Socks, Fast & Slow

I knit two pair of socks for Christmas gifts. One pair, rather substantial in Trekking XXL to keep my sister's feet warm when she's out shoveling her sidewalk after a snow storm. I added a couple of cables that didn't show up but made me feel better. The other pair was wool/bamboo yarn for my niece. I think the pattern is called Eagle's Flight. It took me over two weeks to make those. I was so relieved to get both pair made in time for Christmas that I never even took a photo, just got them in the mail right away.

In January, I decided to learn something new after all these years of knitting. I took the Addi 40" circular needle out of its package and picked out the Cherry Tree Hill yarn in Winterberry that I bought last year at Hank's Yarn in Gainesville. Not wanting to make it easy for myself, I made toe-up socks in Cross Hatch lace from Charlene Schurch's More Sensational Knitted Socks. After three tries I succeeded with the figure eight cast on. Things were going okay, liked the pattern with the yarn and really liked the Magic Loop knitting.

Then I got to the heel and at the same time came down with a cold. Short rowing wasn't new to me after years of machine knitting, but with the head ache and ear ache and cold, I couldn't manage. I frogged that heel three times and started over. I felt really stupid. I was using Schurch's method with all of the markers and all. Finally I put the markers away and just plowed through it, one heel at a time.They are headed to Connecticut for my sister. I think she will like them.