Vesper love

Well, here we are in June- the sixth month, aka the point at which if I haven't gotten myself in gear for my New Year's resolutions they maybe ain't gonna happen.

Recap: one was learning to spin on my wheel, and the other was making a Haapsalu lace shawl out of laceweight cashmere.

The spinning's not going too horribly - more on that later - but I have officially given up on the shawl (for this year anyway.)

Instead, I am thinking about something else.  Handknit socks, to be specific.

I love my socks, especially the Vesper ones since there are so many and I've been knitting them the longest.  I found Vesper yarn in a feature on hand-dyed yarns in I think Interweave Knits - there was a one-page photograph of a lot of different yarns and I don't know, the Vesper just jumped out and said Knit Me!  I went to the website and found a sock club was just starting so I joined.  Even though I had never knit socks before.  I'm so glad I did.

I am careful with my socks - Kathi told me not to walk on wood floors in them and I almost never do - so overall they've held up well.  But I must say I find this to be a ridiculous degree of well:

These are the first socks I made - in a week it will be two years since I finished them - and I have worn and washed them probably 100 times since then.  Not even a hint of a worn heel.

And as for colour:

Okay, the sock is a bit lighter than the original yarn, but barely.

Really the only harm done to any of my socks is a little chafing around the Velcro closures of my Mary Janes (something I will probably amend when they wear out, which is likely to happen before the socks do.)

So here is what I am scheming as a totally irresponsible replacement for the Haapsalu Shawl resolution: knitting up all the rest of my Vesper stash by the end of the year.  Totally crazypants, but I promised myself I wouldn't rejoin the sock club till I caught up with the previous ones, and I really, really miss the sock club.  Here is what is left:

Oh, plus the Spring-a-Ding-Ding:

Okay, that is a lot of socks to get done in six months, isn't it.  But... not impossible.  I mean, if I just knit socks, I could totally do a pair in a week, so... nope, not impossible.  Especially if I give myself a break and keep the pink and green solids out of this endeavor... I kinda want to pair them in striped kneehighs, and I don't think I'm up to that yet.  Maybe they can be next year's resolution.

Have a great weekend folks - hope to see you on Monday!