Sock it to me 2009 - The International Story

I have finished my first pair of socks for 2009 - you didn't think it was going to be long before some socks showed up around here surely?

When we went to Florida at the beginning of December it is just possible that I got to visit the very wonderful Sip n' Knit in Maitland, and ever so slightly possible that Father Christmas , or several of Father Christmas' helpers had a little falling down swiping the credit card as he passed in time honoured tradition.

There was yarn - beautiful, beautiful, unusual yarn in a myriad of colours and from companies that I can't get in England unless I ship it in myself. However, as it was a pre-Christmas falling down, it wasn't until Christmas day that I got to play with it.

H, despite occasional protestations to the contrary, is I suspect beginning to be quite a fan of yarn shopping. He can recognise a sock yarn at 50 paces and will pull out the colours he likes to add to the mix. These first socks are for my feet, but are a colour that he insisted that I get:


Pink and orange. They remind me of Licorice Allsorts - the proper Bassets sort - particularly the coconut rolls, pink and orange with the blue/black licorice centre, and the orange-licorice-white stripy sandwich ones - so these are the Coconut Rolls socks.

I started them on the way back from visiting the in-laws last Sunday and finished on Friday, and they spent most of yesterday here:

Perfect. The yarn is truly international - it is Online Linetto in colour 1097; a German sock yarn, made in Italy, shipped to the USA and brought back to the UK in H's golf bag. I'd hate to calculate the 'yarn miles' on that one.

Interestingly, I've found that my tension has tightened up a bit on socks, I used to knit 60st socks for myself but those pink ones are 64 and they fit a treat. I think it might be that as I've knit more socks I've got much faster, particularly for straight stst socks and that my tension for high speed knit stitch is just that fraction tighter. Has anyone else found this or am I merely odd, sorry unique.

Speaking of St Nick's Elves, my parents decided that my Christmas present should come in the form of 'American Yarn Vouchers', which to the untrained eye look like green presidential flashcards. Our instructions were to acquire something that I could not get in England and would really like.

Mum is visiting at the moment [Daddy having been abandoned to his own devices which have so far included locating the steak which she had hidden (her words not mine) in the freezer and eating it for supper!] and so has seen and approved:


My Christmas yarn bouquet! The gorgeousness that is Berocco Seduce

- a slightly slubby rayon, linen, silk and nylon mix in my favourite shade of cloudy ocean that is unlike anything I have ever seen in England. Sip 'n Knit had samples knit up into swishy summer tops and I fell in love. All I need now is a summer - anyone seen one of those recently? We can but dream.