Red sox, green sox, sparkly sox

Here is the latest batch of hand knit socks. None of them were from my own hand dyed yarn, but were still fun to knit. The red socks are for a repeat customer. They are knit of Brown Sheep's Wildefoote sock yarn, not my favorite because the yarn has a terrible habit of splitting so you have to watch every stitch. However, the yarn was in my stash, and the customer liked the color, so I went ahead. The socks turned out beautifully, and were very soft after washing. These socks, as well as the other socks, were knitted with 64 stitches on #1 bamboo needles. The green socks were from Berocco yarn, one of my favorite commercial yarns. The green socks were self- patterning yarn and turned out very well. Berroco is slightly heavier yarn and makes a very sturdy, long wearing sock. The turquoise striped socks are made from Berroco metallic yarn. It has a 2% polyester yarn spun in, which gives a metallic, sparkly effect. The result is very pleasing - these socks would be great to spark up your outfit when you are wearing jeans. My stock of hand dyed yarns is low right now. I'm waiting for better weather so I can dye outside. The snowbanks are receding so that is a good sign. There are still some beautiful yarns available. I'm particularly partial to the toffee-colored variegated skeins, and of course I like the variegated purple skein as well. Check them out on the website, and watch for new yarn. It is easy to knit, and makes wonderfully soft socks. Both the green patterned socks and the sparkly turquoise socks will be for sale on the Society Socks website soon - watch for them

New shoes

I have new shoes. They have windows in the top so I can see my socks. Isn't that great?

We have a new cat at our house

Her name is Misty, or Miss T, I'm not sure which. She is a pre-owned cat. A friend of mine moved and could not keep the cat, so the cat came to live with us. She is used to a quiet household and being an only pet, and our busy household with a large noisy cage of birds and a big fish bowl are of great interest. Since her previous person is a knitter, she has good manners when she sits on my lap. However, she is not above making off with a ball of yarn that is just sitting quietly on the floor. She is a very pretty blue-cream dilution of a tortoiseshell coloration, and bright yellow eyes. She is now pretty accustomed to her new home, and is very affectionate. She can't really replace my dear little Gracie, but it's good to have her with us.

New socks and photos

Here are a couple of pairs of recent socks. The red striped ones with the picot cuff are called celebration socks. They were delivered to their new owner at an Inaugural Ball on January 21. She's happy for all sorts of reasons. The orange striped socks are called autumn leaves and are for a friend. Both pairs are knit with my hand dyed yarn. I'm sure you can see the unusual Christmas ornaments on the tree. I sent the socks to my sister-in-law for Christmas, and she sent me the photo. She also recommended my things to her friend, who bought the DVD and some yarn! Thanks, Liz.

Just in time for Valentine's Day

I saw this pattern on the newest Knitty online edition, and couldn't resist trying it. It's an anatomically correct heart, just the thing for your sweetie for Valentine's Day. I like to knit three- dimensional stuffed things like toys, and this looked like a good use for leftover sock yarn. In reality, I think it took more yarn than that, but you could perhaps combine a couple of leftovers in one heart. It was easy to make for a sock knitter, being knit in the round with DP needles, and is seamless. It took me a couple of evenings - I'll definitely make another one. If you are not familiar with Knitty, do have a look at www.knitty.com. It is loaded with creative, free patterns, and has lots of interesting articles.

In Memoriam: Amazing Grace

My dear old kitty friend Gracie passed away in her sleep on January 3. She was nearly 18 years old, a small cat with fine whiskers and a big purr. She had the typical strong willed calico personality and was the boss of the house. In her youth she used to visit nursing homes and move from lap to lap, purring and settling in as her admirers petted her and told stories about their own pets. She was variously known as Amazing Grace, Gracie, Gracie Poo, Poogie, or just Poo. She truly graced our home and had many friends. She kept her big purr to the end of her life. We miss you, Gracie.

Martha's first socks

Martha bought our DVD, The Zen of Socks, and also some hand-dyed yarn, and this is the result - her first pair of socks, and they look perfect to me. She says they are a little too tight for her, so her lucky daughter gets them. She is already planning how to make a slightly bigger pair for herself. Way to go, Martha!