To my mother, my dog, and clowns

(The title is a line from "Life on Mars", one of my favorite David Bowie songs.)
My family has apparently forgotten I have a name.

Today, we received two holiday greeting cards (from members of MY FAMILY, no less) addressed to Mr. And Mrs. Bob. This pisses me off. I am very proud and happy to be married to Bob, but this does not mean I NO LONGER HAVE A FIRST NAME. Neither Bob nor I see me as an extension of him. I have my own identity, personality, and name. Only the last name changed, and that was only because I've gone my whole life with a long-assed, difficult last name and wanted one with one syllable for once in my life. I did not change my first name, nor did I disencumber myself of who I am to become Mrs Bob. Ok? Ok.

It's been a bit of a hectic week. The Dread Holiday Knitting is complete, and I am at last able to work on things my own again. The last project finished was my mother's socks.



I think they came out quite well.



She admired this pattern (Kaibashira from Magknits) when I was making it for my elder daughter. Hopefully she's forgotten that I said I'd make her a pair and she'll be nice and surprised. They're made from the first Koigu yarn I ever bought. The colors are just beautiful and these went pretty fast, less than two weeks. I learned one important thing. The general instructions for knitting Magic Loop say not to pull the yarn tight between the needle transitions, but if you're working size one needles, you DO need to pull it tight, or you'll get ladders. I found this out when I had to rip out about four inches of sock (sparing the cuff, thank goodness), the ladders were just too severe and unacceptable.

So. I'm working on two pair of socks for myself. I'm on Ravelry (username Mensabuttercup if you want to add me, please feel free) and I belong to a group called "Sock Knitters Anonymous". Each month, there's a sock challenge, and those who meet the challenge are put into a "hat" for a random drawing for prizes. I actually won a prize, this gorgeous yarn from the Art Walk sock yarn club.


Of course I couldn't wait to start a sock out of something so pretty. It's becoming a pair of "Primavera" socks.

It started out innocently enough, but soon developed a spiral.


I don't mind it so much though.


The yarn is truly a premium sock yarn, something I'd probably never buy due to the expense so I'm really enjoying working with it. A rare treat.

The "Hundertwalkers" march on, slowly now. I'd put these down for a month or so because of holiday knitting and it's nice to get back to them, but dang. 100 stitches around on size zero needles takes FOREVER.



That is one gorgeous self-patterning sock, though. Oh, those colors.

That's about it.

Hopefully I'll get to update before, but if not, have a blessed Yule.