Greetings dear Unravelers and Happy Last Day of July!
Yes, July… I am very glad to see the end of you… so very glad. For those of you counting… just 8 weeks until autumn arrives. But if you, like me, start thinking fall thoughts right after Labor Day, well… it will be here soon! (Five weeks and counting!)
I would like to thank all of you for your kind thoughts, your shared sympathy, and your treasured friendship as I work through the grief of losing my beloved Sherman. Your thoughts have meant so much to me. They have buoyed me up when I was at the bottom and you have made all the difference in my days. Thank you!
I have done small bits of knitting… small bits. My brain is struggling to focus and I remind myself that that is okay. I did manage to finish the shortie socks (which makes the 7th pair of socks I have knit this year!!) I used this pattern and I followed the pattern exactly as written up to the toes. It made no sense to me at all to knit the toe and then graft the toe to the sole of the sock! I mean I don’t mind grafting but grafting over 20 stitches is WAY different than grafting over 64 stitches… so I fell back to my favorite toe from Hermoine’s Everyday Socks. The fit on these socks is really wonderful! Several of you wondered how they would “stay on” with the heel, but my gosh… they do! The designer uses some stitches from the instep in the heel and it is ingenious! Yes I would knit these again! (And for Blogless Karen who asked several weeks ago if I would share what yarn I am using… I have no clue at all about this sock yarn. The band was long gone but I think it might be yarn I purchased from the Loopy Ewe? Maybe from their Dream in Color club??)
Shortie socks… perfect for my way too much AC house!
The sweater is looking down right sweaterish! The right front is completed and I am nearing the halfway point for the left front. Once the left front is done, I am going to give it a good soak and then block it before joining the shoulders. Then I will be ready to pick up and knit the sleeves! The yarn I am using, for those wondering, is Briar Rose Fibers Joyful (which is sadly, discontinued.)
And because we have been watching LOTS of Olympics (I personally LOVED the opening ceremonies!!) I started another sock with some Must Stash Yarn in the Old Ben color way. No pattern, just knitting a sock (as knitters do!)
I have no reading finishes this week… (see above about my brain struggling to keep focus) but I am listening to the latest Anthony Horowitz mystery. (The Moonflower Murder) And with my eyes, I am reading The God of the Woods.
There you have my week of making and reading. What about you? Are you casting on anything new this week?
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
I’m sure the grief will be with you for a while yet, but I am happy to hear that it’s no longer so acute. And sock knitting is the best kind of knitting when your heart is heavy and concentration is hard to find. We’ve been watching a lot of Olympics coverage, too — it’s nice that the time change isn’t so great that we can watch some things live during the day!
Gosh I love your socks (both pairs!!) and, of course, that gorgeous sweater. It is so good to have you back here Kat. I’m sure your grief will continue for some time, but glad to know that it seems to be easing somewhat. Mindless sock knitting is so good for the soul. I’m trying to not count the days till Fall (but it’s difficult).
They do leave a big hole in our lives don’t they. I love the pretty pink yarn you used. Not a fan of the Olympics myself so I am watching old episodes of things I love and require zero brain power. And yes something new has been cast on but too small to share this time round, so instead I have a finish!
that striping looks so SATISFYING!! beautiful! I think about you daily and pray for you daily.
Like you, Labor Day is when I breathe a sigh of relief that the worst of the summer is over, so five weeks is a good number! Your finished socks look like a beautiful watercolor to me, and I love the in-progress socks. I have hardly seen any Olympics since we got rid of TV so I missed the excitement of the opening ceremonies. I hope I can cast on a regular Hitchhiker soon but it won’t be this week.
So glad you’re finding some peace . . . through knitting and the Olympics (always a good combination). I love the sweater! And although it seems a long way off, I know you’ll be wearing it in no time. I, too, thought the opening ceremonies were fun and really unique. Knit on, my friend. XO
Knitting socks is a good thing to knit anytime but especially when concentration is a bit difficult. The sweater is so pretty. I’m glad you are finding your way through the sadness of losing Sherman. It makes me smile to know you too can’t find a ball band. It does happen in those stash bins.
Seven pairs of socks (and counting) added to your drawer this year is a VERY happy thing!
There’s such a comfort in sinking in to the Olympics. My packed-to-the-gills July ended with my first-ever positive COVID test, so I long stitched on my temperature blanket and watched basketball, gymnastics, & swimming…not unhappily!
I love those socks, thanks for linking to the pattern and for sharing what works for you about it. I loved the opening ceremonies, too! And I’ve been enjoying the coverage of the competition as well. It’s nice to feel some pride in the USA, hahaha!