Is it just me or does it feel like this year is flying by like crazy? My mind cannot comprehend that March is starting tomorrow. Is there a pause button somewhere?

I’ve been pretty overwhelmed with work lately, and the fact that it feels like the deadline for my PhD thesis is creeping closer is giving me a lot of stress. So even though I’m not necessarily getting a lot of knitting done, I am trying to find moments to knit some stitches. Just little moments where it does feel like time stops for just a bit, as I let myself be hypnotised by the rhythm of the needles.

But somehow I still let myself be stressed by the process as well. As much as I love things like instagram to follow what other knitters are getting up to, it’s also frustrating when it feels like sweaters are flying off needles left and right, and I’m just working on some plain stockinette socks. I started to feel like I had to make time to sit down and plan bigger projects. But the winding of all that yarn, the swatching, the planning, is all just a bit too much for me right now.

So I had a little chat with myself to remind me that if I’m forcing myself onto some knitting project, it completely bypasses the goal of why I’m a knitter in the first place. So for now I’ll happily continue with my simple sock projects, and if I find a day on which I have the energy to make bigger things again that would be great, but I’m not going to force myself to do so.

For those curious about the pics: the vanilla socks are being made with self striping sock yarn from Nicole C Mendez, the gray socks are in Spun Right Round sock yarn (bug jar) in the Wheathly pattern.

2017 is certainly giving me a sock-y start. Pair nr. 2 of this year again feels like it just flew off my needles.

Pattern: Home Grown by Jessica Gore
Yarn: Stranded Dyeworks Oasis in Naive Watercolour

I’m a little surprised by myself for knitting two pairs of toe up socks in a row, and you know what? I actually didn’t mind all that much. Sure, give me the option and cuff down is what I’ll pick, but having repeated the toe up way a couple of times now, at least it feels less wrong.

This pattern is very easy to memorise, so it was perfect for mindless after work knitting. Actually these socks accompanied me while blasting through all of the seasons of Orphan Black. Anyone else watched this show? I really loved it and cannot wait for the next season.

The yarn and pattern are a match made in heaven in my opinion. I adore the colours in the yarn and knew I shouldn’t let them be overwhelmed by a super busy pattern. I think the slice of stockinette running over the front of the foot is perfect for showing off the variegated yarn, and the lace and texture helped with keeping the knitting interesting. I’m one happy sock owner.

(here’s a bonus picture of Sibbe showing off her posing skills)

And now I’m finally doing what I wanted to start the year with; finishing old WIPs. This Asklöv hat was started in September I think so it’s about time I finished it. The twisted ribbed brim was a pain in the ass to knit, but the colourwork is more than making up for it!

So I didn’t have any strict resolutions for this year, but I did think it made sense to finish some old WIPs before starting new things. So I picked up a shawl I hadn’t worked on for a couple of months and the stitch count made NO sense at all. I swear I stuck with figuring it out for maybe an afternoon, but by the end of January 1st there was a new pair of socks on my needles.

Pattern: Flying North by Maria Montzka
Yarn: Spectrum Fibre sock yarn in Koi colourway

I think there’s no need for me to say that part of the attraction of casting on is this out of this world yarn. I’ve been discovering a wealth of indie dyers in the last year and I love how despite the fact that they all dye yarn, there’s still this signature look you can find back in the colours. I think when you’ll peep through some of the other colourways from Spectrum Fibre you’ll see what I mean.

Neon orange and green is not a bad start of a year right? Some brightness into this grey winter now that the Christmas lights have disappeared. The pattern is one that appeared on my list of a great match for speckled yarns and I love these two together.

Knitting these feels like a slightly more interesting version of a vanilla sock. The pattern is very straightforward and easy to remember. A relaxing knit which kept me company during the last week of my winter break.

The next pair is also already on the needles btw (two toe-up socks in a row, insaaaane!!). Another gorgeous yarn by an indie dyer, Stranded Dyeworks and the pattern is Home Grown.