More socks, and a bone

It's very quiet on this blog - I'm still spending most of my free time studying, rather than creating. I hope to complete my Bachelor of Arts in June next year! But I do still knit socks. I'm planning to have a pair for each of my three boys as a Christmas present - for we will be in Japan on Christmas Day, where warm socks will definitely be needed!

I'm knitting one sock of a pair at a time and then moving on to the next pair to keep myself entertained. The blue sock is the Rustling Reed pattern, which I am enjoying much more this time. The other two are both the trusty Sail Away pattern - I know it by heart now!

I made another pair of Sail Away socks in DK yarn earlier this year, as a birthday present for a friend. He really liked them and sent me this photo:

Last week I had to mend something, so got out the sewing machine for the first time since finishing Hugo's t-shirt quilt. When that was done, I decided to finally do what I had been wanting to do for a long time: make a toy for Shaggy!

He loves to chew on things (especially socks) and I knew it wouldn't be a good idea to crochet a bone for him, like I did for Barney - he would destroy it in seconds! But I thought a bone made from sturdy denim fabric would be okay. He immediately loved it when I gave it to him:

But sadly he managed to maul it within five minutes... He doesn't have many teeth left, but the ones he has are pretty sharp!

Oh well, back to the drawing table...

Socks... what else?

 Winter is here, and another pair of socks is finished. This pair is a birthday present for a dear friend, who chose this yarn (DK sock yarn from Heathermaid in the colourway 'Outback Storm'). 

And I've started another pair of Rustling Reed socks, using the yarn I bought in Tasmania last year. I didn't enjoy knitting the first pair, but really like the look of them, and thought I'd try it again. This time I don't mind it so much - after the lace socks this is peanuts!

I've also got two more balls of DK yarn from Heathermaid, so looking forward to lots more sock knitting!

Finally finished!

 

Last night I finally finished the second Florentine Lace Sock. I started on this pair in August 2022!

I must admit that I did not really enjoy knitting these lace socks, but I do like how they look :-)

Here is a photo taken this morning, in daylight:

So what's next? I have ordered some DK yarn from Heathermaid to make some more Sail Away socks. Really looking forward to some simple sock knitting!

The first socks of 2023

 

The first pair of socks of 2023 is finished! These DK rainbow socks are for my middle son's girlfriend. She won't need them for quite a while, as it is still summer and very hot here in Queensland, but hopefully in a few months they will be useful.

 In 2022 I made ten pairs of socks! (plus one single Florentine Lace sock) Three pairs were for myself, the others for my loved ones (husband, BFF and my three sons). I also made one Mandala Pillow and of course the t-shirt quilt for Hugo. Here's another collage:

Plans for 2023: finish those Florentine Lace Socks! And after that... who knows? I may continue to knit socks, or start to crochet again. I don't think I will make another quilt. I quite enjoy those small, portable projects.

To be continued...