I’ve temporarily put aside my FIL’s Christmas socks.  I finished the first one Sunday night.  No photos yet, but picture a large, brown, plain, boring sock.  I was following the directions I’d written out 4 years ago for the first pair of socks I made for Yannick but I had to rewrite them because a) I took out 4 sts (1 per needle) for a slightly snugger fit, and b) it turns out my gauge had changed a boatload in 4 years.  With Yannick’s socks (knit on 2.5mm needles with Regia Color 4ply yarn) my notes said that after knitting 200 rows (from the cuff down around the heel and up the foot) I would be ready to work the toe decreases.  For Marcel’s socks, also knit with 2.5mm needles and with Regia 4ply yarn, 200 rows put me right about the arch of the foot.  NOT where the toes normally go.  Apparently I wasn’t always a tight knitter – who knew?  In any case, I finished the first one (as I said) and I want to wait for my in-laws to get home from Floriday, sometime in the first week of December, so I can get him to try it on and make sure it fits before I knit the second sock.  Kinda kills the surprise but saves me the time knitting something that won’t fit.

To avoid fit issues with my mother-in-law’s socks, I brought the yarn and pattern to the Montreal Knitting Guild meeting last night.  We had some new members there, and Barbara came by with some of her fabulous toys.  (I can’t stop raving about the bat, I’m in love!).  Our featured speakers didn’t show up, so I spent the night swatching for the socks.  I’m knitting the Queen of Cups pattern from an old issue of Knitty.

I’m going to spend tonight hopefully parked in front of the TV, working on the socks.  My needles (3mm), yarn (Regia 4ply in black) and gauge (for the larger size) worked perfectly, so here’s to hoping that the socks will fit. 

And you all know the other stuff on my never-getting-smaller list of stuff I have to knit; Kayla’s Lace Cardigan, Valerie’s Sweater, Mack’s Dinosaur, Brigitte’s Mittens…it’s endless!

So why am I weak?  Because all I can think about is casting on something for ME.  I really, really, really, really want to start Veronik’s Oblique (from another old Knitty issue).  I keep thinking about it.  I want to wear it. 

I’m resisting temptation so far, but it’s hard.  I wonder…would winding one ball of my Oblique yarn take the edge off?  Or would it bring me closer to the edge?