You know, the more I knit the more I am grateful to be a knitter in the spring. It has nothing to do with needing to produce a bunch of warm garments (although given weather reports for the near future around southern Ontario I don’t think we’ll be giving up the sweaters or gloves any time soon). In the fall transition, it is definitely about knitting the stuff. You get the whiff of chill in the air and suddenly you find yourself casting on five sweaters. No, for me in spring it’s mostly about the yarn. I get to carve out a half hour in the morning, or an hour or two in the evening, or whenever it is the knitting suits me, and spend that time staring at a colour that in no way resembles greying half-melted snowbanks, and the thought that non-knitters don’t get to do this makes me wonder how they survive waiting for spring.
The Dusseldorf Aran, while slightly sidelined, is coming along gradually, and the bright magenta is helping. It’ll be a little while yet before that colour shows up in nature anywhere around here. (And oh yeah? Pleats. Pleats, man. This sweater has pleated cuffs. It’s the first time I’ve gotten the chance to do pleats on anything knitted, and I dig it. Bit of folding here, bit of DPN knit-3-stitches-at-once action there, and then you have pleats.)
My project of adding a few more pairs of socks to the sock drawer is also coming along well, and last weekend I finished up another pair of 3×1 ribbed socks (from my basic ribbed sock pattern, in this post), in another Socks That Rock mill end colourway. (I’ve got to start making more dents in my Sock Summit stash, for serious.) And the best part of finishing a pair of socks (well, aside from wearing them)? Now, I get to walk over to my stash, look at all the yarn in all the colours, and pick out a new skein to knit with.
Yarn pretty much rules. I hope you’ve got some waiting for you today! Have an awesome weekend.
Glenna Knits 
Hmmm, I just found 6 skeins of STR that I didn’t know I had. How does that happen.
Not much Spring up here north of Ottawa…lots of wet heavy snow.
Today is a knitting day for sure.
I’m betting that is just about the luckiest Friday find a knitter could ask for! 😉
G
I agree 100%. I just bought some Fleece Artist in Melon and Knitosophy in Blossom and the colors cheer me up every time I look at them!
Yes! Yarn rocks my world, too! There is something amazing about the weave, texture, and colors . . . and taking a strand and knitting it into something magical! It’s a sensory treat! Happy knitting! Carol (http://sunflowerway.blogspot.com)
Yarn does rule! And I love that moment of “getting” to choose new yarn for a fresh project. It’s so invigorating!
I love the pinks and greys in your sock yarn stash! Wondering what you’re going to knit with it 🙂
I am really looking forward to seeing how the pleats turn out. I’ve had them on my mind since I went to my knitting guild mtg this week & saw someone wearing a sweater with a very unusual pleat detail. I didn’t know her – so I elected not to walk up to her and grope at her shirt.
I’m questioning that decisions in hindsight.
I love the look of your 3×1 ribbed socks but when I think about doing them, I can’t work out how to centre the ribs. Then I think maybe I’m crazy and no one cares whether the ribs are centred.
I usually knit socks on 64 stitches. If I do 2×2 rib, I start each half with p1 so that the centre front and centre back are k2 and there is a p2 going right up the sides.
It seems to me that to get K3 centred on the front and back, I’d need a number that just doesn’t make sense. Or am I crazy to even worry about this. I think maybe I am.
I love your socks and was going to check out the basic sock pattern, and I get an error when I click on the link. Is there another place I can find it? Many, many thanks!
THANK YOU for that amazing shot of color in your photos! I will be referring back to this post often as winter in Minnesota is often of the grey, blustery, with various forms of precipitation kind. Those socks are simply delightful. 🙂
Reminds me that I need to make more knitting time. Pesky work keeps getting in the way.
I’ve re-done the link, so it should work now. Try right-click-save if the direct link is giving you trouble, and see if that works!
Glenna
Heh. Well, if you’re looking for someone to talk you out of over-thinking that, you’ve come to the wrong place ;).
I actually do think about that when I do my 3×1 socks – I work the leg in ribbing, then when beginning the instep, I move an extra stitch (which becomes a purl) to the beginning of the instep, so that there is 1 purl stitch on either side of the instep, and everything is symmetrical from there 😉
G
Hooray for splashes of color! I don’t mind winter, but the grey, melty patch that is March is too much for me.
Love the new socks! What a great way to perk up a grey day.
Must. Have. Sock. Pattern.
Please? My mother is driving me crazy with her hinting about nice ribbed socks like my Aunt used to make her before she got arthritis.
Tried both options, can’t get through to it.
I linked back to the original blog post that contains the pdf link – try that way. I have no idea why the PDF link won’t translate, something must be up! If that doesn’t work, it’s also over on Ravelry as a free download!
G
It’s very true. I’m knitting in pink, (WTF by the way,) Kogiu. It’s my knitting attempt at seeing the sun 🙂
I am a newbie to knitting. I have only been learning on my own for about 3 month. I have been doing different patterns for dishcloths. My goal is to do socks (already have the yarn! 🙂 Do I have to take a class in order to do my first pair?
I love your blog! I’m new to it – but your posts are lovely. I’ve been wondering why I’m dreaming of light blue Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn from my stash!
As to the 3X1 rib sock – I swear by it too!!! The stockinette style with the rib at the top always bags around the ankle. It’s the perfect sock that 3×1 rib. I use the basic pattern in Ann Budd’s “Getting Started Knitting Socks” and it works perfectly EVERY time. She has different patterns for 4/inch, 5/inch etc. gauge – so you just find your gauge and go!
BTW – in an interview on the Knitpicks podcast Ann Budd said the 3×1 rib was her favorite too!
I live in Australia in a hot and humid part of the country so for most of the year you can’t knit as the yarn just sticks to your fingers and makes it almost impossible. However, we are now in Autumn and I’ve pulled out my bags and patterns and am currently going through to pick out what I’m going to start. I do love knitting and find it very relaxing! Love your blog!
Hi there, you are really right about the difference between fall and spring knitting, I think. There is a totally different feel to it, and your description really hits home. Thanks.
How do people survive without the feel of yarns? Keep up the great work=more socks!
If anyone is considering making the 3 x 1ribbed socks, think no longer. Just do it! They are totally wonderful, especially if you knit them in Fleece Artist Trail Sock — they say 80/20% merino/nylon, but I swear they sneak about 20% silk in there as well. I give away almost all the socks I knit, except for my Glenna C-Trail Sock socks. Which I most definitely keep. Sometimes I wear them, sometimes I just pet them and purr.
I bumped into your wonderful blog today and I was amazed at your work. I like the yarns and colors you choose. I’d definitely be following you!