ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

Skill + 1UP or I think I want, I think I want to knit socks!!

Have I been upskilling myself in the knitting world in recent times?

I guess so. In the time since I arrived in Europe, specifically in the Netherlands at the end of August 2008 I have tried a number of techniques that I had never looked at previously and I have rekindled an interest in simple lace stitches. It has been easy to work on new techniques when away from all the interruptions that a normal life at home in New Zealand allows. In New Zealand one had friends to see, family to be with, stuff to do other than knitting, like gardening and so on. Here in the Netherlands Best Beloved is at work so I have peaceful time on my side, time to explore and to play with yarns and concepts and colours and obviously to explore and experience the Netherlands and so I have.

Carbon Footprint - Shadow Knitting

and then there is the orange crepe paper crown that I started, required for Queens Day on the 30th of April. I have also used dpn’s for the first time knitting a pair of simple ribbed fingerless gloves.

Feather and Fan arm warmers

Skirt with hyperbolic plane inc

But my big hairy goal – is sock knitting.

Which sock pattern would you recommend for a new sock knitter, me.

I can knit in the round, I can knit simple lace, I can follow charts, I can follow written instructions, I can knit with dpn’s, I have sock yarn, and I have IOU’s for 2 pairs of red socks.

Help please, advice requested. Which sock pattern do you recommend for plain red socks for the two men in my life, my son and my Best Beloved?

World Wide Words: states that Upskilling is a moderately common technical term and the Second Additions Volume of the Oxford English Dictionary cites a first use as long ago as 1983.

Upskilling refers to increasing the skills of workers, usually through training. Critics say that upskilled workers are not necessarily better paid, nor do they have better promotion prospects, and that upskilling benefits the employer rather than the worker.

I think the critics are nearly right – upskilled knitters are not necessarily better paid – but they have lots of fun, gain pleasure, have more to offer other knitters and are all round contented, well balanced, and interesting people.

Knitting and Crochet Blog Week

Did you look at the photos above? Now you know why I was driven to volunteer to knit replacement red socks. These socks had to go, and they did go into my washing machine, and then when dry into my reminder of IOU box. And of course that Best Beloved he had to get in on the act. If I can knit red socks for son, surely I can knit red socks for him as well.

Now he knows I have never ever knitted a pair of socks – babies booties, slipper things in garter stitch – YES; Socks – NO.

Why would he add to my misery or to my list of challenges?

Well he did, damn him, now I have this wretched IOU for red socks for 2 men. I only promised son (stupidly), I would replace his tatty, holey, stretched, and dangerous to his feet, socks so that he would stop wearing them. You can see the state of them. These socks should not be worn again.

So now you have the pictures of the offending socks and you know why I was compelled to offer to knit socks, and why I have a great big IOU.

Maybe someone has some pristine socks from the original “Red Socks” campaign? Now that would be good.

You see we are having house guests (son and family), they are arriving from Switzerland on Sunday. Should I be preparing our small Dutch house for the influx, or should I just knit – which is what I feel doing? I am knitting capelets, I have 2 more on the needles right now as well as that shadow knitting bag (still not completed) and the red socks that I owe son and Best Beloved – that old IOU, you remember it, don’t you?

I bought son some New Zealand merino socks whilst in New Zealand recently, as a salve for my conscience – such tardiness I am expressing with regard to the knitting of socks. I didn’t discover the new “Red Socks” campaign that was held in New Zealand on July 2nd (while I was there), until today when researching “Red Socks” yet again.

Darn, I could have bought son and Best Beloved Red Socks and not have to consider knitting those all elusive socks for them myself.

And then there is the cardigan for Angelica, the poncho/capelet for Elaine, pattern for gorgeous waistcoat, and a vest for….. Damm – I would much rather knit.

Today is a cool 21c which is a remarkable temperature to be working on knitting, designing and writing. Crosby Stills & Nash are singing loudly. All is good, I have had a great coffee. I have found the connector plug to attach to my iron’s plug so that it can work here in the Netherlands. The big problem is that it wants me to hold it to do the ironing. Will son and family care if the pillow cases are ironed or not? Probably not.

While in New Zealand, I posted to myself, here in the Netherlands some more of my yarn stash – I need to sort it, work out where to store (hide) it. Well maybe I don’t need to hide it anymore – Best Beloved knows how much yarn I have . Well I think he has a general idea that there is enough yarn to knit for the lifetime of a fanatic – trouble is I have the yarn, but am running out of lifetime, having reached nearly middle age as you can tell having just raced to 63 whilst in New Zealand.

Thing is – house guests for 2 weeks – I have to be able to knit while they are here, or I will forget how, maybe (they say you forget things as you age, so maybe I am forgetting things, I just can’t remember if that is so).

So I think I will sort yarns to knit the wedding gift that I have mentioned in earlier posts. Once the yarns are sorted, it will be a doddle to knit. I don’t have to write anything down for it, I just knit.

That could be a perfect solution, sort yarns today, and then prepare somewhat for the guests.

Too bad about the ironing