Meet the foot of my friend Tina. Behold her first sock so fetchingly modeled. She is so proud, but I don't know who is prouder, her or me. She is my 2nd student ever and I am thrilled with her progress. She already knew how to knit but found knitting in the round daunting. She started this sock on the 7th. We met on the 9th where I showed her how to knit the heel flap and pick up the gusset stitches. She finished the first sock on the 11th and is now half way through the 2nd sock. The yarn, which is just about my favorite sock yarn (Jitterbug in the color Fire) was my gift to Tina to tempt her into sock knitting. Now I have to convince her she is indeed ready for Sock Wars. She may want to sign up quick-it closes to enrollment May 2nd. I hope for my sake I get her to assassinate with her size 7 foot instead of my friend Rositta's.
To repay me for my kindness and teaching patience, she told me about the yarn sale at my favorite yarn store. I had conveniently forgotten all about the sale. Nothing sings to a knitter's soul like the words yarn and sale in the same sentence. Nothing is more dangerous than taking another yarn loving person to a sale like this. I think a gang like mentality sets in and before you know it, you've spent a small fortune on all kinds of stuff you know you surely don't need.
While there, we found out that the owner also honors knitting nurses with a 15% discount during nurses week (the owner is a nurse-outstanding!). We're sure to go back for more fiber indulgence. While sales staff wound Tina's new found sock yarn into pretty little cakes of yarn in another part of the store, we looked in wonder and awe at the spinning wheels. This naturally led to a discussion about learning to spin yarn. It's on my bucket list. Apparently, it's on Tina's too.
To repay me for my kindness and teaching patience, she told me about the yarn sale at my favorite yarn store. I had conveniently forgotten all about the sale. Nothing sings to a knitter's soul like the words yarn and sale in the same sentence. Nothing is more dangerous than taking another yarn loving person to a sale like this. I think a gang like mentality sets in and before you know it, you've spent a small fortune on all kinds of stuff you know you surely don't need.
While there, we found out that the owner also honors knitting nurses with a 15% discount during nurses week (the owner is a nurse-outstanding!). We're sure to go back for more fiber indulgence. While sales staff wound Tina's new found sock yarn into pretty little cakes of yarn in another part of the store, we looked in wonder and awe at the spinning wheels. This naturally led to a discussion about learning to spin yarn. It's on my bucket list. Apparently, it's on Tina's too.
Look at this booty.... Let's see, there is Stephanie Pearl McPhee's new book Things I Learned from Knitting, Melissa Morgan-Oakes 2-at-a-time Socks (it will be dog eared by May 9th), some new stuff from Brown Sheep (Wildfoote in Rock 'n Roll), Dream In Color's Smooshy (in Chinatown Apple), and three skeins of Mountain Colors Bearfoot (in Rosehip, Ruby River and Spruce). The Spruce is earmarked for this pair of socks. There seems to be a LOT of red yarn in there. I don't really know why but it sure is purdy.
All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend a rainy Saturday and my children's inheritance.
All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend a rainy Saturday and my children's inheritance.
7 comments:
I bid on three separate batches of hand painted sock yarn on e-bay and won all three from someone in Michigan who is clearing out her stash, yeh, good deals too. I have to get order Stephanies book, she lives here in Toronto, did you know? Have a lovely Sunday...ciao
Good for you. I like a good ebay battle! I'm almost done with the book. I got Tina to buy her Knitting Rules (i think it was her best). Reading Stephanie's recipe for a sock is what made this self taught sock knitter how to do it. I had read instructions from a dozen sources, it was her words that made it click. I had to work last Friday when I'd have rather heard her speak in Ann Arbor. Maybe next tour I'll come to Toronto and you and I can go hear her together! It's only a hop, skip and a jump from here (i just wanted to say that!) It's a 4 hour drive.
I have an extra bedroom...ciao
Geez... I wish I would have shaved before sending that picture!! Update is I am up to the gusset on sock two and I really want to wear those socks on my plane ride to vegas.. Gonna need your assistance again oh wise one.. :) Couldn't do it without all your wonderful support!
I'm sure you're doing it right Tina. Send me a picture. As for the shaving, to be fair, I didn't warn you about blogger fodder. I'm sorry for that but from now on, consider yourself warned. LOL!
I commend your spending of your children's inheritance Stephanie's new book and my own. And you have excellent taste in yarn!
Thanks for visiting Melissa. I've read Stephanie's book and plan on digging into yours tonight. I've never knit with the smooshy but gosh, it's beautiful stuff.
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