Creativity check & finished projects, mid March 2021

I wanted to check in and give a few updates and plans about my creative pursuits. I've been knitting and sewing some lately, and it's been so satisfying to finish several projects.

Knitting

Finished projects

I finished a pair of socks for Cooper. They are much too large for him to wear this winter. I know that I knit at a loose gauge, and as such, nearly always size down my needles, but I didn't this time, and sure enough, they are rather large toddler socks. Oh well, too big means they will be of future use. I used the Rye light sock pattern (it's free), and knit them in yarn I had leftover from when I knit a hat for my father-in-law.

I also finally finished my Nurtured sweater, and it's drying after I blocked it today. But that will get its own post soon enough. In short: I love it.

Stripe-y socks

I finished my first pair of socks knit from indie-dyed self-striping yarn, as well as my first time knitting with a BFL sock base. They turned out so fun, I think, and the striping sequence really did make me knit faster. I used a leftover barely-there speckled pink yarn for a few rows at the very top of the cuff and then for the heels.

Details

For more details, see my ravelry project page

Yarn: Nomadic Yarns Brit sock in the colorway Cold Snap

Size: 64 stitches

Pattern: my own vanilla socks recipe, plus some notes taken from the Late Night Socks pattern (free)

Needles: US 0 dpns

Specifics/modifications: All the details are on my ravelry (linked above), but I knit them to fit my foot, approximately. Contrast for a few rows at top of cuff and for heel. I rarely do contrast heels, but it was fun this time.

Works in progress

• A pair of slipper socks for Nicholas, knit with a cozy, rustic 100% Faroese yarn that my brother bought for me when he was traveling. I'm knitting a second pair of slipper socks with the Elgin pattern, the only toe-up sock pattern I've ever knit and have enjoyed (I generally greatly prefer cuff-down sock construction).  I knit a pair for Nicholas back in 2017 and he wears them all the time. That pair, also knit in a more rustic yarn, has proved to be quite durable.
• A pair of Crunkled socks, technically not started yet, but I will cast on tonight, in the cheeriest pink yarn. I'm craving color and a textured sock pattern

Upcoming projects

• An improvised ribbed cowl knit with the softest white/navy marled yarn from Woolfolk (their Sno line)
• Another pair of socks knit with Paton's Kroy, in a fun gold self-patterning yarn
• A sweater with my Cestari yarn (traditional collection 2 -ply in light grey/medium grey tweed). I could happily knit any of Ozetta's sweater patterns, but I'm especially taken with the Towns Sweater, the Lodge Sweater. I also love the Seasons Cardigan, but that's probably better suited to a solid or heathered yarn, rather than a marl.

Sewing

Finished

A quilted table runner for our coffee table. This was an impulsive project. I was at hobby lobby, saw the fabric, thought that would make a night whole cloth table runner and I I bought fabric and started it the next day. It was a rather economical project, as well, since I only bought the binding and the fabric, and then used batting I already had. I just made a "quilt sandwich" of fabric + batting + fabric, pinned it together with curved safety pins, and then quilted along the diagonal lines in the fabric. I then trimmed the edges, machine-stitched the binding to one side, then hand-stitched it to the back (perhaps my favorite part of the quilting process). I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

I'm finding that I'm doing a little more practical sewing, since my machines (regular sewing machine and serger) are more handy in the finished part of our basement. I mended our long-worn fabric laundry hamper insert and resized some pillowcases that were too large.

Upcoming

In the near-ish future, I'd like to hem the curtains in Cooper's room. And I may like to sew a small set of coasters. Beyond that, I'm itching to make a larger project bag, quilted or not, that's TBD.

And I love the idea of sewing another apron, as I've grown fond of wearing one nearly every time I cook, because they really do protect my clothes from splatters, and I love the homey feel of a good apron. This apron pattern from Purl Soho is free and worth looking into, I think!

And those are the plans, as of now. I'm feeling excited about my stash and yarns I already own, so I'm doing my best not to window shop for (and subsequently be tempted by) any new yarn or fabric purchases.