New socks and the buying ban

On Saturday I finished another pair of socks, that's two pairs finished in 2010 though admittedly I started them both in 2009 but the ones I finished on Saturday were only started on the 30th or was it 31st December...so they're definitely this year's socks. I'm very happy with them. I really like the pattern a lot and it seemed to knit up very quickly. Patterns always seem to knit up faster, I suppose doing something other than endless knit stitches adds a bit of interest. I will be knitting this pattern again, I have masses of self striping yarn and the effect is really good. I had 20g of yarn left over at the end of it which is wound into two little balls (I knit each sock off a new ball and I almost got them to match...almost!) I'm undecided on what to do with my odds and ends of sock yarn. Do I have the patience to wait the years to accumulate enough for a blanket starting now a square at a time?



love hand knit socks so much, I don't think I'll ever tire of wearing them.

I am slowly working my way through my Rose Red, I'm on round 30 now and have finished increasing to the 180 stitches for the medium size. I love the pattern, it's so well written and it's already looking good. I feel pretty confident that I can move on to the lace for an Ishbel when I've finished this. I suppose the key to being successful with lace is a well written pattern and my first try was not with one of those. Look at me, setting myself up for a spectacular fall and messing up my hat entirely. I hope the knitting gods are forgiving and let me get away with thinking my hat is going well!!

I am saving today's page in my "Never Not Knitting" calendar for my husband.

"Knitting is better than video games because: You don't have to take turns with your sister, it never runs out of batteries, and you never lose three hours of work because you forgot to save your game."

He's rather fond of his computer games, I know this will amuse him. Sadly I fear you can lose three hours of work when you realise you've completely mis-read the pattern and made unfixable errors and have to rip back endless rows!! Knitting is still better than video games though. I'll agree with that one!

Having looked at my finances, realised I have to pay an installment for my holiday in June, buy my new passport and pay my quarterly subs to choir as well as having already paid my half towards our holiday in March (being a real jet-setter though to be fair March will be the first time I've left the country on holiday since 2005 and even then it was for a wedding and not a proper holiday) I simply can't afford any more yarn this month and probably shouldn't buy any next month either. This shouldn't be a terrible thing, whilst it's tiny compared to some my sock stash alone has enough for a pair every month plus some, this photo doesn't include the 6 balls of Regia which came from Kemps on Friday:



I also have large project (such as a cardigan) quantities of Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran, Sirdar Peru Chunky, Rowan Luxury Cotton DK and Patons Pompero yarns not to mention 2 hanks of laceweight, 2 balls of Jamiesons 2ply, 3 balls of King Cole Aran (ready for a hat and mittens) as well as various odd balls of this and that and masses of baby yarn. I have enough to keep me in knitting all year if I am being honest with myself. I don't like being honest with myself though! Anyway...whilst nothing compared to some stashes I must admit that mine is well stocks and I must not buy any more yarn this month or next...apart from one skein when I cut the darling husband's hair as he pays for that in yarn...but he pays so that doesn't count.

I got a bit off track there. I'll repeat it for myself NO BUYING YARN FOR THE REST OF JANUARY OR FOR FEBRUARY. I may have to ban myself until our holiday in March even...I can't be banned then as we're going to Berlin and I've already got the addresses of several LYS. For now though I am BANNED. No buying yarn, no going to the LYS as that only ends in buying yarn. I must knit from my stash and be glad to have so much to keep me going.

My husband will be pleased...