knitting - socks, gloves and left over yarn

Back in December when I posted about my knitted gloves and cowl, I mentioned my overflowing "stash box". It is full of small amounts of yarn, usually just part balls. This year I would like to knit a few items using some of the yarn I have accumulated.

The yarn is stored in poly-bags according to type of yarn. One bag contains sock yarn. I must have knitted well over a dozen pairs of socks and each pair takes over half a ball of wool (100g) or one and a bit balls (50g). Obviously there isn't enough yarn left for another pair pf socks, but there is enough for gloves. I grab the little fingerless gloves below when I am hanging out the washing in the morning during the winter. I also like them when driving, I like to feel I can grip the steering wheel properly and so don't feel comfortable with proper gloves. These little ones work fine.

Next up  pair of fingerless mitts using the remains of the yarn from my most recent pair of socks. This time I added some fair isle patterns also using sock wool.

I copied some of the Fair Isle patterns from The Complete Book of Traditional Fair Isle Knitting by Sheila McGregor. This book which was published in 1981 gives some traditional knitting techniques and a history of Fair Isle knitting. At the back there are pages of charts of traditional Fair Isle patterns of different sizes and pattern repeats which I find very useful if I am looking for ideas for colour work.

For these mitts I used a variegated sock wool in browns, gold and green and knitted "peerie" patterns - that is small patterns only a few rows deep. I am pleased with the colour combinations against the blue/grey colour of the base yarn, the addition of contrasting colour completely changes the look of the finished knitting.

I have enough pairs of gloves now but can always use more socks so my next sock yarn project might be wildly patterned socks with different coloured yarns. I think a little Fair Isle might make its way in as well.