valentines

ted's socks, originally uploaded by alsoanno.

we were having a conversation on the sockknitters list about our dream yarns.. one gal had a gift certificate to spend and was surveying the community as to what we would spend it on, what we wanted to try and one of the things on my short list was the merino/tencel blend I'd seen around (along with shaeffer anne.. my sister gave me a hank of that for christmas, it's in line for.. soon.. and one of the bamboo blends and I forget whatall else I was lusting after at the time). This amazing gal on the list said she had a skein of the merino/tencel that wasn't the color she had hoped it would be and she'd be happy to send it to me if I'd like and of course I liked!

originally intended for her husband's socks, its destiny stayed similar and it became socks for my husband.. after the christmas knitting was done, and the socks for my trip were done (I did manage to make that trip with nothing but handknit socks, but I had to finish one along the way in order to pull that off!). here's a bad picture of the socks.. some day maybe I'll get a better one but you can at least see the pattern in this one.

I used the "almost argyle" pattern from knitpicks, with a bit extra length.. the pattern calls for the heel halfway through the second argyle pattern and I did it after the pattern was complete. I knit them on #2 needles hoping to wind up with a man-sized sock, because figuring out how to up the pattern from 64 stitches to the 72 I usually use for his socks was a challenge I didn't feel up to tackling at the time. I may do it yet. I wrote susan lawrence, the gal who designed the pattern, to see if by chance she had charted a 72 stitch version but she said she had not.. so.. now that I've done one pair and they're not a surprise anymore, perhaps I'll give recharting it bigger a go, and if it turns out beyond me, I can enlist ted's help. that sounds sorta architectural, doesn't it? so maybe he'd be good at it. :)

I *really* enjoyed knitting this yarn, and after I rinsed the socks out to block 'em they came so soft.. and light.. I think these will be able to be year-round socks for him, and a good choice for the arizona relatives for next christmas too. very yummy.

and speaking of yummy..

the valentines day cake. :) it's a bailey's irish cream cake only really it's a dooley's cake because I didn't have any bailey's.. it's white cake (I used a mix.. shhhh..) with bavarian cream in the middle (instant pudding, milk, cream, baileys, and.. maybe some butter.. something the first day wanted butter.. but maybe it was the cake..), and then coffee buttercream (lotsa butter, box of 10x sugar, and some really strong instant coffee) on the outside and fudge (cream, sugar, corn syrup, butter, semi-sweet chocolate) on top. mmmmmm. :) we owe thanks to my pal jan for the recipe.