....... TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

......... well, time really is running out! The long, lazy, seemingly endless summer holidays have almost come to an end. Much too soon, I say! I have loved every minute of my carefree knitting days, seeing friends and family and just generally pottering around. The weather hasn't been amazing, but it has been warm, quite sunny and mostly dry; which means plenty of 'being outside'!

Oh my God! How on earth will I survive 'back to school' and the myriad of things to do, places to be, work to plan, meetings to attend, that each new school day brings! I don't, at this moment in time, know how I will, but what I do know is that I feel exactly the same every year, as the challenges of a new academic year draw ever closer. Every year ...... it's all OK! Just different! A different mind set, a different gear, a different class of children and before you know it you're up and running.

As for knitting, I am racing to get as much finished as possible on my summer holiday projects. I got sidetracked today though, as I dug deep into my Russian Doll bag in the hope of finding my blue scissors and just had to pull out 'Sock Blankie' to have a little admiration time with him! That was it ..... 'Sock Blankie' addiction instantly re-kindled. Sooooo to cut a long story short, I have spent all day in the garden with Blankie. Here's how he's looking .......




He's got quite a few more squares added since I last showed you. I just love, love, love rummaging around for the next colourway and deciding where it's going to go. With many of the sock yarns, you never quite know how they are going to turn out until the little square is completed. I guess that's part of the fascination. Each square takes very little time, which means there's always 'just time for one more!' Before you know it ..... you've made a blanket. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration, or even wishful thinking, because I just can't wait for him to get done; I guess in about two years time I'll proudly showing you my finished Blankie!

I had to get a move on with my August 'Sock Challenge' socks, as time was running out. I knit, knit, knit, knit, knit on Saturday and just managed to complete them with a day in hand ( a day to share with 'Sock Blankie' :D). They fit well in the foot but are a little wide in the leg, mainly because the pattern and the yarn are both quite stretchy. I am very pleased with them though. Jenny Cook's dyeing is really gorgeous. I gave you details of the pattern and yarn two posts ago.
Here they are...... my 'August Welsh Hills Socks'!





Most of my other projects are still no further forward, but I have made a start on my September 'Sock Challenge' socks. I'm calling them 'September Sunday Swing Socks' after the pattern title. It's a free download here on 'Knitty'. The socks feature a stitch pattern that will show off the colours and pattern of the yarn, but is simple enough not to be obscured by the yarn colours. My chosen yarn is an Opal hand-dyed, that has been in my stash since we were in Wales for our son's wedding last August. The colours are rich and autumnal; just perfect for September socks. Here they are so far ......... yarn wound and pattern chosen....


Twisted rib done and first pattern repeat of sixteen rows completed ........



Here you can see a little more of the pattern ........



I'm off to London on Wednesday and then back to school for two INSET days on Thursday and Friday, so hope to see you again next Sunday ..... if not before!

Have a lovely week, whatever you're doing!