NOTE: Slightly mature knitting content ahead…
Happy Sunday! Today I’m checking in with a Year of Projects post. YoP is a a group of bloggers who plan their projects for the year, then blog about them. It’s a really supportive and awesome group. I’m joining up a little late this year, but I finally got around to posting my list last week. I wanted to say thanks everyone for all your comments on that post. There was lots of conversation around Ravelry’s accessibility issues, and I’m glad to have found such a great group of folks who are committed to ensuring this hobby of ours is open to all!
I’ve gotten a bunch of knitting done this week! I finished my summer crop top, I’ll plan to write about that one once it’s released so I can link up to the live pattern. I’ve also put in a teeny tiny bit of work on a lingering shawl which I’ll show off in Wednesday’s monthly WIP wrap-up. But this weekend I’ve been working on lots of different projects, but all slightly around the same theme. Which happens to be pride I guess, because LGBTQIA+ issues are not just constrained to the month of June. 😃 🌈
Ok so this started when I wanted to start my next pair of socks after finishing up the crop top. I knew I had some places coming up where truly mindless knitting would be a good thing to have, so I wanted to find a skein I could do afterthought everything socks with, so I pulled out the Asexual Pride colorway from Fully Spun. If you haven’t done afterthought everything, it’s basically where you knit from ribbing to ribbing in one long tube, and then cut the socks in half, put in the toes, and then put in afterthought heels. This technique doesn’t really work with self striping because the stripes would be going the opposite way (unless of course, that’s what you’re going for). I really like making socks this way because it’s the ultimate take anywhere knitting project. You literally knit like 2 feet of stockinette and it’s the most mindless thing. I also usually knit most of these on 9inch circulars, since you don’t even have to stop and do heels or toes until the end. It seriously is the most satisfying thing, though it can get a bit boring. I haven’t made any like this since starting the blog because we haven’t really had places to go. But I’ve recently had some DMV trips and rehearsals and things and so it’s time for them again!
I also finally tore out my 2021 pride socks, the heel was way too small. I tried to pick up stitches under the heel, but because I had done a slip stitch sole, it was really hard and so I just ended up ripping the whole thing out. It worked though because my first YoP goal was to keep my WIP/UFO pile to 5 or less, and I wanted to cast on something new (more on that in a sec) and I was at 5, so something had to go! I’ll get to these eventually and actually make them right.
So last year (and I can’t believe it was more than a year ago), I made the Galewood mitts in the Merry and Mae non-binary pride colorway for an enby friend. I gave the mitts to them, and the bind-off on the thumbs was too tight. I took them back to fix…. and they promptly sat in my house for 14 months… Oops. Sorry friend. Anyway, I am finally going to fix the thumb issue, but it occurred to me that I still have 65 grams of this yarn left over, so that should be enough to make a hat. I am going to try to plow through making a Barley Light so I can mail it back with the mitts as well as the next project….
…Ok so now that we’re finally deep enough into the post where I don’t think this pic will come up as soon as you click on it, I can finally share the other project I’ve spent most of my knitting time this weekend working on. This is the Soft Packer by Marianne Fournier (only a Ravelry link is available). I made this using less than 10 grams of Curio #10 from Knit Picks. It was a fun little make which I’m hoping my friend will get a lot of use out of and will make them feel good. If you don’t know, some people who are trans or non-binary like using packers to get the look and feel of genitalia. They can also be used, similarly to knitted knockers, for people who have had surgery because of cancer or other medical reasons. Knitting these in cotton is a lot less expensive and more comfortable than the silicone ones that are often on the market. I was really happy to give my friend this gift. And yes, I did appreciate the irony of working on this and asexual pride socks at the same time. 😉
So that’s it for me this week! Definitely lots of good projects, though I’m currently debating what I want my next big project to be? Try and finish my Grandma shawl (it’s kind of tedious)? Start a new sweater/shirt (I have so many things in stash)? Start to put a dent into the yearly sock subscription I got where I haven’t touched any of the sets? Who knows what it will be?! What are you all working on next? Do you have a theme in your knitting?
Otherwise life is pretty good! I am doing a small show right now, which is really amazing. My friends wrote a musical (!!) and we are doing a staged reading as part of an online theater festival. It will be streaming for FREE on Saturday, September 18, 6:30 eastern time, and then it will be available for viewing for a week after. It’s a really great show, and I am so excited to be a part of it. I am stage manager/ tech/ general whatever people need. You can find out more info here. Tonight I’m going to see some of my OTHER theater friends who started a singing group during COVID, and they are doing their first concert tonight outdoors in a nearby town.
Have a great week all!
There is so much happiness in this post, it’s so lovely!! You put a big smile on my face with this article. I absolutely love the sock idea, never heard of something like it! So you do put … three contrast yarns in the whole tube, did I get that correctly? One for the two toes and then one for a heel each? (The only pattern I have seen come close to this is Courtney Spainhower’s Cuff to Cuff socks, but there, you knit one sock top-down and the other one toe-up.)
The packer looks amazing, by the way. I have heard only good things about that pattern and while I won’t be in a position to use it, I think it’s such a cool and natural looking item that can be super helpful. Woot!
(Good luck on your reading, you will remind us shortly befor the 18th, right?)
Thank you Julia!! Yep, you put 3 total scraps in, one that goes a full round in the middle for the toes, and two that only go half the round for the heels. Actually that.s a good reminder… I think I’m at the point where I should put the first heel in!
Yes, I will definitely remind (or at least try to remember to do that!!) closer to the 18th.
How thoughtful to include a hat with the delayed mitts. Your various pride projects all look great. Such nice colors to work with. I had heard of knitted knockers but packers was new to me. How fun.
What great projects you’ve been working on. I can’t imagine cutting into my knitting, I’m sure I’d end up with a tangled mess of yarn!
It does take a little bit of pre-work to pick up the stitches around the row you’re going to cut, and a fair bit of confidence to know it’s going to be ok!
I hadn’t heard of packers before, but it makes sense. That’s a gift I’m sure will be really appreciated. The socks look lovely especially the rainbow colourway. I haven’t cut knitting to add an afterthought heel, never mind chop it up a few times…you are certainly braver than me with your scissors. 🙂
It definitely was scary the first time I tried it!!
I saw the packer pattern a while back when it was released, and I LOVE the idea! Unfortunately, no one I know has expressly asked for one; I would feel really invasive asking someone if they wanted me to stitch one up for them. I love that you have the opportunity to make one for someone you care about.
The sock tube makes a lot of sense. I can see the appeal of creating a sock this way. I know you mark out the sections, but knowing myself, I would make them wildly uneven. 🤣 Mostly because I got distracted in counting.
I can’t wait to see the next steps!
Oh yeah, I was comfortable asking my friend if they would want one, but I was one of the first people they told they are NB so it’s a pretty close relationship.
So for the socks, I often don’t mark them with scrap yarn. I just knit a long enough tube, then fold in half to find the middle, measure to one heel, fold it in half again, and mark on the other side. It’s a little more difficult to ensure you’re picking up stitches in a row, and you have to cut your knitting, but it’s easier than trying to remember to count. 😂
You live DANGEROUSLY my friend. I think maybe I will live dangerously with you some day.
Hi. Nice knitting information post. I like.
The afterthought everything socks sound really interesting! I think I may have to try that (once I’ve finished my current conference call / travel sock). Though of course, I’ll have to decide at that point if I want to plan where to put the toes and heels, or just cut the knitting. And I must say, cutting yarn for afterthought heels has gotten a lot less scary now that I’ve done my first Fair Isle steek. 🙂
This post just makes me feel so good in so many ways. I love the soft packer. What a wonderful gift to make for your friend. I want to try making socks like that now. What a cool concept. I like the phrase ‘afterthought everything’!
I’ve never heard of that long tube sock method…..very interesting! You sound like you have a great group of friends that you get together with. So nice to hear someone who is happy with their job and their life! You’re a breath of fresh air! Have a great week and good luck with your show!
All your projects look great!
Solid progress in this post and fun going-ons.