Today was hot. 90 Farenheit and we had a lot to do. I spent a good part of the morning labeling my shop stock and hiding in my air conditioned second bedroom. This was so I could stop worrying about the post-its that were affixed to about 50 skeins of yarn there. And then I moved some things out of the shop to the sock summit pile. And then I inventoried, resorted and recounted. I returned some baby things. I went to Staples. I drank green ice tea and felt the baby move. I had a couple of knitters over. I ate cup cakes and felt the baby move some more. I labeled sample socks and then turned my attention to a lingering part-time job application for a position I’d really like, even though I’d also really like to stay with the baby all the time for a little while. Still, I believe a part-time job will allow me to spend more time with the baby in the long run than no job for post-maternity leave (er the equivalent six weeks of unemployment) followed by full-time job, if that makes any sense.
I’ve received a few sample socks over the last day or two. The Outside-In Socks Katie did for me are awesome (and so is the fit) as is the stunning Nebula Sock that Ariel did for me. I also received a very pretty Falling Up sock, a pattern done with my Cauldron Sock yarn that Ariel Altaras just released that will be going to Sock Summit in the Knit A Bit Booth. How’d it turn out that way? I wanna know? (Ariel, I stole your photo. Hope you don’t mind.) There is, unfortunately, no more Cauldron Sock left in the shop, because I’ve sent it all to Sock Summit with the patterns. If you want more, leave me a note or message me.
There’s something about the dyeing process that separates me from the colorway. I think it’s the amount of time I spend with the yarn itself. A pair of socks might take me 15 hours and linger in my bag for weeks, even months. Dyeing yarn, hours unless it’s an official colorway that I’ve made more of and I’m only just starting to have some of those. After I’m done dyeing the yarn, I sort of lose connection to it. Then I re-skein it, get to know it better, label it and lose connection to it again. It’s a good thing to not be too attached to your yarns. After all, they aren’t meant to be your own personal stash. When it’s all knit up, I sometimes don’t even recognize them. I wish I could claim that I’d planned them that way all along. I do plan in sort of a general way for how solid the color will be or for pooling or for contrast, but I don’t know exactly how they’ll turn out. At least not yet.
So forgive me for being a bit pleased with myself when presented with the sample socks. I’m certainly damn thrilled with the jobs Ariel and Katie did making them. Better than my loose gauge (mostly due to pregnancy) knitting would have been.
Here they are: Outside-In by Janice Kang (from Knitty), Falling Up by Ariel Altaras, Prickly Pear by Thayer Preese and Nebula by Cookie A. Not the best pics though. Maybe I can snag one tomorrow.
