First, I want to talk about this great kit I got in the mail. Jane has lately been designing some fantastic mittens and socks (rav link). Apparently when test knitting the socks for a couple of her patterns, she lost a little steam after the first sock of each pattern (don’t we all?). So she decided to sell these single socks, with their patterns, and the remaining yarn required to finish the socks in her Etsy shop. I jumped on this chance! I had been planning on buying the Yukari pattern anyway (this pattern is specially formulated to get a pair of socks out of a single skein of Jitterbug. Jitterbug is a beautiful yarn, but it’s a little light on yardage, so sometimes knitting top down socks can be a bit of an adventure!) so now I’ve not only got the pattern, but the remaining Jitterbug and the original Yukari sock! Now I’ve only got to knit myself 1 sock and I’ll have a pair! Fantastic! I think I’m going to have to try to get involved in some sort of single sock swap at some point…I love the idea of only having to knit 1 sock of a pattern! I’m probably going to wait to knit these until after Summer of Socks is over since already started socks don’t count, but it will be so quick that I don’t mind waiting! Thanks Jane!

And now I’d like to talk about another friend! My good friend Phoe is having a blogiversary contest! There are 2 amazing prizes up for grabs. One is a skein of impossible to get Sundara sock yarn (for realz!) in possibly my favorite Sundara colorway ever, and all you have to do is send her an email to be eligible for that prize. The other prize includes Socks that Rock along with some other goodies, and for that prize, Phoe has requested that you take 3 or more pictures of something that inspires you and post them to your blog. This was hard for me because I am inspired by SO many things (probably too many!), so instead of photographing the most obvious things that inspire me (June, yarn…), I tried to pick a few slightly less obvious things…

1. Shoes

My love of yarn is only rivaled by my love of shoes and bags. I’m not much of a girly girl, but I’m totally a typical girl when it comes to the shoes and bags thing. My shoes inspire my clothing choices. When I go shopping, I think about what shoes I’d wear with a certain article of clothing, and if I don’t have shoes that I think would look great with it, I won’t buy it. I have many, many, many pairs of shoes, but even with so many pairs, it’s very easy for me to pick a favorite, which are the shoes above. I have a black pair also, but the brown pair gets the most wear. These shoes are 10 years old, and barely showing any wear, despite the fact that I wear them at least 5 times a week in the fall. I keep thinking about buying another pair in case they are discontinued someday, but given how long these have lasted, I don’t think I’ll need another pair.

2. Well-worn paperbacks.

I’m sure that reading is a source of inspiration for a lot us, but I find that I am most inspired by books when I’m reading an old, well-loved copy. If I’m looking to buy a book that’s been out for a while, I always look at yard sales, or used book stores, or eBay before resorting to Amazon because I’d much rather read an old copy of a book that’s been through many hands before me. I love the way they smell, I love the yellowed pages…I feel more drawn into the story. Of course I can be inspired by new books too, it is the words inside them that is important, but I will always pick a tattered paperback copy over a new hardcover whenever I can.

3. Dreary days

I think I was born to live in a place like England or Newfoundland or Seattle because I never feel more inspired or content than I do on a cool, dark, dreary day. Now, I need sunny days for taking pictures and for wearing summer dresses and for lovely crisp fall days picking apples and such, but I’m never inspired to be creative on a beautiful sunny day (probably because I’d rather be outside). It’s days like this that I want to knit, and sew, and draw and create (summer’s almost over, right?)

4. Blogs

I couldn’t get a good picture of my computer screen, so here’s a shot of the keyboard I’m typing on right now. Nothing has been more inspiring to me over the last 4 years than blogging. Not my own blogging, which I could take or leave, but everyone else’s. If there was no blogging, I can guarantee I’d have never started sewing or knitting. Before I discovered the world of craft blogs, my hobbies were pretty much limited to reading and purchasing expensive new musical instruments every few months in an attempt to learn how to play them and failing miserably. Crafting has stuck and enriched my life in so many ways, including through the friendships I’ve made in the blogging community. I’m kind of a dork and very shy and socially awkward/anxious so I’ve never been much good at making friends in ‘real-life.’ The magic of the internets has allowed me to connect with so many incredible people that I’d never have had the courage to speak to in real life, many of whom I now feel that I could be actual real friends with instead of just ‘internet friends’ (as my husband calls you all…). You are a constant source of inspiration to me every day, internets, and I love you.

***

I’m 90% finished with my secret knitting, which means I should be able to mail off that secret knitting this weekend and can blog said secret knitting next week once it’s arrived in the hands of the recipient.

Once I finish this secret knitting, I will be starting my next pair of socks, in this yarn. Hopefully those will go as quickly as the first pair so I can get back to my Lady Sweater!

Last Modified: Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 @ 10:32

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