I can’t tell you how excited I am! I finished my very first pair of socks in my very own handspun yarn this morning.
Before I finished them, I was afraid that I’d run out of yarn. Even though I calculated how many yards I had, I did not trust my math. I could easily have been wrong and have been off by a couple of hundred yards. And knit and purl patterns eat yarn like wild animals, don’t ya know?
So I deployed the demon eyes of Scheyer to tame the yarn. Either he was on overdrive that day or I’m an abysmal judge of exactly how much yarn I have or my math was actually correct.
This is how much yarn I had left.
I’m thinking that I need to trust my math. I’d sure save myself a lot of angst in the future if I did. I swear I was in a constant panic attack when I was knitting on that second sock. Boy, do I feel silly now.
I bet you want to see the socks. That’s what it’s all about right?
Pattern: Primavera by natalja (available from Ravelry as a free download)
Yarn: My own handspun; roving from Yarn Wench in the colorway Napa
Needles: US 1 / 2.25mm
Started: March 5, 2008
Finished: March 12, 2008
After 3 repeats of the pattern, I decreased from 66 sts to 54 sts by reducing to 2 purl stitches between each stockinette stitch block instead of four. I hope that makes sense. If not feel free to leave a comment and I’ll try to clarify.
I loved this project from start to finish. From spinning up the yarn to knitting up the socks. I was constantly tickled pink by the fact that I was knitting with yarn that I made. Yarn. That I made! And it’s soft! Really soft and cushy!
*deep breath*
Some people say that Merino is not a good choice for socks because it isn’t strong enough. I don’t care. I’m not hard on my socks and I get such pleasure from this beautiful fiber. If they wear out faster then other fibers, I’ll just have to make more. I have no problem with making more.
I also have no problem with the fact that the stripes are more like huge rectangles of color. Nor do I mind that the colors don’t run in the same sequence on each sock. I think they look rather artistic and eclectic.
I’m thoroughly addicted to knitting with my own handspun yarn now. This spells trouble for my stash of commercial yarn. Luckily I can only spin so much, so fast. So there will be no giving away of the stash anytime soon!
Happy Wednesday, everyone. :)
