Anti-Winter Protection

B-Lo residents, you can thank me later. I have successfully staved off a return of chilly weather with my renewed attention to the Winter Socks. As you see, I was anticipating spring and letting my toesies experience the pleasure of exposure and a green lawn. However, this gleeful anticipation left us all unprotected. Now, since I have a pair of socks that will ward off the chills of our blustery weather, we should be safe for at least a few weeks. Preparation for the worst means that the worst will not happen, right? You know the logic, whatever questions you prepare for will absolutely not be on an exam.*

So, finish your winter socks and it will be surely be spring.

I should warn you, there is absolutely nothing sexy about these socks. In fact, I’m thinking about submitting the pattern to the Bush regime’s pro-abstinence arsenal. But by golly, they sure are cozy. (Of course, one may acknowledge my own propensity for saying things like “by golly” is abstinence-promoting, but that’s a different post entirely.) Cankles galore, but cozy cankles...

Anyway, just for documentary purposes, the top picture is how far you can get with one skein of Paton’s Classic Merino Wool if you do 8 inch cuffs, or legs really, too long to be just a cuff. On my feet, that’s 5.5 inches too short. Theoretically, if you only made the cuffs 5 inches, you may get away with a one skein project, but these babies are snuggle socks. You wouldn’t skimp and only do 5 mini marshmallows in your hot chocolate, would you? Nah, go for the full 8. Or 28, I won’t tell. So when you tackle the Winter Sock pattern in the Magic Loop book, buy two skeins of Paton’s Wool. You can always use a JoAnn’s coupon on one and save that 50%!

Pattern: Winter Socks from Magic Loop Book
Yarn: Paton's Classic Merino Wool in Natural Mix, 2 skeins (with lots left over)
Needles: Crystal Palace Sz. 6 circs
Recipient: Moi
Date Started: March 2006
Date Completed: 2 May 2006 (as with all my projects, this one was abandoned to the UFO pile for quite awhile)
Notes: Yummy socks, easy pattern. I think these will be thick for most shoes, but absolutely perfect for CSI viewing on the couch. If anyone wants to try socks or the Magic Loop technique, these would be a great introduction. The worsted weight yarn makes them come together very quickly and you don't have to worry so much about getting gauge on small needles.

Anyway, some random notes:

*Not to worry you about those test questions or anything, Lone Knitter. By the way, on that little test thing that you’re overly prepared for and totally going to rock, here’s my strategy. Always answer Jane Eyre. Everything came back to Jane Eyre for me. Questions about Homi Bhabha? Well, when Mr. Rochester… Spivak’s theories of…? Well, when Bertha Mason… I’m tellin’ ya, just bring up crazy ladies torching their house and you’ll pass with flying colors!

*Krisknits: Sure, I'll sign up for traveling glue gunning (if you promise a cute carpenter)! By the way, this woman is starting on a project with 1200 yards of cobweb yarn, or thread, or wisps of air. Wow, just wow! Let's all send her good knitting juju and ooh and ahh over her lace pics as they come. Cobweb... wow...

Secret Pal: Hi! How cool to hear from you. I've started the questionnaire and will post it tomorrow. Just to let you know, my yarn diet is just to curb my own spending a bit. I'm always open to yarn! And this way I figure I get to enjoy the experience of buying yarn for my pal without feeling guilty that I'm buying it for myself. Still get to go to the shop and pet it, you know. And as to summer plans, I'll be bringing the blog tales of thrills and chills from the library. I'm trying to be a good little grad student and write that dissertation thingy that I'm supposed to be working on.