This is what Rogue looks like 2 skeins in; I’ve got the hem and about 25 rows done. To be fair, there are at least 3 swatches lying about, as well. They will prove useful to practice steeking on before taking scissors to Rogue.

Rogue has become my guilty pleasure knitting. I still have a pair of holiday socks to finish (1 down, 1 to go) and endless miles of thread crochet garland. I’m thrilled to say that I can now hold up the unfinished end of garland between my outstretched arms. Whew!

Last night, John and I were bottling the peach mead that’s been on the hearth. I glanced up from bottling and saw the lights twinkling through his test glass. It brought warm holiday thoughts.

Happy Holidays from all of us to all of you.

I’ve wondered lately if sport weight sock yarn would be useable for socks for John. I rationalized that using bigger yarn would mean that I’d actually *finish* a pair of socks for him. I must have been projecting my thought-waves loudly, because John asked for a pair of house socks for the winter. I jumped right on it and ordered sport weight yarn. With no shoes involved, there was no reason not to, and I figured I’d have him jam his feet into his work shoes and see how the heavier yarn worked out.

The first incarnation of the sock involved Cat Bordhi’s Upstream architecture. It was all right, but I didn’t care for the way the increases looked on the foot. I think in a finer yarn, or with patterns around it or in the middle section, I’d have liked it. As it was, I didn’t think it was working out. Ripitty-rip-rip.

After recovering from my ripping frenzy, I continued up the foot and did a little Greek Key dance at the top. John pronounced the finished socks “comfy”. And, unlike the last pair, they fit! Although the fit in his shoes, he really feels the texture of the yarn. So, any work socks will need to be knit in fingering weight yarn. Wool is definitely optional – it was in the low 80′s here in North Carolina yesterday. We’re two weeks from Christmas; this is crazy!

Here’s a bit of life chez Flyin’ Needles; the new socks in their native habitat.

I’ve been busy knitting, crocheting, and programming lately. Rogue is coming along, though I ripped her out and started over a size larger due to initial self-measuring idiocy. My ripples socks have been ripped because I just wasn’t feeling the love. Since they were a Christmas present (eek!) I need to find something suitable quickly. I really love the colors in the yarn, so I just may do a stockinette sock and watch the colors play.

So, I’m getting ready for the holidays by crafting and cleaning. Whilst rearranging stuffed animals in the boys’ room, I found a mouse I hadn’t photographed for my records. Tweedle-d’oh had absconded with him directly upon finishing. So, I got him out and promptly re-discovered that my cat is a nib-nose.

Happy crafting, everyone.