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.

As you can see the sixth pair are not quite finished but I’ve been enjoying the symmetry of posting on the first of every month, so there you have it. These socks will be finished by June 14 because they are a gift for my mother on her birthday. Don’t worry  – it’s not a surprise. She already knows about them. I have promised my mother two pairs of handknit socks per year – one pair on her birthday and one pair for Christmas. I think I can manage that. Hopefully.

The lovely purple wool was given to me by my friend Janine, and she’ll have to tell you what it is.

Even though these are officially the fifth pair of socks completed in 2013, I have very little information to offer you about them. I believe I started them way back in February but I lost the wrapper to the wool so I don’t know the brand or make or fiber content. I bought the yarn on sale at K2Tog a few years ago. I CAN tell you that I made them extra long in a nod to my friend Janine who feels that socks won’t get worn if they’re not long enough (I disagree).

Any-hoo, sock production has slowed significantly around here owing not only to the beautiful, warm, summer-like temperatures but also to the demands of my new J-O-B. Nevertheless, I strive to always have at least one pair of socks on the needles and I’m currently nearing completion of the first sock in a pair of Spring Forward socks (how appropriate).

I’ve knit these pattern a few times already but never for myself. I don’t think this pair will be for me either as I’ve got PLENTY of socks  – I’ll share my personal sock collection with you soon.

So yeah, summer temps have turned my attention to gardening. My tomato plants have gone crazy! Planted on March 1, here is a shot of the plants two months later. From left to right: Cherry, Early Girl and Roma tomato plants.

I couldn’t decide which shot of Fifth Socks I liked best  – sometimes it’s so HARD to edit – so here’s another shot. My sister Liz is such a great sock model.

I am right on track to completing twelve pairs of socks in 2013 and actually a little ahead of schedule. Maybe I should make it THIRTEEN pairs of socks in 2013.

Here is the pair I recently finished for Marisa whose feet are so small, one ball was sufficient to make a pair. The ball contained 262 yards and I used nearly all of it. Hurry down to JoAnn’s if you want this fiber – I recently saw it on close-out.