Hand Candy

I feel good. My mood is better, I feel like I'm getting some decent sleep, and my stress level has lowered a lot. It's because Spring is on it's way. I was thinking this morning about why it feels like Spring is coming and came up with the following:

1. The birds are singing in the morning when I go out with the dogs. They are singing their wake up calls to the sun and the day.

2. I don't need to put on (a) hat, (b) scarf, (c) gloves, (d) wool socks, or (e) fleece jacket just to go outside with the dogs. This morning it was just my robe over my nightgown and my hot cup of coffee.

3. The camellias are starting to bloom, the anniversary rhody is in bloom, and the crocuses are blooming.

4. People are smiling and saying good morning. It stays so gray and damp in Seattle in the winter that the mood matches the black raincoats.

5. I can knit in the car on my way to work without turning on a light. This is big because I generally knit socks during my commute to and from work. Need light for little stitches you know.

Currently I'm working on three pair of socks, two on one 40" circular needle, and one on double points.

All of which are in various stages. I'm using the standard stock pattern from Charlene Schurch's book Sensational Knitted Socks. I took Charlene's sock class the first year I went to Madrona and have been in love with knitting socks since. This is a great book because she spells out how to get socks to fit. Charlene is a lovely lady too. I enjoyed getting to know her and appreciated her patience.

This first pair is just a plain knit sock, done on size 1 double points, in Universal Yarns Ditto.

I like using the double points, but decided to stick with the long circular needle as long as our puppy, Johnny, insists on jumping up in my lap, and getting into my face. I can just see one of those needles ending up in either his nose or mine.

This pair is on size 1 40" circular needles. Much safer when you have a busy, busy puppy in the house. I like these a lot, but frankly the gray tones are too much during gray weather. I tried to find the yarn label, but it is a washable wood, and again, just a plain sock pattern. I plan to finish those this spring.

This is the pair of socks I am in love with. I started these on Saturday, and am now doing the gusset decrease on the second sock. I am using size 3 needles and the yarn is washable merino wool from Fancy Image Hand-Dyed Yarn in Shelton, Washington. This yarn is hand candy. It's hard to put down. It is so soft and warm, and I'll miss knitting them when they are done. These aren't for me. They are for a special lady who needs some comfort socks right now. With each stitch is a prayer for her. I am enjoying knitting them because I am thinking of her and feel she is close by. Knitting is a tangible form of being connected with someone when they are far away.

I'm glad I'm feeling better. I wasn't sick or anything like that. Just feeling like I was SICK AND TIRED of winter. It's been a long one for some reason.

Well, off to fondle the hand candy some more.

TTFN

Sue