Commitment
Why was it so hard for me to go from this:
to this?
When I finished up John's simple grey socks, I knew I wanted to tackle some socks for myself. That seems fair, after all, a pair for him, a pair for me. I know, I have a couple of other pairs on the needles that are more complicated. But these are not projects that can easily be worked on in the car, in front of the TV, at KIP or while wandering around the Home Depot waiting for John to select just the right part for the gas regulation system that supports the beer taps in the basement.* I really do like to have one pair going that is just simple stockinette in-the-round.
But what yarn to use? I have so many good ones waiting to be tried out, including my handspun Hang on Sloopy. But every time I would go into my fiber room to think about putting it on my swift and making that center pull ball, I would pick up the skein, squeeze it, and get this angstful feeling. I'd put it back down and the cycle would start all over again. It took a good many repeats of this cycle before I actually overcame my anxiety and put the skein (on the right in the first picture) on the swift.
As I write, I am still not sure why. I have knit with my handspun before, and the feeling of moving it into a form I could knit from was exciting rather than filled with trepidation. The only thing I can think of is that I consider this to be the best yarn I have ever spun. It is balanced and even, both in twist and in ply. It has a delightful color, and in the second skein (the one that became the ball) I know it will have pleasantly long stripes. And I am about to turn it into socks. Something that will be loved, but will ultimately wear out. I am committing my best spinning effort to date, a milestone yarn, to an imperminant garment. And not even a complicated garment, but just a simple pair of stockinette socks.
One thing I've come to learn about knitting with my own handspun is that I feel a much stronger committment to this yarn than to the yarn I buy at a store. It has become very important to me to turn my handspun yarns into garments that are well made and meaningful. And as I started to cast on for my simple socks, I realized that sometimes the perfect way to highlight striping is simple stockinette. And who could possibly appreciate a slipping into a pair of my handknit handspun happy orange socks on a cold Chicago morning more than I could? So while the garment may not be permanent, the memories and good feelings of having something from my own hands will be.
And what better excuse could I have for learning how to darn socks?
*Yes, you heard me correctly, beer taps in the basement. My home brewing husband has taken his hobby to new levels, and now the Den of Great Manliness includes not only popcorn and hot dog poppers and an impressive home theatre, but taps for 5 brews. All of which he has filled with a home brew right now. Who would have thought that his birthday present in June would lead to 25 gallons of decent homebrewed beer in my basement?
The socks will be wonderful, go for it.
That is a beautifull color yarn
my dad also brews beer, but luckily it has not reached that kind of scale. especially since all his stuff is under the kitchen table and the actual barrel thingy has it's own chair by the heater so it doesn't get cold in the winter.
Oh and that yarn makes me want to order more fiber. sombody hide my wallet.
My stripes are about four rows long, I can't wait to see what yours will look like.
I think that is the same reason I haven't knit any of my handspun into socks yet. I certainly have enough ready and waiting! :)
I think those will be gorgeous socks and well worth the anticipation of the knitting journey.
Ah, home brewed beer. What a wonderful new hobby! And you get to reap the benefits of all John's experimenting!
I so understand your angst! It is so hard to try to anticipate what the best way to show of a yarn is going to be. Most of my handspun is also plain stockinette as I dye most of my rovings before spinning and have no idea what the finished product will be. There is something really pretty about the way the handpsun stripes differently than store bought. It seems my favorite ones to wear are always the plain stockinette too.
I believe in these socks. Please knit them fast so I can drool over them. Thanks.
Your handspun is beautiful. I love the color! I know what you mean about each skein being special. I have a tub of one skein handspun full, I just don't know what to knit with them that would be worthy!
Ooh, I definitely, definitely get that.
Although I kind of had the opposite process: I spun up some sock yarn way too quickly (and therefore unevenly), and did the socks at top speed, just to get my first-handspun-socks trauma out of the way. They're not perfect, but I love love love them - and now I desperately want more, which should make it easier to actually prepare to put good sock handspun on my feet. Well, someday, when I finish this @#*^&$ shawl and touch my spinning wheel again.
Anyway - just imagine how unbelievable the socks will be. And you don't HAVE to wear them - you could put them on the wall!
Or, better yet - is there enough to save a mini-hank, since the Sloopy was 8 oz? I plan to keep all the leftovers from my first (good) sock yarn hanked and displayed forever, or until I become a good enough spinner that they embarass me.
Lovely, lovely yarn! And at least it's decent beer in the basement. My dad tried wine. It was quite an effort to smile while drinking it! And he was so proud of it.....
I get the same feeling with my handspun yarn and I don't spin nearly as well as you do.
I totally promise you that we have more fiber :-)
AND, now that you've done such a fabulous job with your spinning, you will, most assuredly, be able to do it again!!
Go for it - dance to the music - and wear those amazing socks ;-)
Oh, I'll weep a little tear for your precious yarn. Couldn't it be made into something besides socks? Like wrist warmers, or a hat? Still stockinette, but not so likely to wear out.
It's just so darned pretty.
Homebrew and Handspun!!! Hang on....I'm coming over
If you put in an afterthought heel you can always re-heel and re-toe whatever socks you make and the handspun can live on and on....
It is lovely Theresa!
I just ordered some sock hop roving for spinning as well. Quick question, did you end up spinning it as a 2 or 3 ply? I am still not sure which to choose.
Yours turned out lovely, makes me excited to get started on my own Say a Little Prayer and My Boyfriends Back.
Ahem.. "decent" homebrewed beer!?! :)
I'd probably get in quite a bit of trouble if I mentioned that the last handknit socks I got were decent. Luckily for them (and me) they are quite nice and I like them.
I would say the beer rises above decent and enters good territory. Also we're not at 25 gallons yet.. just 4 taps are active... but all five will be active soon enough :)
Mmm. Beer.