Meanwhile back in the studio

As of this morning, Kyev has not fallen.

Tragic casualties, they pray they can last another night and slow Putin's momentum. I won't say Russia's momentum, because the Russian people are marching against the invasion.

Meanwhile on the home front.

Alert blogistas will have noted no Misfits box report yet. They rescheduled it suddenly from yesterday to today, so we live in expectation that the Brussels sprouts (Becki!) will arrive for tonight's dinner, to join the salmon I have thawing in the fridge.  And the pita bread and salad makings and other such urgent needs.

However the latest issue of Tatter did arrive, all about handspun yarn and knitting, with a shout-out to Barbara Walker, whose book of patterns I have, and have learned from, making many samples of stitch patterns just for the pleasure of it. 

And as a spindle spinner, I'm always up for a report on handspun yarn, especially the high end yarns currently on sale via Tatter, complete with the history of the regions and the renewable sources of the fiber. 

Also the fair trade prices, high and they should be, very labor intensive, involving breeding the animals, plucking, collecting and cleaning fiber before spinning it. If your budget runs to it, do go there.

So here, on a much humbler plane, is the current State of the Sock Ministry.

Pair Two, knitted, finished, pressed.

And on to the next adventure

The picture is a scan of a pair I made for myself long ago as a test run. Then I knitted a couple more pairs to give to friends, who approved 

These are tube socks, which mold to your foot as you wear them, and since the heel is not limited to the one position, they tend to last longer, and fit more sizes. 

And they have a raised spiral, a purl ridge, which is interesting to knit, decorative, and gives a bit of traction. It's comfortable underfoot, the reason I tested it on myself, because I wondered.

So I had a playtime last evening with colors and contrasts, and design. I'm adding a cuff to these, and have figured out a stretchy cast on.  

I was unable, despite many attempts,  to follow any of the stretchy cast on tutorials on YouTube. They always whip right past the bit l really need to see, and can't, even after slowing playback. But I think I've figured out my way. Np, to quote Handsome Son.

After this third pair, I think I'll start  sending them off, no reason to make people wait. Then I'll continue knitting happily.

Meanwhile, taking care of my own little corner, praying for better days for Ukraine, messaging encouragement, as best I can, to Ukrainian friends and acquaintances.