Saturday :: the everything hurts edition

Tis the season for aches and pains. Between pushing a bit too hard in yoga Thursday night and some headachey-throat-garbage, today = ugh...

But I have things to share and knitting and spinning is a worthy distraction from feeling sorry for myself. My knitting penpal, Christine and I did a single sock swap. We had planned this last year and it came to fruition this week. I have been waiting to share.



I chose the Marilinda sock by Cookie A. for Christine. I purchased some Woolen Rabbit Harmony Sock in Neptune and cast on before Inaugeration Day - thinking I would knit some Obama wisdom right into the leg. I loved this pattern - like most Cookie concoctions, it had just enough twists and turns to keep my interest. The heel flap was the most visually exciting I have done - the pattern runs down to the foot, a cable marks the center back right to the floor. I had done a lot of reading a Ravelry about how the gauge and fit was throwing people for a loop - I was thinking I chose lucky because that was not an issue for me - or so I thought. I really didn't make any significant changes on purpose. I did realize as I went to decrease for the toe that I had left 10 extra stitches on the sole - omg. But I had tried the sock on as I went and it was fitting. Christine's measurements up to the length of the foot are comparable to mine - I was stumped how I screwed up and yet it fit. So I went forward, promising to re-do it if it turned out not to fit the recipient. Strangely enough, it fit. So apparently, I did not choose lucky, I was just plain lucky.



In return, I got a Cookie A. sock also - you know what they say about great minds. The strange thing is that I had considered this sock hard before deciding finally on the Marilinda. Christine knit me the Marlene from the Fall/ Winter knit.1 in String Theory yarn, which I must attest - is super squishey. The rest of the swap package she sent simply (and literally) knocked my socks off. I need to go to swap school, because Christine's thoughtful package was amazing. Not just a perfectly fitting Marlene, but Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop in Pretty Woman...oh wait, that isn't the end either. Some gorgeous SW Merino Roving from an etsy seller, new to me, 1,000 Petals, candy, a pretty paperweight from another etsy person, 2 new books to read and an entertainment magazine with my Twilight loves in it. Wow - I was, and am speechless. Thank you!