the stocking 2 years in the making

Sometimes, life gets busy. Real busy. And things have to take the back burner. Like this quaint little space. Or knitting Juni's stocking. But this sweet place I come to share my thoughts and adventures is just like Juni's stocking: while I may have it tucked away in the back of my mind, spending zero time working on it, I still think about it and can't wait to get back to creating it.

So in the spirit of getting back to things I haven't had the creative time to tend to, here is the stocking 2 years in the making - finished!

This was my first attempt at color work and I cannot be more thrilled with how it turned out! The colors are so fun and it's completely unconventional. I think Juni's Great Grandma June, who knitted my green and red Rudolph stocking back in the 80s that I still use every year, would be proud of my knitting skills yet mortified at my color choice if she were alive today to see this. Sorry, Grandma June! I swear, you were my inspiration.

As seen on my Raverly project page, I started it November 17th of 2010. In 5 days, I had worked all the way down to the green and brown beetle band. Then life and a bazillion other obligations came up. Then the holidays past. Then my "to knit for the holidays 2011" list left no room to work on it. And on November 2nd of this year, I put my foot down and declared this to be the month I finish as many unfinished projects as possible! In 2 days, it was done. After 2 years. Ridiculous. But hey, it's done and that's the important part.

The pattern overall was really easy. Just simple knitting in the round and the toe and heel were a breeze. Keeping track of the color charts and different colors of yarn was the most difficult part. Not necessarily "difficult", more like "annoying and time consuming". Being my first color work piece, there was definitely some learning-as-I-knit that went on. But I think I got it good enough for a stocking that won't be a worn garment!

And just for fun, here is what the inside looks like! Please excuse the yarn ends that have yet to be woven in. Hopefully that won't take me 2 years to get to, ha!

I'm so thrilled November is here and December is soon to follow. Now I just can't wait to see how Juni's new stocking looks hung on the midcentury hutch with care! Huzzah for making creative time for those things that are important to me.