I haven't just been playing with my new shawl. I've been finishing things too. It's taken a year, but the Spey Valley socks are kaput. Why did it take me so long? Well, boring to knit and in a dark colour are probably the culprits. There always seems like there's something more interesting to knit, so it just kept getting pushed deeper and deeper into the UFO pile.
Once I got them out and got a little focus, they were quick to do.
The St. Ives yarn is rougher than the fancy, smancy merinos, but I love the heatheriness and crispness. I didn't even block them, just finished them, stuck my foot under a lamp, took a few pictures and gave them to my dad.
Flash photos look dreadful so I held my foot still and hoped that the light would be bright enough.
Anyway, they were the last thing that I finished on my visit home. I was working to a deadline and nothing motivates me more than that...(well that and my dad's cold feet).
Posted by atu at February 25, 2008 08:09 PM | TrackBackyou impress... with 3 hours Id want to read as well and I simply am not capable of doing the two at the same time...
also was lovely to see you and hope to have a Liberty Tea later this year with you and the girls!
Congratulations! They really are lovely socks but I completely understand the reluctance to finish them. I have a similar dark men's pair suffering in my UFO sack!
Posted by: Carol at February 28, 2008 01:29 PMYou're spurring me on to look out my unfinished Spey Valley, I threw it to one side when I thought I would run out of yarn for the first sock, did leg according to pattern but could be a bit short for foot. I'll pull back and carry on.
I like the St. Ives too, it feels soft and squashy in the skein but knits up a little more hardwearing than that. I have a pair of Slalom socks in St Ives blue on the needles, looking good.
Posted by: Louise at February 28, 2008 10:28 AMThey look great Polly. You're really getting those UFOs finished aren't you?
Posted by: dawn at February 27, 2008 09:48 PMYay! Congrats on getting them finished. They look great!
Posted by: Daisy at February 27, 2008 09:05 PMThey look like great socks to wear on a cold blustery day. Hey, I see something that says "Cranberry" by the coffee table in that last picture, is that Cranberry dark chocolate? I wonder if I could find that in the states.
Posted by: Tracey at February 27, 2008 02:30 AMI'm glad your dad's feet will be warm and he'll also be stylish, too!
Your blog title made me think that you'd been to the Spey Valley in Scotland and I was looking forward to photos! (I'm an idiot, by the way!)
Congratulations on finishing the socks & I am sure your dad will love them - they look great!
Posted by: Ann at February 26, 2008 10:53 PMThey're such a lovely color! I really like them. :-)
Posted by: Beth S. at February 26, 2008 09:55 PMThis should warm your Dad's feet really well. Nice job.
Posted by: Petunia at February 26, 2008 06:17 PMI really like those socks. The yarn makes them especially pretty.
Ang
Posted by: angelarae at February 26, 2008 03:47 AMNow you've finished the socks you'll need to visit their namesake in Scotland .... you'll get a grand welcome :-)
Posted by: Helen at February 25, 2008 09:50 PMOh well, I know it's probably better to say nothing than to say anything that might hint of negativity. But... Spey Valley socks are probably better worn by menfolk in that particular color. As usual, your styling and knitting is meticulous! A belated Happy Chinese New Year greeting to you m'dear! Chinese red (lacquer red?) is one of my favorite colors. Maybe your next pair of Spey Valley socks might have a completely new outlook on life done in red, hmmmmh?
Posted by: Bobbi at February 25, 2008 09:17 PM