Last Finished Objects of 2009 (originally written on January 2)

Happy new year everyone. The break is almost over, and I'll be returning to work on Monday morning, quite possibly with the wedding afghan in tow (to work on during lunch).

The break went by in a blur, readily helped by the fact that I had acute bronchitis for a good week ... and thought it was just a bad chest cold. I'm better now, thanks to a speedy doctor's visit, a chest x-ray, and lots and lots of antibiotics.

Anyway, I have some pictures to show ...
For those not on the East Coast of the United States, there was a blizzard on Saturday, December 19th. There was a lot of snow. My part-time job ended several hours ahead of schedule, which meant I, in a fit of brilliance, decided to drive to the nearest train station and catch a ride to Manhattan for the blizzard.

Here are the socks in progress in the car...

And here they are, finished!
Thuja socks, pattern by Bobby Ziegler.
Barely used up two skeins of Artyarns Supermerino in colorway 151 Calypso, purchased at Knitting on the Lamb in Huntington, NY.
Knitted on US 6 dpns. Started on December 5, finished on December 22nd. They are warm, comfy, and fit perfectly.

Pink Thujas

This led to ...

This.

The first half of my Thuja socks are finished ... and wow, I do not think I have ever been this ridiculously happy with a grafted toe before. When the second sock is finished (this took me four days. FOUR DAYS. My goal is to finish the second sock by Saturday), I'll take lots of pictures ... and show off the grafted toes. The yarn information will also be posted. Bwahaha.

This project has been generating conversation with my coworkers. Most of the women think the colours are adorable, and the men are asking me to knit pink socks for the other men. Erm. Maybe if they buy the yarn and don't expect anything until next summer.

I also had a major revelation today concerning Julie's second sock project. It doesn't need to be insanely complicated. I could just do a simple sock in stockinette.

...

Also ... does anyone know how to correctly pronounce Thuja? Is it "thew-JA" or "thew-ya"?

GRRRR!

I know that I definitely own a pair of size US 6 dpns. In fact, in my last post, you can see them jutting out of the Eggplant Socks.

I cannot find them.

Now, if I had not used these dpns since Summer '06, that would be perfectly understandable as to why I cannot find them. However, I used them as recently as mid-October of this year, knitting a baby beret that there is no record of on Ravelry. Ah, that's why. I knitted the Baby Beret from the ever-so fabulous (and aptly named) Wacky Baby Knits by Alison Jenkins. Back to my story. My US 6 dpns were used, they were fabulous, and now I cannot find them.

On Saturday morning I actually drove out to Michael's at 9 in the morning to buy these precious tools, but the only size sixes available were in the circular variety ... which I foolishly bought.

My brain has trouble processing two sets of circs for in-the-round projects, especially for socks. Until I either a) find my wandering US 6 dpns (which are in a lovely Brittany wood, if I do so recall, so nice and soft and supple in my hands) or b) buy some cold, hard Susan Bates, for they are cheap and I must save money ... the Thujas shall not be cast on.

Artyarns Addict?

I seem to be obsessed with Artyarns Supermerino.

Cue: it's been several years, but I bought my *third* massive purchase (massive being more than one skein) of Artyarns Supermerino, this time in colorway 151 Calypso ... for ... yes ... Thuja socks. I walked into Knitting on the Lamb, and emerged with three skeins of pink stripey happiness.

The first time I knit up some Thujas, it was the first time I had ever knitted socks ... and it was for a now-ex boyfriend. I was hooked after I finished that pair. They rocked. They were green. I post a picture of them here, but they do show the ex's feet, and I have a feeling that won't go over too well with him.

The second pair of Thujas I knit was the summer after that, in 2006. They were my mom's birthday present, and I call them her eggplant socks. They are purple, and as I ran out of purple for the toes, I finished them off with the leftover green. Here's an image of one of the socks in progress, sans green toes.

So tonight I have my three little skeins, sitting in my lap, and when I return from dinner I plan on winding them up. Never mind the other sock I need to cast on for Julie, the Celtic Knot afghan for Sean and Becky, the scarf for my nephew, the hat for my niece. It's getting colder out and I need socks, dammit.