl placemats; it was cheap, fast, and effective. I bought a few placemats, so I can make blockers in various sizes now.
I've been hacking away at my Eyelet Chemise. Things are going well, considering I'm usually at crisis this point along in a sweater pattern. I'm truly intrigued by Euroflax and cannot wait to be done, so I can see how it looks washed and dried. The swatch I did is incredibly soft and drapey.
I have to say, though, the Euroflax is tough on the hands. I actually have callouses in certain areas of my fingers from this yarn. I guess this is what happens when I baby my hands for so long with kid silk haze!!
I'm also working on some recessionista-type projects around the house. I bought this sad little bookshelf at a junk shop in Salem, and am busy transforming it into a wall shelf to display my teacup collection. It don't look like much now, but prepare to be dazzled.
