01 October, 2008

Socktoberfest

It's October. And even if I didn't have a calendar to tell me, I would know. I don't know how things are in your neck of the woods, but we Midwesterners don't need the calendar to tell us that the autumnal equinox has come and gone, and that Old Man Winter is on his way. These are signs of autumn here in Michigan:
  • I turned on the furnace, with the knowledge that it will not be turned off until May. 'Tis the season of high energy bills.
  • The leaves have just started to turn.
  • The first bags of Michigan apples appeared in grocery stores last week, and the Cider's a Pourin'!
  • Friends are talking about going to Uncle John's Cider Mill. It's not on the agenda for this weekend, but it will be very soon. The new denim jacket and Tweedy Mitts are ready to go.
  • On the agenda for this weekend—an Oktoberfest party, complete with bonfire.
  • Also on the agenda for this weekend—clean out the garage. I need to start parking my car in there so that I don't have to scrape off the frost every morning.
  • I want to eat nothing but soup and casseroles.
  • I'm tired. Part of this is that the munchkins are wearing me out, but it's also getting darker earlier. Time to hibernate. I could go to bed at 8:00 or 9:00 every evening.
  • Every pattern for scarves, hats, fingerless mitts, mittens, and socks looks like something I really want to knit. I mean, every pattern. I can't get enough.
So in honor of autumn, I am participating in Socktoberfest 2008, a month-long celebration of socks. This works out especially well for me, since I still have to finish a certain someone's birthday socks (only 17 days overdue) and knit a few other pairs for fall/winter birthdays. The best thing about Socktoberfest is that it's completely low-key... no pressure to finish anything by a certain deadline, unlike the Ravelympics. It's just a time to knit socks, to wear socks, to take photographs of socks, to celebrate socks. It's a FEST!

My Socktoberfest 2008 projects...


Finish sock #2, and reknit part of the foot and toe of sock #1.

Knit a pair of Spey Valley in Garnstudio Fabel and a pair of Blackberry Socks...


... in this yarn.

Participate in my first knitalong! Kirsten of Through the Loops has created a mystery sock pattern just for Socktoberfest. Participants get a portion of the pattern each week, and we have no idea what the finished socks will look like. Fun! A special project like this deserves a special yarn, so I'm going to use some of the yarn I purchased at Three Pines Studio this summer.



Isn't it the perfect autumn red? It's the color of apples.

The mystery sock cast-on will have to wait until tomorrow, however. Look at the time. Must go hibernate.

2 comments:

Lynn said...

OOH that yarn is beatiful! And thanks abt posting the KAL from Thru the Loops! I just joined over on Ravelry.

Jeevers said...

Those are MY SOCKS!
Love them!
"A Certain Someone"