Wednesday 3 September 2008

Sock Days

The van is almost packed, only clothes left to go, and they are still in the dryer (but it is 4 a.m. so I figure I have a few hours). I packed the yarn, books and DVDs first. I have my priorities straight.

Sitting there in front of the sock yarn stash, and trying to decide which yarns to take was tough. There is a lot of good stuff there. I took a selection of Kroy sock yarns.
There are a couple of multi colours in there, and one plain black, and a skein of cream for toes and heels so I can get a pair of shorties out of 1 ball of brightly coloured yarns.

Then there is this really nice forest green Sisu. This is a yarn that I have not worked with before. I think it came from River City Yarns, but boy oh boy, I don't remember. It's been mine for a while. I can't wait to see what this yarn does.

This brilliantly coloured STR, colourway called Lover's Leap hit the bag for a little colour relief.
I tossed in a really nice striping Regia in warm golds, green and rich blues in there too, but I have no photos of it.

This is a nutty amount of yarn for a trip of just a few days, but the days are long, and there is much of mother earth to listen too. While I listen, and meditate, I knit. In a perfect world, I'd take more along, but Mr. Needles, my personal arbiter of sane quantities of yarn, only lets me take one bag of knitting along to the mountains.

Hey wait a minute. I can take my spindle spinning along! (No, no. Bad needles. You want socks more than you want yarn. Focus on socks or your feet will be cold all winter)

For a little relief I have a tapestry crocheted scarf I wanted to complete before the fall, but did not get to. It's out of the most delightfully rich green Misti Alpaca Suri Silk, yet another of Misti Alpaca's yarns that caress your hands as you work.

And when those other things have frustrated me beyond belief, I have along the blue top (the yarn is GGH Domino by the way) to just plain old knit and purl on, no frills, for another 15 inches till I get to the yoke shaping.

I have a couple of new books, the Harmony Guides stitch dictionaries, my copy of Crocheted Socks!: 16 Fun-To-Stitch Patterns, for the crocheted socks I want for deep cold days, and one old one, a very old Good Housekeeping book I thought I blogged about a while ago, but could not find to link to. I've never really read it decently, and I know that there are some good basic patterns in it for baby goods and socks and sweaters. I tossed in Knitter's Almanac too, just in case.


Along with all the knitting I have a couple of regular books, Year of Wonders and People of the Book (a reread - good book) by Geraldine Brooks, a Tom Clancy and an Agatha Christie. Good comfortable reading, some of it read many times, some of it read only once before, and some of it brand spanking new.

And finally ever since the March of the Penguins summer, I choose the DVDs a little more carefully, to include some action and adventure as well as scenery. National Treasure, Bee Movie, and I don't recall what else I stuck in there, but it is sure to be rousing, and will keep your attention even under the most heinous high mountain circumstances. At this time of year, a skiff of snow is not uncommon up there, and wet rain is very very possible.


Though we dress warmly, and set up all kids of things outside to stay dry and warm under, around, through, there are times when you just get chilled. Its really really nice to have the van to slip off to. I have always appreciated its fridge and food storage, but its at times like these I appreciate its furnace.

So, I am off to the high country for a few days, and will see everyone when I get back.