Saturday 20 February 2016

Sock yarn blanket


I'm still not back up 100% health yet, this thing is taking such a long time to shift!  Although I have managed to cough and sniff through a week back at work.  While I was confined to the sofa I managed to add to my sock yarn leftovers blanket.  I've now added another 20 squares to it.




It uses all the wee leftover balls of yarn leftover from knitting a pair of socks.  Each square uses 6g of yarn so doesn't need much yarn at all.  It's a simple basket weave stitch of K4, P4 over 28 stitches.   This is a very long term project, I've no idea how big it will become or how long it will take. But I love making something lovely and practical from materials that aren't really useful for anything on their own.  And as sock yarn is 95% wool it is rather cosy as a lap blanket already :-)

The weather here is still truly awful.  Cold, wet and windy with some frost and snow thrown in for good measure.  The garden is still very soggy so nothing much is happening out there. 


Although today I noticed that my snowdrops have started to pop up.




And my crocuses are trying despite the rampaging chickens munching on them!! 

Yesterday my new job share partner came in for a 'keep in touch' day.  We spent the morning talking and planning how we're going to make it work and she taught the class in the afternoon while I did some report writing.  I think we'll be able to work well together. I was pleased that she was impressed by my organisation of the class and the dreaded paperwork.  (OH is always amused at how tidy my classroom is while my house is a tip!!)

I'm already starting to look forward to the reduction in my working hours after Easter.  It's all official now so I'll be off every Monday :-) and I'll work 3 days one week and 4 days the next.  It's only for one term so with careful money management I should be ok.  I never spend all of my income so I've been able to save a goodly amount to continue work on my house while I'm earning less.

9 comments:

  1. What a pretty blanket! Such a good use of leftovers.

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  2. What kind of wool do you use for the socks? I keep threatening to learn to knit socks as I love wooly socks to wear with my boots but I've never quite managed it yet but I didn't know you could get 'sock yarn'. Great idea to use leftovers for a blanket, it's looking good.

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  3. Most of my yarn is Opal or Regia, both are 95% wool which makes them warm and 5% acrylic to make them easy to wash. Regia used to offer a 10 year guarantee (they might still do) I have socks that are still in weekly use that are over 10 years old. They get chucked in the washing machine in a normal 40 degree wash and dried on the radiator. An odd sock has been through the tumble dryer by mistake and have come out ok.

    I have knitted a few pairs with bespoke hand dyed 100% yarn. They've not been as hard wearing and need more TLC when getting washed.

    Opal and Regia are widely available in 4 or 6 ply and come in loads of colours. Sock knitting is addictive!!

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  4. I missed your original sock blanket post in 2012, but it looks absolutely fantastic. Do you still have plenty of yarn to knit up? I have a similar type of stash but mine is cotton for small hexagon patchwork but I am still loving my crocheting so it is still in the storage unit! I did make one hand-stitched quilt in 2011/12 for Mum's 80th, but am waiting for inspiration for a new patchwork project.

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    Replies
    1. Still got plenty of yarn and know plenty of sock knitters who donate their wee leftover balls to me too :-)

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  5. Love your blanket, so colourful and using waste wool. It's great to be able to sew with both grand children.

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  6. Blanket is wonderful, I love it :) Having Mondays off is good too :)
    x

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  7. You cast on 28 sts how many rows do you knit per square

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