Perseverance is key…

I can’t believe that I’m making this post… but after 3 years, 7 months and 28 days (give or take a few days) of sitting around in a project bag, lonely and abandoned, the first Diamond Gansey Sock finally met his match!

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In the end I didn’t completely hate my first pair of toe-up socks, but I can’t say that I completely loved them either. I’m not sure I will make another unless I find a pattern I *must have* and can’t be bothered converting to top-down. But I can say one thing for these socks… they sure are pretty to look at:

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I did enjoy knitting them in so much as I wanted to get them done and the chart was really really easy to memorize so I only had to refer to the book a couple of times – basically for the toe, the gusset and the heel flap. I did NOT like the ugly looking hole I got at the top of the gusset (I’m sure there’s a fix to this, like there is for top-down socks, but I honestly didn’t notice it until I tried them on and by then I was done and NO WAY was I ripping back so it will stay).

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Pattern – Diamond Gansey Socks by Wendy D. Johnson (project link | pattern link)
Yarn – Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight in Winter Solstice (rav link | store I used)
Needle – US0 (2.0mm) for first sock, US2 (2.75mm) for second sock
Cast on – May 1, 2009
Cast off – January 26, 2013
Modifications – none

I did cheat a little and work on another project between finishing and starting these socks, but as the other project took only 3 hours, I don’t think it counts. Plus, it was for a little cutie who needed it very soon:

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My good friend S, who has been the lucky recipient of a knitted hat – and thus been featured on this blog before, had this beautiful baby girl a couple of weeks ago. So of course as soon as I visited I had to bring her a little hat to keep her warm in these cold winter months!

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The hat itself was such a quick and easy pattern (as I mentioned it only took me 3 hours to knit!) and it’s free to boot! Definitely a repeat for any newborns in my life. 🙂 I used some Tosh DK I had leftover from my Effortless Cardigan and it was the perfect color – a little girly but not too much so! I love how it came out and although I forgot to do a photoshoot of the hat before I took it over, I dare say V made it look infinitely better anyway. 😉

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Pattern – Otis Baby Hat by Joy Boath (project link | pattern link)
Yarn – Madelinetosh Tosh DK in Amber Trinket (rav link | store I used)
Needle – US7 (4.5mm)
Cast on – January 18, 2013
Cast off – January 18, 2013
Modifications – none

While there, I got to shoot some very quick pictures of her… I love this one in particular because it reminds me a lot of O at that age… she loved doing the one eye open thing too! 😀

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And this is my favorite… because, well, she has monkey toes! And who doesn’t love baby feet?

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10 thoughts on “Perseverance is key…

  1. Your socks look great! Congrats n finally getting them done. I have a few pair about that old too. The hat is totally adorable! I’ll have to keep that pattern in mind for future baby knits. As always, I love the pictures.

  2. Love the socks and the wee baby hat! I am making my husband’s socks toe-up because he needs to try them on due to his very narrow feet. I prefer top-down too, but his socks will most likely always be toe up ;-)=

  3. The socks look beautiful and the baby hat (and baby) is absolutely adorable! I love the juxtaposition of how it took you 3 years to knit the socks and only 3 hours to knit the hat. Baby knits are The Best!

  4. Yay, congrats on finishing the socks! They look great. The baby hat is lovely, and your friend’s little one looks so sweet wearing it. Baby toes! So cute.

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