Detour -- or avoidance

I'm not sure if I've actually taken a detour or I'm actively avoiding all the binding I need to finish sewing down.  I suspect the latter!

With the help of You Tube, I taught myself to knit socks in the last month.  Isn't this just the greatest yarn?  My sister is always knitting; and my-niece-the-quilter has taken up knitting in the last year or so and I have to say, her small projects are intriguing.  In another life and another dimension, I knit all the time and could do any pattern you put in front of me.  Over time, quilting became more important and left wrist pain made knitting less than comfortable.  I've always loved yarns/fibers and slowly the idea of trying to learn to knit socks kept creeping in my thoughts.

In that situation -- what does one do?  Well first you buy great yarn that you know is good quality (Austermanns) and then you start searching You Tube for instructions on how to do this.  I was lucky enough to come across verypinknits and her tutorials.  They are incredible.   I watched every step all the way through, borrowed size 2 (US) needles from my sister and searched Ravelry for a pattern that was free and rated easy.

Then it was a matter of casting on and watching a step, completing that step, watching the next step, and on and on.  This was a breeze.  I learned a lot and made more mistakes than I care to discuss in public.  But the first one fit and that made it easier to do the second one and try to fix some of the errors along the way.  Amazingly, holding the size 2 needles does not cause pain in my wrist -- even though holding a size 7 for a bit does.  Hurray for small miracles.

I've learned these are called "fraternal twin" socks since I didn't bother to start each sock in the same place with this color striping yarn.  I actually like them and will not be bothered by different color stripes, toes, and heels.  I started another one last nite -- same pattern, different Austermann color way/pattern, and off we go.  I do like that these are so portable and do not involve needles/pins/scissors like my hexagons do.  We'll be traveling some this summer and I can knit without getting queasy which is not always the case with sewing.  And there is no risk that I'll be leaving a needle behind for my grandson to find.

So -- I've learned a lot and have a lot to learn.  The more I read the scarier socks become; thank goodness for beginner's luck.  I've ordered needles to try something called "magic loop" knitting which people either adore or hate.  No middle of the road comments out there.  As an aside, if you have never checked out Ravelry, you should.  Whoever had the vision to create a master forum for all things knitting and crochet was brilliant.  It's easy to use, monitored so all topics are relevant and knitters are like quilters -- always ready to help.  I can't imagine that  you would ever need another forum or website for help.  The ability to build your own library of patterns and hints, create your inventory of yarn, track your projects, trade, see patterns made in the same yarn you are considering, ask any question you may have, etc. is amazing.  I so wish there were a similar resource for quilters.  Check it out -- it's wonderful to have everything at your fingertips.

I hope you're finding time to be productive and not avoiding your quilting chores like some of us!!!  Jan