2008: The Year of the Sock

The big thing I did in 2008 was knit socks. I started off with something simple and plain:


Then I moved on to something a little more involved but still suitable for a beginner:


Unfortunately, courtesy of my well-meaning mother, both pairs of socks went head to head with a washer and dryer. The washer and dryer won both times.

After two pairs of adult socks, I moved on to baby-sized projects:





Sprinkled among the baby socks were a pair of socks for a friend who did a great thing for me in the previous holiday season. These socks were done in a week thanks to doing two at a time on two sets of DPNs:


I made a pair of pedicure socks for my sister for Christmas, which she loved. She even requested a pair in pink.


And the pair I stared in 2008 but didn't finish until 2009 when there wasn't pressure to compete gifts was knit with a great merino sock yarn that was my only purchase at the Shepherd's Harvest Sheep and Wool Festival in the summer. I love these socks:


So there it is, my Year of the Sock. I feel like I hit a stride last year with my knitting. Thanks to my wonderful knitting group, who are encouraging beyond measure, I feel like I can do anything I set my mind to provided I actually put effort into it. The dowside is that I use knitting for rest and relaxation. Applying myself and using my brain are things that fall by the wayside when I sit down with a couple pointy sticks and some pretty string.