Is 2006 done yet??

I am SO ready for new beginnings, you know?

I just want to say a heartfelt thank you to all my blog friends for the amazing outpouring of support, kindness and love for me and my family. It means more than mere words can convey and has helped me so much!

I still don't think it's all really hit me just yet and I miss him terribly but I'm glad you all enjoyed the answer grape story. My Dad was so very special and I'm glad you all could know him even just a little.

Now for some knitting because as EZ said - knit on, with confidence and hope, thru all crisis -- and I did!

First up, some festive Regia socks

Specs:

Peaks n Valleys socks from Knit Socks! by Betsey McCarthy

2 50 gm skeins Regia mini ringel #5217

US #1 (2.25 mm) Aero Teflon DPNs

Mods: I used one less pattern repeat for the leg as the recipient is pretty tiny and slender (they fit perfectly!) and I changed the heel to my standard mini-gusset yo short row heel.

I enjoyed this pattern (thanks Carole!) - its only a 2 round, 9 stitch pattern repeat so it's easy to remember yet just interesting enough to keep your interest. It makes a nice stretchy, comfy sock and I love how the pattern turns the stripes into scallops. The Regia is nice to knit with, it's a basic staple for most socknitters but altho the dye lots were identical the socks are fraternal because the striping sequence was different in each skein! One skein had a three row stripe in with the twos so it threw off the "identicalness" of the socks. I thought about "cutting and pasting" to make them match but they are kinda funky looking anyway so I thought their disparities were endearing! Their new owner agrees!

And now for something completely different, I give you....a sock!!

would ya look at these beauties?


Specs:

Scale Skin socks from the Six_Sock_KAL Group

2 skeins Claudia's Handpaint in the Sea Dreams colorway

US #1 (2.25 mm) Aero Teflon DPNs

32 8/0 silver-lined turquoise seed beads per sock, #13 crochet hook

I confess I have a completely unnatural love for these socks! This was my first experience with Claudia's and ooooo the love!! The base yarn for Claudia's is Louet Gems Pearl and that is already a favorite of mine but add the glorious color that Claudia imparts and the result is just about the perfect sock yarn! So soft, such delicious, saturated color!! Add to that this incredibly simple yet attractive pattern and ding ding ding, we have a winner!!

Mods: Once again I changed the heel to my standard yo short row, mini gusset. I love the delicate picot edge and I thought it screamed for a bit of embellishment so I added one row (every other stitch) of seed beads using the crochet method. Here's a close up of the beads and the stitch pattern and also to really see the glorious color.... (it was hard! it's been gray and rainy for days!)


I have to say that I think this may be my favorite pair of socks EVER, they are that pretty and striking in person! I hope the new owner loves them as much as me! And if you need an easy, really atttractive pair of socks, I can't recommend this pattern or this yarn enough!

That brings me to a total of 22 pairs of socks knitted in 2006! Not too shabby!

Ruben is completed and will be taking a final bath tomorrow with pics in my next post. Would you believe I have NOTHING on the needles at the moment??? I'm doing some sweater finishing as a gift for a friend so I want to finish that before I start anything new but I plan to have one more Red Scarf on the needles by Jan. 1. I'm also gonna be announcing a new KAL that I'll be co-hosting next week, with a start date of Feb. 1. Wonderful plans are being made for 2007, stay tuned!

I leave you with this pic of the P-Man....he reminds me of a Weeble :)

Happy Wednesday!!