Drunk Blue Bees

I think it's about time for a post regarding an FO, and although I wish it were the Tangled Yoke, I'm still yet to block it so you'll have to settle for socks.

Drunk Blue Bees

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Pattern: Drunken Bees by Domesticat
Pattern Source: Ravelry or Domesticrafts
Yarn: ShibuiKnits Sock in Midnight, 2 skeins
Needles: (2) KnitPicks Circular 24" size 2.25 mm
Notes: The pattern is definitely not written for a beginning sock knitter since you need to be pretty familiar with the basic construction of a sock. Thankfully I've knit enough socks now that step-by-step instructions aren't always needed anymore, and for the most part I've figured out how to substitute the heels and toes I want as well as convert patterns cuff to toe or toe to cuff.

Pattern Comments: If you're experienced in knitting socks this would be a wonderful pattern to knit that will not only hold your attention while you knit it, but give you a beautiful sock in the end. It reminded me a bit of the Cookie A patterns that you can purchase, except this one was free. Had the designer given detailed instructions in multiple sizes, she could've easily charged money for this pattern and deserved it!

Yarn Comments: This yarn was even better than I expected and I'm excited to get off my yarn diet in a few days so I can purchase more. This particular colorway reminds me of the STR shaded solid colorways that Blue Moon Fiber Artisans so beautifully dye, and the yarn itself is soft, spongy and has a beautiful twist. Just in case you're tempted to try some, I think The Loopy Ewe may have some in stock. Maybe.

I'm Twisted

I know why this is called the Twisted Flower sock ... you have to be a bit "twisted" to attempt it! After much anticipation (mainly by me), I'd like to present:

Twisted Flowering Eggplants
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Pattern: Twisted Flower by Cookie A.
Source: Cookie A Knitwear Designs
Yarn: Louet Gems Pearl in Eggplant
Needles: Knit Picks 24" circular size 1.5 US (2.5mm)
Notes: The only modification I did to this pattern was to knit it on two circular needles. I didn't attempt for a moment to convert this to toe-up, but I feel fairly confident that if I knit this again, I could convert it successfully.


WHEW! This pattern was by far the most time-consuming as far as sock patterns go, but look at the results! I've decided to be selfish and keep these for myself. I love the yarn, the color, the pattern and the fit. How often does *that* happen?

The pattern is worth every single penny and more, but ssshhhh, don't tell Cookie. I'd hate to see her pattern prices jump up because of that comment. The yarn was less desirable though. Although I've previously loved knitting with it and only had minor problems with yarn slubs and knots, these skeins were horrible! I think I had 12 ends on each sock to weave in ... ICK! I'm hoping it was just a fluke because I really do like the yarn (and there's more in my stash).

If you decide to purchase this beautiful pattern, a couple of things I would suggest:

• Pointy-tipped needles -- this makes cabling that much easier
• Chart reading experience -- trust me on this one
  
• Solid color sock yarn -- to show off the beauty of the pattern
• Experience in cabling without a cable needle -- really, you'll thank me later
• Full concentration while knitting -- I wasn't able to successful watch television without ripping back
• Complete trust in the pattern -- everything about it is brilliant.
  

September Sock A Month 4 KAL socks are complete ... what's up next? I think maybe something plain and simple!

Swan Lake De-Mystified

Shall I say last, but not least, ... or are there still a few of you knitting this?

(click for bigger)

Pattern: Swan Lake by Melanie Gibbons
KAL: Mystery Stole 3 (Yahoo Groups)
Source: Pink Lemon Twist (pattern to be released soon to anyone not in the KAL)
Yarn: Baruffa Cashwool; colorway 11 (black)
Needles: Addi Turbo Lace circular Size 3 (3.25 mm)
Finished Dimensions: 60" x 17"


I love that I decided to jump in with both feet and join this KAL. I've never done anything like this before because frankly, I'm a control freak. I want to know what, when, where and how with what I'm knitting, so this was a complete change for me.


There are a few things I would do differently if I were to knit this again:

• Pay attention to the blocking instructions. For those of you who have knit and blocked this stole, you'll notice in the photos that I obviously blocked this incorrectly. I forgot to make the points on the wing side. Please don't remind me though, I'm hoping I forget about it so I don't feel the need to re-block it.

• Use a different yarn. I like the yarn, but I don't love it. I wish I would've chosen a wool/silk blend (like the yarn she recommended) because I think I would've liked the drape better.

• Use a size 4 (3.5mm) or 5 (3.75mm) knitting needle. Although I think the Addi Turbo Lace needles are amazingly perfect for lace knitting, the size 3 (3.25mm) needles I used didn't create a fabric that was the overall size I wanted.
  

• Include the beads. Since I didn't know what the beads would look like in the stole, and since I was afraid it may look tacky, I wimped out and didn't include them. If I were to only change one thing about my stole, it would be to add the beads.

Overall, I'm quite happy with my Swan Lake Stole and I'm looking forward to wearing it on my cruise next month for our four year anniversary. I'll try to get modeled shots of it then.


Also, look what came in the mail! It's my Loopy Ewe order! (click for bigger)

From Left to Right:

• Panda Cotton in College Prep (freebie)
• Louet Gems Pearl in Burgandy
• All Things Heather Sock in Raspberry
• Regia Design Line Kaffe Fassett in Mirage Storm
• ShiBuiKnits Sock in Midnight
• Addi Turbo Lace needles (to add to my growing collection)

This is the second time I've ordered All Things Heather and I'm still in love with it! The photo of the Kaffe Fassett yarn from Regia does not do it justice because this colorway is stunning! Also, if you get the chance to order ShiBuiKnits Sock, definitely do! It's a smooshy, squishy delight, and the color is stunning. This was my 6th order, so I'm now a Loopy Groupie. This is a great thing since now I should be getting notified before she does her sneak-ups. Maybe now I can get my hands on that Wollmeise. I'm coveting the Granatapfel and Gewitterhimmel colorways.

Waving Lace at Dusk

I realize that I was absent from blogging for weeks on end, and then in the span of two days I posted my completed Thelonious socks and now the Waving Lace socks, but it's only because I want to get another "credit" for SAM4.

Pattern: Waving Lace by Evelyn A. Clark
Source: Favorite Socks
Yarn: Knit Picks Risata in Dusk
Needles: Knit Picks 24" circular size 1.5 US (2.5 mm)

This is the first pattern I've knit from Favorite Socks, and I am more than pleased with the pattern. There's two options for the cuff, either a basic rib, or the designers scalloped edge. I obviously chose the later and I'm very pleased with the result. The waving lace pattern is comprised of 8 stitches over 20 rows, but it's very easy to memorize.

I ordered the Risata yarn the first week it was introduced by Knit Picks. I'm such a sucker for "new" yarn. The jury's still out on whether I like it or not though. It's not super squishy, or super soft, but I'm sure the nylon content will help these wear a lot better than my squishy soft socks too. I absolutely adore the color and this was a pleasant surprise because in my opinion, I've never been a huge fan of the Knit Picks colorways. After seeing their fall yarn lines though, I think they may have figured it out.

I lucked out and caught the Loopy Ewe sneak-up on Wednesday, so I was able to acquire a few new items for my stash, but you'll have to wait until they arrive for the details. I also decided to hop on over to Amazon.com and pick up Cat's latest book, New Pathways for Sock Knitters. I blame this purchase solely on the influence of Judy's blog posts taunting me with the fabulous-ness of the book.

I'm halfway through the Twisted Flower socks and I must admit that if you cannot devote full concentration to this pattern, do not purchase it. I'll go into more details why when I post the finished socks, but I will say this ... I love them!

My mystery stole is completely finished and a blog post will come soon regarding that. Thanks to everyone who submitted suggestions for what cardi to knit with my new Skye Tweed yarn. For now, I've purchased the ChicKnits Ariann pattern and will be swatching soon to see if it will work. I think my biggest problem is I didn't purchase enough skeins to knit most of the patterns I wanted, but I have been eyeing Ariann for awhile now, so maybe it was meant to be.

Have any of you signed up for the Secret of the Stole KAL? I loved the Mystery Stole KAL, but am unsure of signing up for a secret stole KAL when I've not seen any previous stole designs from the designer. What do you think?

The-what-ius?

Does anyone have any idea why Cookie named this sock pattern Thelonious? Does it have something to do with Thelonious Monk?


Pattern: Thelonious by Cookie A.
Pattern Source: www.cookiea.com
Yarn: Louet Gems Pearl in Sage
Needles: Knit Picks 24" circular size 1.5 US (2.5 mm)

Thelonious is one of the patterns I purchased when I took the sock design class from Cookie in July and it's one of the few patterns I didn't convert from cuff down to toe up. I figured I'd knit a pattern as written (for once) mainly because she designed them cuff down and I wanted to knit it as she designed it.

I made a few errors and had to tink back here and there, but overall, things went smoothly. The yarn was wonderful to work with, and I'm glad I chose a solid colorway yarn so that it shows off all the details of Cookie's design. I would definitely recommend this pattern to anyone who loves knitting socks, but be forewarned, you need to be able to knit from a chart.

These socks are being mailed to mom for her birthday, although I must admit, I'm almost a week late in sending them to her. I'm sure she'll forgive me though since her gift to me was a few weeks late also.

I've already cast on for the next Cookie pattern, Twisted Flower, and it's taking my full attention, although I'm starting to itch to make something other than socks.

In yarn collecting news (because I can't not), I picked up 13 skeins of this Classic Elite Skye Tweed for a future cardigan for myself. I'm not sure what pattern to use, so I'm wondering ... does anyone have any recommendations?

Feathery Socks

Yes, it's another sporadic blog post, but I wanted to get these posted this month to show that I *did* knit something in July.


Pattern: Feather and Fan by Judith Sumner
Source: Socks, Socks, Socks
Yarn: Regia Silk 6-ply; color 0005
Needles: Knit Picks 24" circulars size 2.50mm (1 1/2US)

Modifications: I knit these from the toe-up (like that's a surprise to anyone who knows me) using Judy's magic cast-on because really, there's nothing better. I also omitted the "purl one round and knit one round" section right before you start the heel. My personal opinion is that the sock looks better without it.

I was very surprised at what an easy pattern this is, but the sock looks very intricate and difficult. It's a 16-stitch repeat over 4 rows, so it is easily memorized and it was a very quick knit. I liked the yarn, I loved the pattern and even though I love handpainted yarn, I'm glad I chose a solid color to really bring out the beauty of the pattern.

I know I mentioned a few posts ago that I was going to rewrite the Monkey pattern toe-up, but I ran across this little gem awhile back and thought I'd share it with you all. Momma Monkey has developed a conversion tutorial for how to convert a sock from top-down to toe-up, and she has also designed 3 Harry Potter Soctopia patterns (Nagini, Fawkes, and Bellatrix) that you can download for free! Now if you want to convert a pattern, you can refer to Momma Monkey's guide!

Knitting mojo (here!) ...Blogging mojo (anyone, anyone?)

In the ever growing saga regarding my health, (skip this entire paragraph and save yourself the boredom), I saw a wonderful Endocrinologist last week and although I have all the symptoms and TSH levels that show hypothyroidism, she's running additional tests on my T3 and T4 levels to confirm. She's also running some other tests to rule out other diseases and such before committing to a fibromyalgia diagnosis. She thinks my last Dr was an idiot for not running additional tests to rule out positively everything else first. I definitely agree with her.

Mystery Stole 3 KAL is the most fun I've had in a LONG time and definitely helped me with my knitting mojo. I finished the first clue on Saturday and was semi-sad that I had knit it so quickly since that has left me with 5 days of no MS3 knitting. The only negative part to this KAL are all the yahoo digest messages that seem to be a complete waste of reading. As a matter of fact, it's only July 5th and there are already 1,400 messages that have been written. Who has the time to read all of that? In my opinion a lot of the messages are from people attempting to knit lace for the very first time ever, and they're clogging up the message system with whining about frogging for the 3rd & 4th time or asking for help since nothing makes sense, etc. Did these people not read the KAL description which states: "This year's stole is not recommended for beginning lace knitters, but if you are comfortable with lace techniques and reading charts, you should be just fine." I think not!

There will probably be no MS3 knitting on Sunday. I've signed up for two sock knitting / design classes taught by none other than Cookie A who designed sock patterns such as Pomatomus, Monkey, and Baudelaire, just to name a few. The classes are being taught at Unwind in Burbank, CA which is only about an hour from my home, so it's fairly close and in addition to finally meeting Cookie, I'm excited to meet other knitters who are as passionate about socks as I am.

In yarn collecting news, my next post should have photos of some new yarn. DH & I refinanced our home and since I made sure we took out some extra cash, I decided that I'm going to celebrate my birthday month by increasing my stash. DH said he was fine with that, but that's also because he knows I'm the penny pincher in the family and that I'd never purchase too much yarn. HA! We'll see about that!

In addition to the MS3 shawl, I've GOT to post my completed photos of the Handsome Shawl from Victorian Lace Today, the adorable felted bag I gave my niece last month, and the Feather & Fan socks I completed weeks ago. I'm also currently knitting Shedir and a pair of ankle socks for DH, but I'm pretty sure those will be on the back burner Friday morning when the MS3 clue is available. My blogging mojo is still missing though, so for those of you with access to Ravelry, you'll probably see photos of my completed items there first. By the way, my "name" on Ravelry is GuiltyPleasures. Sounds like a porn star name huh? Maybe I should change my blog name.. any recommendations?

Must find my mojo

Has anyone seen my blogging mojo? Somehow I've lost it and I can't seem to find it anywhere. I used to absolutely love sitting at the computer multiple times a day for hours reading everyone's knitting adventures, but for the last month (or so) ... I've barely sat at the computer at all. I'm sure I even owe many of you an email (or two, or three or maybe even four) with a "thank you" for all the compliments on my last pair of socks and the "get well" wishes, but all I can offer at this time is my deepest apology. It does mean a lot to get comments from you even if I've failed recently to respond. Please accept my humble apology and know that I'm going to sincerely try to do better at that.

The only thing that really explains my lack of activity in blog-land, is because I honestly just haven't felt well enough to sit at the computer for any length of time. I've been having my fair share of the run around with doctors and I'm fed up to my eyeballs with the whole thing. If you want to know what's going on, read the next paragraph, but if not, definitely skip it.

The last doctor told me that I probably do have hypothyroidism, but that he wanted to treat my fibromyalgia first. What? Excuse me? Fibro-what? Where did this diagnosis come from? He pretty much refused me the necessary thyroid medication and instead gave me some other drugs instead for the fibromyalgia. So where does that leave me? Well, I have a bunch of free meds I will never take for a condition I'm not sure I have, and still nothing to treat what I think the real problem is. I contacted my insurance company and although it's going to cost me some money, I've opted to refer myself to a endocrinologist. Thankfully I have an appointment Thursday morningand if I can't get the help I need there I'm throwing myself off the roof of my house. No need to worry though.. I have a single story home, so it's hardly even worth the climb to the top.

In knitting news, there's actually not been a lot of knitting in the last few weeks. Currently, I'm finishing up a pair of socks that I've been working on for weeks and weeks. I also finally figured out the crochet edge on my shawl that has been sitting unfinished for approximately a month. When I figured out how simple the edging was I was so mad at myself for not attempting it sooner. I think committing to not starting any new shawls until that one was finished was all the motivation I needed and now that shawl is finally blocking.

I've also just completed blocking the swatch for the Mystery Stole 3 KAL. I'm so glad MS3 came along and that I joined since this project actually has me excited to knit again. For the last 2 weeks, I haven't hardly even looked at my needles, let alone knit with them. Now that my swatch is complete, I'm anxiously awaiting the first clue for MS3, especially since I'm knitting with the Lane Borgosesia Cashwool yarn I picked up at the Loopy Ewe. It wasn't in the budget, but I honestly have been wanting a black shawl for myself and since there was no black laceweight in my stash, I HAD to shop!

By the way, the other photo is just a few more skeins of the Panda Cotton yarn in ivory. I didn't want the Cashwool to ship all by itself from The Loopy Ewe, so the Panda Cotton joined it in the journey to my home. I think it will be perfect for another pair of summer socks.

My PJ's

I've had these silly things finished for a few days, but finally got the photos taken, so here are my new PJ's (PandaCotton Jaywalkers)

Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina
Pattern Source: MagKnits September 2005
Yarn: Crystal Palace Panda Cotton in Faded Jeans
Needles: (2) Knit Picks Circulars size 2.5mm (1 1/2 US)

Modifications: Knit toe-up using Judy's magic cast-on. In the pattern stitch, I knit 5 stitches in between the increase and decrease stitches instead of the 7 or 8 as the pattern states. If I were to knit these again with this yarn, I'd do 6 stitches in between the increase and decrease sections. It's not that they are tight, but I would prefer them a bit less "snug". I also chose to shorten the leg section to make these more of a summery ankle-length sock.

Notes: I'm definitely in love with this yarn. It is PERFECT for the California (or warm climate) sock-knitter. It's soft, a bit stretchy, comes in a great assortment of colors and not only does it feel light-weight and a bit "airy", but it's antimicrobial. It does split a bit, but not any more noticeable than my current yarn (Regia Silk 6-ply). I was originally going to knit Sockbug's Crooked Cable Socks, but because I couldn't get gauge, I had to abandon it and remembered that the Jaywalker pattern could probably be easily modified. By changing the amount of stitches in between the increases and decreases, I was able to easily "get gauge" and knit the perfect pair of ankle socks for the summer.

Yes, if you click on the photos for larger, you'll notice my horribly hairy legs. My husband was on a 3 day business trip and I haven't been feeling well enough to go anywhere, so I figured .. what's the point? Now I'm starting to regret that decision. Forever, my hairy legs will be captured in time on my blog on the Internet for all to see ..... (sigh).

Since all the "cool kids" are doing it, I just joined the Mystery Stole 3.

I find something intriguing about not knowing what the finished object looks like. I'm most definitely stepping out of my comfort zone for this. Who else is joining in? What yarn are you using? If you're not participating, why not?

My Perfect Monkey

Before I get to the good stuff, I must apologize for being absent for so long. I can't believe it's been two weeks of no blogging, emailing or anything. Too much has been going on here for the last 2 weeks, and unfortunately I chose my computer time as the thing that had to stop for a bit. So in case you're wondering what has had me MIA for the last 2 weeks, it's mainly been just too much going on coupled with severe exhaustion, since my health problems have not improved (see note at the bottom of this post). I do promise to catch up on all my emails and blog reading by this weekend, so please be patient with me. I've missed so much so this will be fun to catch up on what you've all been up to for the last 2 weeks.

I have been doing a tiny bit of knitting in between all the things that have been going on, so first up, here's My Perfect Monkey Socks!

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A.
Pattern Source: Knitty.com Winter 2006
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM, P43835
Needles: Knit Picks 2.5mm (2 - 24" circulars)

This is my 2nd pair of Monkeys but my first time knitting with the Koigu. Although I think my first pair of Monkeys flopped, I definitely LOVE this pair. Then again, how can you go wrong when you pair up the perfect pattern, yarn and needles?

Of course I knit these from the toe-up using Judy's Magic Cast-On and utilized instructions from past correspondence with Judy to do the toe and heel modifications to make the pattern work. Thank you! Without Judy's guidance in teaching me how to convert patterns, I'd still be stuck knitting everything from the cuff down. ...not that there's anything wrong with that.

If you've never knit with Koigu KPPPM, I most definitely recommend that you either get to your LYS or find some online and order it immediately. If I had any idea how utterly fabulous this yarn is, I would have bought more than 2 skeins. Sadly, I have no more Koigu in my stash, but it is at the top of my priority list when my wallet recovers from the purchase of DH's birthday gift.

Since I've received a few requests, I'm considering writing up my version of the Monkey pattern written toe-up. Of course I think I'll need to contact the designer first for her permission, so when that happens (or not), I'll post that information here.

A final note totally off topic. For those of you who have inquired, I finally have news regarding my health problems. There has been much drama surrounding everything and I blame it on switching to a HMO doctor, but suffice it to say, I do not have diabetes. YEAH! Big party at my house right now! What I DO have is a sub clinical hypothyroidism, which means my body is not producing enough of the thyroid hormone. My doctor has chose NOT to treat this condition with medication. Obviously ... he's an arsehole. If he had my symptoms (severe fatigue, muscle pain,weight gain, and messed up menstrual cycles), he'd be medicating himself in a heartbeat. What's especially frustrating is that the medication has NO side effects unless your dose is too high, and those side effects are actual very mild. Needless to say, I'm going to be picking up my medical records and finding a new doctor.

Monday Mish Mash

For those of you who live under the rock next door to my rock, you've got to check out Ravelry . For those of you who have an invite left .. can you please invite me? I'm DYING to try this out since I'm an anal-retentive organizing nut and this looks like it's right up my alley! I don't know if I'm patient enough to wait for it's full release.

Although I have no socks on the needles and haven't had for a week (gasp), I've signed up for the Summer of Socks 2007 KAL. I've thankfully fulfilled my SAM 3 KAL requirements for May and have forbid myself to cast-on for another pair of socks until I finish the Debbie Bliss Matinee Coat for my new neice Molly. You would think this would be HUGE motivation for a sock fiend like me, but even though this was off the needles and blocking last month, so far I've only managed to seam it. To officially complete it, I still need to knit the edging around the neckline and then put it in the mail to my sister. Thank goodness it's knit for a 6 month old!

And if having one project on the needles for a neice wasn't enough, I'm also working on a purse for my eldest neices birthday. I've knit this bag once before for another neice and this neice saw it and said she *had* to have one too. This has been a really quick knit and all I have left are the i-cord handles and felting. She'll be visiting me the last week of this month, a few days after her birthday, so it will be fun to give her this in person instead of sending it off in the mail.

The VLT shawl (which looks like a blog) is still in progress and I think I'm on track to have it complete by my mother-in-laws birthday next month. I'm not sure I'm going to use the edging shown in the book, but I'm not sure what else would look nice. Any suggestions?

For those of you who love podcasts and/or love scrapbooking, you absolutely must check out my friend Lain's ScrapHappy Podcast. Currently, I'm not into making scrapbooks (which is the main focus of this podcast), but I just love that her podcast. Last episode she was stating that if a scrapbooking tool doesn't have mutliple uses, she doesn't keep it around, so she had taken her ribbon straightening iron into her bathroom to see if it would also straighten her hair! Her last 4 podcasts are all in the 15-20 minute range, so if you want a treat, go subscribe. Oh, and if you do.. please tell her I sent you.

Snake River Socks

My May SAM 3 KAL socks are complete and these are also socks for my mother for Mothers Day. Unfortunately, I didn't realize until towards the end that a more appropriate pair should've been knit in spring colors, but since these are complete and there's no time to knit another pair, they will have to do.
Pattern: Snake River Socks
Pattern Source: PersistentIllusion.com
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in Green Mountain Madness
Needles: (2) KnitPicks Circular size 1 US
Notes: This is my first time knitting with Cherry Tree Hill yarn and let me just tell you it will definitely not be my last. Although the colorway isn't one of my favorites, I must confess that the yarn was heavenly sliding through my hands to the needles. So far, this pattern has been one of my favorites not only because it was written toe-up for two circular needles, but because it was so simple to follow. These socks also fit my feet probably better than any I've ever knit. I suppose if they don't fit mom, she could send them back to me. I'll definitely keep this pattern in my sock binder to knit again in the future, but I'll probably add the yarn overs as in the inspired River Rapid Socks just for something new.

Those silly dogs of mine kept running through all my photos, so I thought I'd include one to show you. Although the photo of the socks isn't the best (and you have to deal with my hairy white legs), I just though it was fun to include a photo of what it's like to be out on my backyard patio.

Also, remember those stitch markers I've been bugging all of you about? Well Ana opened her new online store, so please go take a look around. I can't believe her low low prices!

Beautiful Baudelaire's

My April SAM KAL 3 socks are completed and ready to wear ... well, ready to wear if I weren't currently wearing sandals.

Pattern: Baudelaire by Cookie A.
Pattern Source: Knitty.com Summer 2006 issues
Yarn: Socks That Rock lightweight in Jasper
Needles: (2) KnitPicks Circulars size 1 US
Modifications: Judy's Magic Cast-On

Notes: I *so* love that this pattern was written from the toe up. Maybe I had a bad experience with cuff down socks or something, but toe up socks just feel natural to me. Also, after having to convert the last few sock patterns I knit, it was nice just to follow the instructions as written. I also am glad that I was able to see Cookie demonstrate these socks on a recent Knitty Gritty episode since she does an interesting modification to the short row heel. When the directions say to wrap and turn, she instead turns her knitting and then does a wrap (yarn over). It's really very clever and I much prefer it to the normal wrap and turn method. The 8 row 22 stitch pattern repeat was fairly simple and at some point on the leg section, I finally had it memorized. I also really liked the added touch of the cable going up each side of the leg next to the lace pattern. As usual, Cookie hits a home run.

I've finally acquired a smallish sock yarn stash now and have quite a few wonderful patterns, so now it's just narrowing down the choices. Since DH's birthday is in June, maybe I should knit a pair for him?