My friend and co-worker came up with the idea at the end of 2019 to do a Sock Challenge for 2020 with our classes. I also invited followers from my Queen Bee Knits facebook page. I hesitate to commit to things like this because I’m not very good about sticking with it but in this case, I did it!
Twelve pairs of socks. The challenge was to have two months where you challenged yourself and no more than two “little” socks. Here’s what I did this past year. (Gosh, it feels good to talk about 2020 in the past!) Here they are for your perusal … the proof is in the pudding, right?
Yankee Knitter Classic Socks for the Family (ribbed leg)
Husband’s Christmas Socks with Cashmere (late!)
These were so much fun!
Welcome to the club sock for my neighbor
Son turned 30 socks
Yankee Knitter – stockinette
Yankee Knitter – stockinette
Pair of Sue’s Booties in pink
and in green – counts for one month!
These may be my favorite!
Christmas gift in green and gold with gray
Christmas Socks
Monkey Socks for my hubby
Twelve pairs of socks in 2020
You can see all of the details of yarn and patterns for all of these socks on my Ravelry project page! My Ravelry name is “lindar”! I hope you’ll add me as a friend on Ravelry!
Good grief! I can’t imagine how we’ve gotten to “late” September! Time sure does fly when you’re having fun (in a pandemic?)
The Apple Farm in Fairfield, Maine
I’ve been back to teaching a small class outside at a local park in Waterville, Maine until this week. My students were comfortable meeting outside, socially distanced and masked. I was, too. And then last week, it was chilly and we had to move from under the pergola in the shade into the sun to be comfortable. This week the high temperature was only going to reach 62 so we went into the store and were surprised that we were comfortable there, too.
Bickford’s Blueberries with the gang
Life has been full of visitors this summer, too. If there are to be blessings found in the Covid-19 pandemic, this is one! All of our children have visited for at least a week and a couple visited for two weeks and four weeks! Working from home/remotely does have its benefits. Nothing makes this mom happier than a house full of our kids! We are so proud of all of them and how gracefully they’re handling life under Covid-19. It’s been difficult; isolating at times, frustrating at times, fraught with financial uncertainty. My kids all work in the Arts in New York City … there won’t be solid work for them at least until 2021. They’ll all make it through this and they’ll all grow because of it.
(I missed grand-dog Severus. Boo! And the Littles were unimpressed and not on the porch.)
We have been eating well (everyone likes to cook) and the baking has been lots of fun! Notice that the photos are almost all of baked goods!? Ha! We made focaccia with a beautiful vegetable “picture” on it, lobster is always a favorite, raspberry ice cream cookie sandwiches, blueberries, blueberry buckle, a rustic peach and blueberry galette, blueberry bundt cake, blueberry muffins, Mrs. Dejonkheere’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, blueberry pie #1, lobster eggs Benedict, maple blueberry scones, squash pie, veggie frittata and apple pie. The raspberries, blueberries and apples were all picked by our hands! What a lot of fun.
There has been yarn in my hands throughout the visits! I’ve started and finished a few things that I wanted to share with you, too.
First up were two emPower People cowls in their signature purple.
The first is the emPower People Cowl by Casapinka. This is a simple garter stitch cowl that asks for a DK or sport weight yarn. I used Malabrigo Rios which is a light worsted weight. It’s a cowl so I really didn’t mind if it came out a little bit larger (or smaller). It was a quick and simple knit project and it’s a sample at the store right now. It’s so soft and will be a nice garment to wear and a good reminder to VOTE!
The second is EmPower Lace by Romi. I was a test knitter for this cowl and it was another really fun knit. This could be considered a bit more difficult than the first cowl, but it’s a great first lace project. I used Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool this time and I love this yarn. It was a new yarn to me. It shows the lace well and it’s soft and sturdy. Empower Lace is also a free Raverly download.
FOs
Next up are two pairs of baby booties. I confess that I have a collection of Cascade’s Fixation yarn from which I’ve made several pairs of baby booties and a few baby hats to match. But I had over-bought! Can you imagine that? Ha! Ha! So, in my pledge to use up stashed yarn, I decided to pull out all of the Fixation and use it up by making some baby booties. Two pairs down and I have plenty more to go. The green pair has a different bottom color and the pink ones are simple solid pink. The pattern is one that I can’t find online anywhere called Sue’s Baby Booties. It was a free pattern at the store. If you love it, let me know and I can scan it and email it to you.
I’ve started and finished a baby gift for a special baby boy coming soon so I can’t show you a full photograph of the gift that I’ve finished. I used Hayfield’s Baby Blossom Chunky to knit a Three Cable Baby Blanket and will make a little sweater and hat to match. I’ll update this post when I have given the gift to the mom-to-be. It’s soft, warm and washable and dry-able. All good things when you’re a new mother.
I’ve finished the first of my September socks from our 2020 Sock Challenge. This is another stashed yarn, one that I collected when we learned that there wasn’t going to be a US distributor for this wonderful Raggi yarn. (There is a distributor now, thank heavens!) Raggi is a worsted/aran weight wool and nylon blend so it’s perfect for knitting socks. The pattern, Urban Rustic Socks, I just happened across when I was looking for a worsted weight sock pattern that I hadn’t already made. I love these socks and they’re a fun knit, too. It’s a free Ravelry pattern.
I’m working away on making more masks for my kids, I’ve fixed a hat for a customer, fixed a shawl several times for a former student (the shawl has traveled from Florida to Maine and back several times) and I’ve got a bunch of projects on the needles. I’m still working on finishing my Arne and Carlos Quarantine Knitting blocks (I think it’s going to be a pillow) and my Hope Cardigan is half-done. So, life is busy and full … I wanted to catch up here so that the next post won’t be so long.
One of my co-workers and I have challenged our classes and our followers on Facebook and Instagram to a 2020 Sock Challenge. The challenge is that you must knit a pair of socks each month. Two pairs can be “tiny” socks and two should be a challenge, something you’ve never tried before or that stretches your comfort level!
So far, I’ve knitted six pairs and I’m working my way through the seventh.
January, rose colored socks for my granddaughter, Rose! This counts as a tiny pair. Earlier in the year I made a pair for my grandson because everything should be even. Oscar is more open about asking for what he wants. Little sister deserves some handknit socks, too. I am delighted to have these delightful, delicious kiddos to knit for!
February socks were for my sweet husband. It’s become a tradition for me to put a ball of sock yarn into his Christmas stocking. With all that happens in the weeks working up to Christmas, I haven’t been able to get his socks finished. When I can knit them after Christmas, it’s way more relaxing and fun.
March socks were a stretch for me. I’ve been “challenged” by fair isle or stranded knitting for EVER. I have avoided it, I’ve refused to do it, I have not bought beautiful patterns. This year and for part of last year, too, I have challenged myself to get myself more confident with stranded knitting. These socks, while they are a little bit too big, they’re really beautiful and I love them. And they’re so warm … duh! Because they’re double thickness!
April socks were a 60th birthday gift for my neighbor. Ya know, when you get to see 60 there’s not much that you “need” and maybe even want… except to spend time with your family and friends. So, when Tammy turned 60, we spent time together but I wanted to make her something. This yarn came into the yarn shop where I work and it was exactly what I needed.
January
February
March
April
May
June
Socks! Socks! Socks!
May socks were for my boy. Finished in April, actually (I’m a bit ahead of myself because of the tiny pair that I started with!) My son turned 30 this year. How did that happen? This yarn is amazing and I love knitting with it. Both of my favorite guys have gotten a pair of socks in the same yarn and I have another ball left to knit up. Woo! Hoo!
The socks that I have called my May socks until I realized that they’re really June are in Rachel’s Ontheround sock yarn. I have had this yarn in my stash forever and I always knew it had to be socks because the other pair of Ontheround socks that I have are my favorite socks. The colorway of these is magnificent and I love the feel of them as I knit.
All of the details, yarns, needles and patterns for all of these socks are in my Ravelry project page. I even have a few non-knitting projects there. The plan is to make a pair of socks with some lace perhaps or a cable maybe. I guess I’ll figure it out as I get there. I love knitting socks because they’re practical and portable!
Queen Bee Knits 