I needed one last project for the newsletter, and a few evenings ago (probably after a glass of wine), I decided it should be a pair of socks. Or—more precisely—one sock (because I only need one for the model shot). You see, I have a bit of a mental block when it comes to socks. I don't know where it came from. It has no rational basis in reality: I don't mind working on double-pointed needles, I am adept at short rows, I like finer gauge yarns. There is absolutely no reason why I shouldn't be churning out socks by the dozen and yet I think I've knit a grand total of five socks, and of those five, only two were a matched pair.

I haven't asked the husband if he remembers this, but once upon a time about 24 years ago, I made him come over to my dorm room so I could measure his feet for a pair of custom-knit socks. (What can I say?—I was overcome by love and the latest issue of Threads magazine containing detailed instructions for knitting socks, beginning with accurate measurements of the intended recipient.) And I can't remember if I ever did finish those socks, although he's lobbied for handknit socks for most of our married life so perhaps I did. Bad precedent.

Then there was the argyle sock for Level 2 of TKGA's Master Knitter program. Ugh. Sock. Colorwork. Intarsia. Seaming. I would have finished Level 2 in record time were it not for the six months I spent procrastinating because I didn't want to knit that argyle sock. But I did. And now it's tacked to the corkboard above the desk in my office as a reminder that I am an adult and if I don't want to knit argyle socks, I don't have to.

I've even taught a sock class, for pete's sake. I understand the construction of all kinds of socks: top-to-bottom, bottom-to-top, sideways, whatever. But I've never understood the attraction of socks. I still don't, not really, but I am willing to run with this and see where it goes. I'm going to finish this sock for the newsletter and then cast on for another one. I would like to refine the fit a bit (I have very wide toes) and come up with a custom design just for myself. I might even knit the husband a pair of socks, although I know what lies at the bottom of that slippery slope and it isn't pretty.

By the way, you won't find me using the Magic Loop or two circulars to knit my socks. I've tried both methods and I still prefer double-points. Call me old-fashioned. But to celebrate my new-found love of knitting socks, I should treat myself to a pair of these, don't you think?

DD#1 heads back to school on the train this evening. It's been fun having everyone here for Christmas but I am ready to get back to the regular routine. I'll be helping with inventory on Tuesday and Wednesday at Camas Creek. That's always a lot of fun. No doubt I will come home with sock yarn.