This blanket is a pattern by Jared Flood called Umaro. It’s a super quick knit so much so that I’ve run out of yarn…and I can’t find it anywhere. Ack! I know, I know – I should buy all the yarn I need all at the same time so I insure the same dye lot, etc. After 34 years of knitting I should know that by now. But these days I just buy my yarn one 40% off coupon at a time.

{{sigh}}

So if you happen to see Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Butterscotch at any of the local yarn outlets PLEASE let me know. I’m dying here. Although it’s probably a good thing to give my hands a little break. Going from size 0 needles to size 15 has left my hands feeling a little sore. I’m not sure how much longer I can knit.

I suspect this shop has been around for awhile (one year? two years?) but it’s new to me. And what a lovely shop it is. Claddagh yarns has a nice selection of Noro and Koigu – stuff you can’t find anywhere else.

The owner, Amanda Fernández, who was working on some interesting toe-up socks, was very warm and welcoming. She mentioned that her table is always open for impromptu knitting. There were lots of beautiful items in the window.

Do stop by and give her your business if you’re in town.

Not exactly. For the record, I completed 11 pairs of socks in 2013 but lost steam in December – for a variety of reasons. Pictured above is the pair that I’m currently working on. I always have to have a pair of socks going…and these aren’t the only ones in progress.

I did manage to complete the pair of Embossed Leaves socks and persuaded co-worker, Amy, to model them in a park near our workplace.

Cute, aren’t they?

Ok so the pair are not quite finished but I’m about half-way on the second sock of the pair and hope to have them finished in the next two weeks – in time for gift giving. Now the race is on to finish pair #11 and #12 before the end of the year. Ack!

(More details about this sock in a previous post. The pattern is Embossed Leaves and this is my fourth time knitting it. Love love LOVE this pattern.)

I finished these a few weeks ago but haven’t had a chance to post them until now.
My lovely co-worker, Jenn, graciously agreed to model. Isn’t she great?

I wanted a record because the socks were quickly gifted to a young lady on the occasion of her 14th birthday.
I hope she finds good use for them during the chilly fall weather.

I had my doubts about pulling off 12 pairs of socks this year, but I think I’m on track.

Pair #10 are zooming along and should be finished by the end of the month (right on time). The first sock of the pair was finished in just one week. Thicker wool and bigger needles make my knitting FAST. Don’t you just love the fall colors?

It’s Patons Kroy Socks Stripes BTW. Burnished Sierra I do believe.

And here’s a sneak peak of pair #11. I have never knit white socks but I’m very excited about this yarn that feral knitter gifted me (and I have a nice, textured pattern in mind). It’s Frog Tree Pediboo, a delicious blend of Merino wool and bamboo – and I must say a joy to knit. So wonderfully spongy. What a difference a good sock wool makes.

I’m hoping that pairs #10 and #11 will be ready for holiday gifts.

These are pair #7 of 2013. Gift to Ali.

These are pair #8. Not quite finished. Gift to Alicia – the only one with feet tiny enough to fit them.

And these are pair #9 in progress. I should have the first sock of the pair finished tonight. I’m going to sign off and do that right now.

Rest assured that, although I haven’t posted any finished socks recently, I am diligently working on pairs #7, #8 and #9. In fact sock pairs #7 and #8 are each 75% finished! And #9 are off to a good start.

Well diligently may not be the correct adjective here – it IS summer after all.

I leave you with a photo of my personal hand knit sock collection. As you can see, I have no shortage of socks but it’s ironic that I hardly wear socks anymore…now that I live in California.

Well it was there the whole time. And Janine confirmed it. As I was finishing up the socks for my mother (the sixth socks of 2013), and right as I snipped the yarn to kitchener the toe, I noticed the piece of paper rolled up inside the ball – which I had inexplicably never noticed before. I unrolled the paper to find out the dyer was Lisa Souza and you can still purchase her fine yarns here.

And believe it or not, I also found the tag for the yarn that I used on the other purple pair, the fifth socks of 2013.

So it looks like I’m all up to date! Better get busy on pair #7.