The Sunday Sock: Twitching without Socks and Advent looms.

Hello friends, after my profound realisation in the last post I have discovered something else about myself. I get twitchy if I have no socks to knit. I am like a bear with a sore head. I have been trying very hard to free up my knitting time for upcoming Advent projects but yesterday I just had to cast on some socks for me. It was a compulsion and no matter what else I tried my brain kept screaming you must knit socks.

Advent Knitting

When I was little a highlight of the year was the Advent countdown to Christmas day. I got a new Advent Calendar every year which had in those days pictures hidden behind each door. As time went on the calendars started to have tiny chocolates hidden in them, now we have Advent calendars for everything you could think of. There are coffee, tea, gardener's, beer, toiletries, lego, toys, tools, you name it and I bet there is one to find and of course, there are yarn Advent calendars. In the year we have had where it seemed at times all hope was lost I have been given the gift of hope by having been the lucky recipient of two yarn calendars.

The first of these is EasyKnits 10g lux which has some beautifully intriguing boxes to open each day with a full skein for Christmas morning.

With this kit, I am hoping to knit a Habitation Throw by designer Helen Stewart. This pattern from last year is written for 10g mini-skeins and with Jon's dyeing I am sure it will be a colourful addition to my home.

My second kit is from a favourite dyer of mine, Rosie's Moments. This is my third year of Advent kits from her and they never disappoint. Rosie packs so much love into everything she sends that you can happily know whatever you order you will be more than delighted.

This kit came with a mystery wrap pattern which I am sure I will enjoy knitting and will love the finished item. Rosie also notes that Christian Advent officially begins today with the first Sunday of Advent and has added two little extra gifts to open today and tomorrow.

Finally, I have my homemade effort. Each year the wonderful Australian designer, Ambah O'Brien, hosts a fabulously fun Advent knit-a-long in her group on Ravelry. She designs new patterns each year especially to knit with your Advent calendars. Her Advent bundle can be found here, there are 11 patterns to choose from and this year I was especially drawn to the Radvent Cardigan.

This cardigan was designed to use a 25 x 20g advent kit plus an extra full skein for ribs and cuffs. Now whilst I desperately need a new cardi I could not afford a kit that size so I have made my own using yarns leftover from the various socks and other things I have knitted this year. My cardi will be full of memories and full of fun as I have put all these leftovers in a bag and my dear hubby will draw out one each morning to be used that day.