Ben asked what the “part II” was for in my last post.  I told him I had done a “Treat yo self” post before.  He did a search and the results were sad.  One post about buying yarn with Miranda in July.  The other was my salon visit in February.  Almost one year ago.  That erases my guilt.

Speaking of buying yarn, I’m going crazy knitting this year!  I have six projects on needles right now.  I won’t post my Ravelry page, because there are Christmas surprises there.  But I need to tell you about my sock craze.

It started with my Steffi.  Steffi is my pen-pal in Germany.  We have been writing since I was in the third grade, about 1991.  Thanks to email we have been able to keep in touch over the years with minimal effort.  Isn’t it incredible that my pen pal and I still write??  Anyway, she had her first baby this year; a beautiful girl named Sophie.  I sent her an Aden & Anais blanket and a bonnet made out of my new favorite yarn, Anzula Squishy.  It’s a gorgeous blend of cashmere and merino wool with a touch of nylon – and it’s machine washable!  Steffi loved it and sent a photo of it in action.  Oh how it tickles me to see this!  (Then I got a photo from my friend Miranda of Cedar wearing the other bonnet I made.  So many babies! So much cuteness!) In thanks she sent me a package with undies for Jack (perfect timing!) and hand knit socks made by her mother.

German Socks

You guys.  Socks. Hand-knit.  By my German pen-pal’s mother.  Does it get any more precious than that?

I always thought I would hate wearing/knitting socks.  Too hot, itchy, and bulky.  My lands, was I ever wrong.  It’s like walking around with your feet gently swaddled in downy quilts.  Not too hot, not at all itchy, and so comforting.  Thus I decided I HAD to knit socks.

I spent a ton of time on Ravelry searching for a good pattern.  Then I had to stop and start the toe three times and the heel twice, because I wasn’t satisfied with how it was going.  After all that experimentation the second sock is going super fast!  I even started to make Christmas stockings with a similar pattern. 

Sock crazy

 Can’t wait to wear them! 

Speaking of socks, it’s another night of Hanukkah, and it’s almost bed time for Jack.  We better open our socks now.  Good night!