Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Handknit socklits and summer dreaming

Folks: ice on the ground or no (it's yes, in case you're wondering), it is definitely spring.  Not only have birds been singing outside for a week now, at around 4am today I witnessed my very first round of Raccoon Vs. Garbage Can for 2014! 

Yep, they are back.  I just hope they're not also nesting in the garage, now that a panel is broken out of the door from my trying to open it when it was first encased in ice back in February.

Either way: it's spring, and that means it's a perfect day to look at socks for Not Winter.  Like these socklits, for example.  They were so much fun to knit, and they are going to be super comfortable on warm summer days when a day of nonstop walking begs for a pair of socks that aren't going to make things worse for your feet.

handknit socks

Also: fast. Did I mention they were super crazy fast to make?

Lately I've been watching episodes of Walking Through History, and when I'm not sighing over the gorgeous, gorgeous walking paths and remembering walks I myself have taken along England's coastal path, I'm noticing Tony Robinson's good sturdy walking boots.  Boots would probably not be an advantage for a quite hot day of urban hiking, so it doesn't matter that we're talking today about socklits instead of actual socks, which is what you'd want for an ankle-high boot.  Still! the sight of boots in a non-snow context is blissful, and walking boots especially are so very wool-friendly.

Now, in spite of being a lot more open while being just as supportive as boots, I'm not entirely convinced these shoes really do the socklits justice.


I think I might have to break down and buy a second pair of serious open-top walking shoes to make the most of the socks' oh-so-cheerful colours.
 
Because this is Vesper yarn once again - the colourway, another club yarn, is Rhapsody in the Rain.  They strike me as being hugely 80s-nostalgic, with those bright colours just popping the way they do.  And amazingly, it's these same brights that I've been spotting in my favourite shoe stores this spring.

Still, for now, these Keene mary janes will do.


The socks fit inside perfectly, and even though the fashion factor is a bit dubious as regards
a/ their length and
b/ my age...

I can't help but imagine how perfect they would be to bring along on a summer holiday to, say, England.  (and not just for the walks, but for the cream teas about 2/3 through said walks.)


Meh, I'm probably not going to England this summer.  That would be a little too spontaneous for a lot of reasons mainly having to do with

a/ No Time To Plan

b/ A Bit Late To Book

c/ Not Sure Where The Money Would Come From

... but I'd love to, and I know these socks would get me through a ton of tourism.

Even though it probably wouldn't work out - given the winter we had this year, I think it's a very good idea to dream as much as possible about summer and all its splendours, don't you?


Especially if those splendours involve socks.

As you know, I won't be posting here tomorrow, but I will be posting another mini blog post at Twitter (@marykeenanknits) - something a little different than I posted yesterday. 

Hope you have a splendour-icious day or two, and I'll see you back here on Friday!

4 comments:

Leslie said...

I love the socks, and the shoes, and the colors, and the fact that you're dreaming of taking them to England...I did tell you I'm going to London this summer didn't I?

Mary Keenan said...

YOU'RE GOING TO LONDON???? sorry, didn't mean to shout there... erm, 'lucky you!' sigh. I really want to go too.

Leslie said...

David's taking a group of students and professors and they are doing a research project in London the first 2 weeks of July. I'm going the week before that (with David, of course) and we're going to be tourists. It'll be wonderful, I think...And I'm getting more and more excited daily!

Mary Keenan said...

Oh Leslie, you are SO LUCKY!!!