Regarding those green socks: I don’t have second sock syndrome. I thought I would. I am glad I took the advice of some of you to knit the cuffs off both socks before moving on to the heel of the first. I think that must make all the difference. That, and really plowing through to finish that first sock and quickly getting on with the second. I found turning my first heel to be amazing, by the way.
As I have finished a handful of knitting projects lately that I began many months ago in a compulsive frenzy of casting on, I am realizing that I don’t want to knit like that anymore. I want to stay with a project start to finish without giving myself enough time to lose all excitement. I think the same holds true with buying yarn. I don’t want to buy yarn for a project until I am ready to cast on. I am sure many of you have already figured out these things.
After finding carpet beetles devouring a couple of skeins of Quince & Co. yarn (yes, devastating–and yes, the beetles definitely originated in this old house of mine) I realized that storing my yarn on open shelves of roadside thrift store origin had to come to an end. Every skein has taken a turn in the freezer and I now store my yarn in plastic boxes. I thought this would make me sad, but in fact, I am happy not to be looking at all the yarn I don’t have time to knit. It’s a load off. However, I am not happy about those Quince skeins. But this just reinforces the idea that I should try not to acquire more yarn than I can knit in a reasonable amount of time.
Winterwoods is finished, although I have no idea when I will press, frame, and hang it on the wall. In the last photos I took, I only had the letter “z” left. I saved it for last on purpose, just for fun.
On a sad note, our Lark Rise bees didn’t survive the first hard frosts. We were afraid that they hadn’t built up their population enough after swarming in July to be able to survive, although of course we hoped they would beat the odds. So, we don’t have any bees now which is sad, but we do have some honey and beeswax which is a happy surprise. We haven’t bought any equipment to handle it nor have we researched this end of things. We are just playing around having fun. We’re making plans for next year’s bees already.
One of my good friends had a baby girl last night. I had the honor of visiting in the hours after the birth to prepare a meal and take photographs. I even got to put the baby’s first diaper on her. I can’t stop thinking about it all. In fact, I hardly slept at all once I came home last night and when I did, I dreamed about sweet baby girl. I can’t imagine being a birth assistant or midwife. The excitement would kill me. What a privilege it was to be there in those early post birth moments, though. I’m so proud of my dear friend.
p.s. My boys made the paper stars using a pattern from Origami for Children
Renee Anne says
As much as I have a dislike for bees, I feel badly that yours didn’t survive. I understand their importance but I just am not a fan…I think they kind of creep me out a bit, really.
Yarn. Oh yarn. I have 15 plastic bins of you in my spare room. And then I forget what I have and have to go digging (I’ve been using the stash feature on Ravelry to help with this). I didn’t dare leave my yarns out because I was afraid of bugs making my pretty yarns their new home. The funny part was that we didn’t have the bug problems in Wisconsin. One of my friends here in California, however, had some sort of nasty bug chew through one of her shawls 🙁 I cried for her!
Meg says
I just made my first pair of socks this summer and I had a hard time with the heel…I wish I thought it was “amazing” to turn the heel. Maybe after some practice!! And new babies are amazing!
Diana Smith says
Me again…just realized by going on Ravely those are your green socks are the same socks I just knit. One pr. in purple vareigated for dear DIL and another pr. for me in brown/green yarn for wearing with my clogs…fit well and have the best toe design I’ve found. This is only my 4th pr. of socks so think I’ve found my favorite pattern. Love your blog. I was a L&D nurse for 10 years and still miss it. Each birth was awe inspiring.
Diana Smith says
Your socks are so nice….what pattern did you use to get such nice round toes…I don’t like any of the patterns I’ve tried yet ….my toes demand comfort!!
Dawn says
Your socks are beautiful. Glad you took the advice to avoid second sock syndrome. I always knit my socks two at a time (not magic loop but on two sets of dpns). I am sorry about your bees. We have had losses like that over the 6 years my husband has been beehaving. I do enjoy the lovely wax that is left behind. I use it for balms and salves and now a nativity….thanks for the inspiration.
I am a labor and delivery nurse and I love my job. I enjoy the miracle of it all, the actual birth and then those precious moments of the new baby looking through blinking eyes at Mommy and Daddy. So nice that you could experience those moments with your friend.
Dawn says
I keep my yarn in plastic bins with lids and cedar balls thrown in. It keeps the yarn dust and bug free. I’ve done this for years. I am always amazed when I see people on blogs with yarn displayed on shelves. While it looks lovely, I have wondered how the pests stay out of the yarn.
Kate @ Lady Bird says
Ginny,
I always love your posts where you tell us a tid bit about everything. The socks are beautiful! I was always so unsure of what yarn could and should go with a pattern so I tried to resist having a yarn stash. Despite my best intentions, I am still a slower knitter than planner, and I have yarn in my garage, which is just sort of a funny thing to say. I did finish the sleeve of a sweater last night and it felt wonderful! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!!
Katie
Fräulein Rucksack says
Lucky you don’t have to go through the single sock thing.
The yarn buying and the unfinished project thing is sure something every knitter goes through. I’m over that and I think it’s wonderful and makes sense not to have several projects (yet, one in the handbag and on next to the nursing chair makes already two) at a time.
About the yarn buying, I stopped it. I want to knit away as much as I have here. I gave some away, too. It feels already better to have less and I can’t wait for it to shrink even more. Less is more people say.
Andee says
The socks look great. Turning a heel is quite exciting. I am sorry about the bees. Hopefully next year will be better for them. Oh that is so sad about your yarn being destroyed 🙁 I keep all mine locked up in plastic containers the size for shoes, but I keep one basket out with some just for decoration and a little inspiration.
Yuliya says
Very sorry about the bees. Don’t you put them to any insulated place?
When i was a kid and my granparents kept bees, that was a special event to put the bees into their underground apiary house – omshanik – at late autumn…
MotherOwl says
What a wonderful post. I am not suffering from second sock syndrome, but from second mitt syndrome. And I’m sure my bees are all dead as well. I did not feed them as much as I wanted, and after a very hot autumn it’s no winter with snow and cold spells. I’m sure spring will find me searching for new bees. But as you say, we have honey and bees wax 😉
Maybe I’ll have to find some boxes for yarn as well. Now I have a room for my stuff, my yarn stash is expanding, I have had wood beetles or worms (don’t know in English, and too lazy to find a dictionary) in my hand cards, they also had a holiday in the freezer. But I don’t suppose they have yarn on the menu as well.
About the baby, what an experience!
Grace says
This is my most favorite blog post ever.
Grace says
It has everything in it I love: green socks, Winterwoods, origami Christmassyness, things that are derived from bees. If only it included snow, cherry pie, and a newborn (well, it does mention a newborn, so there’s that!), it would be an actual slice of heaven.
Missy says
My downfall was working at a yarn store for 4 months with a large discount. That was six years ago and I still have loads of yarn from then. Now I just buy fabric. But that is a bit problematic, too.
I am nearing my little one’s first birthday and I am remembering her birth. It truly is a magical time, isn’t it?
Jess says
Turning your first heel is the coolest thing ever…its 3-dimensional knitting!
Love the Winterwoods sampler, there is another blogger SouleMama who was sewing it at the same time as you….both beautiful.
Mistea says
Those socks are gorgeous – well done on getting the second one done.
Lovely sampler – enjoy finishing it off to display proudly.
heathermama hawkes says
sad about the bees. i do love bees and have wanted to raise them for years now, i had no idea what a challenge that would be.
so what are you making with the cheese cloth??
and wow, i too, love being around wee little babes, who have just joined us here earth side, such a sacred time.
Kim says
So sorry about the bees. We are getting our first set in the spring and are hoping we can keep them around 🙂
And congratulations to your friend. I am doing my doula training right now, attended my first birth 9 weeks ago, a friend, and it was amazing!! So magical. Looking forward to my next birth.
Heather says
Congratulations to your friend and to you for bearing witness to those first moments. I have thought about becoming a doula, but I wonder if I would become so very attached. Sorry about the bees. Can you use the wax for salves and lip balm (on my mind as we made them today). Hurray on the socks! UGH on the beetles. I try to store everything in bags and bins. And I have too much even after I did so well culling my stash. I think traveling did me in!