An Ending and a Beginning

Today is the last day of our vacation. Mother Nature must be preparing us to get back to the frozen north, because today it's chilly (for Florida standards) and rainy. It's a good day to stay inside, knit, and nap on the couch (though considering Rainbow is running around, I'll probably only get to do two of the three).

This is as good a time as any to share my first finished object of 2014, a new pair of socks to fill in the holes (due to sock holes, hehe) in my sock drawer.

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A., winter 2006 Knitty
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight (100% superwash merino) in Frosty, one skein
Needles: 40" US 1 (2.25 mm) Addi Sock Rockets
Started/Completed: December 29, 2013/January 2, 2013
Mods: no purls (my usual)

I have knit this pattern enough times that I really don't need to refer to the pattern anymore other than to double check that I have the stitch pattern truly memorized. Unfortunately, I thought I knew it so well that there were times I just kept knitting and totally disregarded the pattern, causing me to need to tink back. Actually, I tinked once when it was only about two and a half rounds, but one time it was an entire pattern repeat, so I ran a lifeline and frogged back. Those did cost me a little time, but considering that I worked on another project at the same time, five days isn't bad for a pair of socks.

I really love what the slip-stitch heel pattern does to variegated yarn.

The yarn was a relatively recent purchase -- it arrived as part of a big order when I was at my LYS the Saturday before Christmas -- but it didn't even make it into the stash, so I think that's a win for me. I still have quite a few skeins of STR to knit, most of them from when I was still in the Rockin' Sock Club (which has to be at least three years ago, maybe even more). One of those skeins was purchased at MDSW last year, and it's been patiently waiting to be knit up. I've started another variation on the Monkeys; they're still no purl, but this time I'm knitting one repeat as usual and then starting the next repeat halfway across the chart (so on stitch 9 of 16). I like the effect I'm getting, and while the Monkey pattern is my old standby and I don't mind having many pairs of them, this is a nice little variation.

This color is called Twitterpated, and I can assure you that it's every bit as bright in person as it appears here (actually, it might be even brighter considering how dim the light is here today). These socks will be great fun to wear on the coldest, darkest days of winter -- you know, the ones we'll get to experience when we get back home tomorrow. Can you tell I'm not looking forward to it?