Why Haven't I Been Sewing?

In yesterday's post, I mentioned that I really haven't done any sewing since I've been home from retreat. That was May 15th, when I came home. So, why has it been just about a month with no sewing happening here? Well, I came home with a cold, which turned into a bacterial bronchitis, and was on antibiotics for over a week. Then, I apparently developed an allergy to the antibiotic, and had hives for nearly a week. Then I was playing a bit of catch-up with things that didn't get done while I was gone. I'm still trying to get completely caught up.

The other thing I've been doing, though, is a lot of knitting. I'm participating in a challenge on Ravelry that will begin on July 1. There are two versions of the challenge -- the 52 pair plunge, where you knit 52 pairs of socks in one year; and the 26 pair plunge, where you knit 26 pairs in the same amount of time. I signed up for the 26 pair plunge, because that's plenty challenging enough for me. 52 pairs would be pretty well impossible, as slowly as I knit. The cool thing is that any WIPs (works in progress) count, as long as they're finished after July 1, 2011 (and before the end of June 30, 2012). So I'm getting as many pairs cast on as I can, and trying to make some significant progress. The only way I can really expect to complete this challenge is with this legal head start. So here's what I've got that's showing significant progress:

This pair is in a pattern called "Hermione's Everyday Socks." It's just a simple texture pattern, nice with this lovely handpainted yarn. I'm loving these, and am actually further than this picture shows -- I'm nearly done with the heel increases, and almost ready to start turning the heel. Then I'll just work up the leg until I get the height I want.

This is a simple pair of ribbed socks in a self-striping yarn for my mother, who said she wanted "gray or black socks, since they'll go with the most stuff." I'm not willing to knit black socks -- too dark and hard to see, and too boring. However, this yarn isn't too bad. I almost like these. These are almost ready to begin the heel increases.


This is a simple ribbed pair for DH. I think I need another inch or two before I start the heel increases on these.

This is another simple pair, in a waffle stitch, for me. This yarn was a red-violet semisolid -- varying from almost white to fairly dark. I was trying to even out the color variation, and overdyed the yarn with Grape Kool-Aid. The color's still quite variable, but it's more of a blue-violet now, and I really like it. These are further along than in the picture, ready to start heel increases.

This pair is being worked from the cuff down to the toe (the others so far have all been toe-up), and I've just turned the heel. Ready to pick up gusset stitches, and work my way down the foot. I really love this yarn, with all its shades of greens.

This is another pair being worked top-down, and I've got the heel flap about halfway done on them. This pair is for DH.

This is a pair of Basketweave socks, which needs a few more inches done before starting the heel increases. This is a slap-you-in-the-face bright yellow, called "Dandelion." It's well named.

This is another pair being worked top-down. It's a pattern called "Jaywalker," and I got a little obsessed with it last weekend. I had part of the cuff done Saturday morning, and by the time I went to bed Saturday night, I had 5" of the legs done. I really like these!


This is another basic ribbed pair of toe-up socks, for DH. There's about 3 more inches to go on these before I start the heel increases. This yarn reminds me of Halloween.

This is a pattern called "Jacobean," and I'm making these for my mother. Mostly because I think she'll like the pink more than I do, and her foot is an inch shorter than mine. These are further than the picture shows, I've started the heel increases on these. I keep this pair by the computer, so when I'm uploading photos here or to Flickr, I knit a round or two during the wait time.

It's hard to see the pattern to these, but it's a sort of wave design. The yarn is a luscious forest-y green semisolid. The variation in color is part of why the stitch pattern is difficult to see, I think. Still, I'm going to love these when they're finished. These are ready to start the heel increases, too.

This is another pair of basic ribbed toe-up socks. These are for a friend. I've got about 2" to go on these before I can start the heel increases. This yarn is called "Neon." It's fun and happy, and it's cheery to work on these. The ribbing is drawing in more than the flat knitting at the very ends of the toes, but when these have feet in them, they won't look all distorted like this.


I have some others socks in progress, but they're more like just barely started, and not nearly as interesting to look at, at this point. I've got lots of heel turns to do, then I'll have a lot of "straightaway" knitting, ready for waiting rooms and doctors' offices and riding in the car times and meeting times and other times like that.

Almost all of these socks have been started in the last few months. So, you can see why I haven't gotten much sewing done recently ;-)

Thanks for coming by to play. Come back again soon.