My First FO of the Year

I have felt very alone.  In a way I am.  I did have my baby as my constant companion.  He was supposed to be there for the next eight months.  But he is gone, and it is a very empty feeling.

But I am not alone.  I have been the recipient of so much love.  My family, my friends, strangers who read my blog, they have all cared.  I am grateful for every kind word said to me, every hug real and virtual, every prayer offered on my behalf.  It all means so much to me.  Thank You.

The Greatest has been my rock.  He really is the greatest.  The man never ever takes time off work.  It doesn't matter how sick he is, how terrible he feels, he squares his shoulders back and soldiers on.  I don't think I've ever known him to take a sick day.  He didn't even take time off work when Sweet Pea was born (simmer down, before you get out the pitch forks, there were circumstances, and I supported him in foregoing his paternity leave at that time).  His work ethic is above reproach.

He's taken time off work to be with me through this.

He took over the cooking, and the cleaning, and the childcare, and the sitting beside me on the couch while I cried so I didn't feel alone.  He insisted I do nothing but sit and rest.  So while I sat I knit these.  My first FO of the new year.

Pattern:  Vanilla Latte Socks, (Rav link)

Yarn:  Gala Yarns, Mixed Fibers, 2 skeins

Needles:  Size 2 dpns

Modifications:  None, but I should have changed the toe.

Review:  So far I love these socks.  I love them so much.

These socks were just what I needed to knit.  I was sad.  Oh so sad.  I couldn't concentrate on anything.  I watched hours of TV but could not tell you what I watched.  Plot twists, character development, dialogue, it held no interest for me, but the noise kept me company.  I can't sit on the couch and just be still.  But the sweater I had been knitting was beyond my ability at that time.  Enter socks stage left.  I can knit a pair of plain socks in my sleep.  These socks were one step up from "plain vanilla socks."  The garter rib added visual and knitting interest without being too taxing on my overwhelmed brain.

It was a very well written pattern with several size (I knit the smallest size) and options for the heel and toe to choose from.  I liked that.  I followed the pattern exactly as written without any modifications.  I wish I hadn't done that.  Right before I kitchnered the toe the pattern had me reduce the stitch count from 20 to 16 by binding off the first stitch on each end of the needle.  I wish I hadn't done that.  I ended up with a hole in the toe on each foot.  I've never had a hole in my toe before.

Oh the shame.

Oh the horror.

Oh the humanity.  

Actually the hole doesn't bother me that much.  I just won't be doing that technique again.  Live and learn I guess.

Let's talk about this yarn.  It is so soft and smooshy.  These socks are very cushy on my feet as I walk around on my tile floor.  The yarn is called "Mixed Fiber" and precisely which fibers have been mixed to make this yarn is unknown.  It feels like there is a very high acrylic content.  I would even say there is a 99% possibly 100% acrylic content.  The label is suspiciously silent as to the actual fiber content.  In fact the label gave very little information about anything.  The weight was there, but it lacked yardage, or needle information or fiber content.  Important things for a knitter to know.  Ordinarily I would not buy such mysterious yarn.  If they are hiding their yardage what else are they hiding?  But I bought this yarn for $1 a skein.  At Big Lots.  These socks were $2.00.  

SCORE!

We only bought a few skeins that first day.  I wasn't sure if I would even like the yarn.  Turns out I am in love with this yarn.  We returned five days later to purchase some more.  The yarn sections was a crime scene.  It looked like a bloody massacre had occurred there.  Color ways were completely sold out.  All that remained on the shelf was some neon green fun fur and a few abused looking skeins with no labels that were coming unraveled.  I guess I'm not the only one who is in love with $1 yarn at Big Lots.

In my blood lust for more cheap yarn I made The Greatest drive me to another Big Lots location where we were able to pick up 20 more skeins of yarn.

CHEAP SOCKS FOR EVERYONE!