All Fingers and Thumbs

Socktober is here, Socktober is here - dance the happy dance! Some may say it is always Socktober at All Fingers and Thumbs but for this month the sock love has an official outlet. Ambitious plans are afoot ( sorry couldn't resist). Initially I was going to aim for three pairs of socks this month, then I remembered and the speed I go at and I modified the plans slightly; you see there are three classic sock patterns that I haven't knit yet. It's hard to believe but I haven't made a pair of Pomatomus , Jaywalkers or Monkeys even though I have now knit a grand total of 21 pairs of socks since I was first infected by the sock bug nearly two years ago . These patterns seem to me to be three pillars of the sock knitting world, in order to earn my sock knitting stripes they must be knit. Ravelry project stats prove their popularity: 2019 pairs of Poms, 5018 Jaywalkers and a quite unbelievable 6871 Monkeys; these are bandwagons I need to jump on. So, as I don't yet suf...

This week back at work has been a bit of a shock to the system, I think the strategy of saving lots of things to do till after my holiday was possibly not the wisest! Still it's Friday evening and I can finally take some time to look back on the glories of the week before in Dorset. No-one at work asked me to write an essay on 'My Holiday' like they used to at school but there are a few words that sum up the essence of it wonderfully: sun, sand, sea air, tea shops and knitting. The evidence is here: I heartily recommend Dorset as a holiday destination for all and for knitters in particular - not just for the beach knitting opportunities but also as it seems to be well served by LYS - in particular of the traditional British 'The Wool Shop' variety - exhibit A from Portland: I got directed to Honora on the main street in Christchurch by a lovely lady. She was delighted to see me knitting outside a tea shop as she didn't see many people knitting these days but sh...

...make it to himself's feet. Pattern: Plain soothing stocking stitch with a deep 1x1 rib for the skinny ankled Yarn: Regia Nation Color - 5391, most of 2 balls Needles: 2.25mm Harmony DPNs Started: 2 July 2008 Finished: 12 September 2008 Notes: I had to rip back the first one around the heel to get the yarn pattern to fall nicely there - I originally went for an all black heel with a wider yellow stripe at the front but where the colour changes run in I ended up with about eight black stitches slap in the middle of my wide yellow band. I'm not really a fussy knitter when it comes to the placement of stripes and making matching pairs but it had to go! I don't mind the narrow black stripe but if I did them over I might be tempted to break the yarn so it started in pure yellow and get the wider yellow stripe. Still the recipient is happy and so I'm happy. Most often referred to as the bumblebee socks when people saw them being worked on they are in fact knit to be in the...

... the Queen of Knit Blogging that is. Yes that is her, I promise. She's wearing her Manon . Seems like these socks are going to be the best travelled socks before they even make it to the foot. They very much enjoyed being in the huge hall with soooo many other knitters listening to the Yarn Harlot. It's really no surprise is it that I Knit Day was fab: beautiful venue, lovely stalls, knitting fashion shows and of course a very entertaining talk to knit to. I totally failed to see any other bloggers , I think the yarn fumes may have made my vision a little blurry :o) I did however get a good eye in for knit identifying. I felt like I needed a score card and a pattern spotting book like a pro twitcher - Is that a Swallowtail ? Ooh there's a Hey Teach . Oh look a Clapotis . So much fun to see all that real live hand knitting being worn! I was well behaved on the yarn purchasing and only a skein of Malabrigo sock made it home with me after I squeezed my way to the fron...

It's been a better trip for knitting, all of this second sock has been done whilst here in Vienna. (Can't ever even think this city name without hearing this .) I'm feeling weary and glad to not be rushing to the airport having opted to fly back tomorrow and yet also so homesick that I wish I was rushing to the airport. These last three trips have been a little close together for my liking but you know how it is, so many glamourous cities to visit so little time! A little blogging will cheer me up and make me remember the perks whilst I paw over my wonderful purchases because as well as some knitting time I got to buy some: And only you peeps will really understand why oh why I need more sock yarn? Oh these Noro colourways is why... I've been resisting the Kureyon sock, thinking I'd hold out until the Silk Garden was available in the UK but I hadn't met any in person until this week... The Regia colourways are rather fine too, and sooooo much cheaper in Euro...

I've needed a little time to find the mental (and physical - that kitchen table was messy ) space to start some seaming. I knew I needed to take it slowly to get it as neat as possible. My first seamed garment definitely suffered from being sewn up while I was scrunched on the sofa just thinking about having it finished ASAP. Mum's cardigan looked a lot more professional for simply having some time and space dedicated to the finishing of it so that was the approach I wanted for Moonlight . Finding that time and space has proved tricky in the last few months, Moonlight has been at the 'sweater in a bag - just add seaming' stage since May and Iris has actually leapfrogged it for some attention. It may not be the best summer ever but it's still (just about) more suited to a cotton shrug than a large, woollen cardigan. So with all equipment to hand I sat down, took a deep breath and slowly got on with the tasks at hand. I sewed in the loose ends, added a row to the ...

... a mega busy work trip meant no progress was made on my travel project, but at least I kept hold of it this time! This is the sock yesterday in the same state as last Sunday morning when I headed off to Oslo again. Do you see the great addition to my sock travel kit? These WIP tubes from Knit'n'Caboodle make excellent protection for my beloved Harmony DPNs. I did get a dose of craft in the week when I squeezed in a quick stop at the wonderful Museum of Applied Art . In line with the trip theme of no knitting the textile collection was mostly under wraps as they rearranged a whole floor, still worth a visit though to see a beautiful range of works that prove that craft is art. So I'm off to create some more art. I should be wielding a darning needle as I have two cardis for seaming as I managed to finish up the pieces of Iris before I went on my travels but I'm comfy on the sofa watching the Olympics so I think I'll stick with the simple sock and make up for l...