Therapy...

Recently, a conversation was had at my parents' house. It began with a discussion of the newly released movie, The King's Speech. I had heard there was a lot of profanity in the movie, and my father was explaining that it was a necessary part of the story as apparently, just as stutterers can sing without stuttering, they can also curse without stuttering. So in this particular case, the cursing was...therapy. (Upon hearing this, my husband cheered.)

The conversation then took a turn and we began discussing the socks I was knitting, and the fact that I had recently walked into a yarn store to find no fewer than 5 men knitting along with the ladies in a knitting group. Now I had heard that there are men out there who knit, but I'd never actually seen them in real life. It was fabulous!

Anyway, this led the conversation around to the rumor that Russell Crowe is a knitter. And it was suggested that perhaps he used the knitting to control his temper--as opposed to the therapy described above. :)

At any rate, I did manage to finish my January socks with one day to spare, and just in time it seems. Yesterday we had a high of 81 degrees--today the expected low is 18!!! There are two things that make this forecast bearable: 1) This is Texas, and it can be 18 degrees today, but chances are that before the week is out, it will be closer to 80 again, and 2) I have a lovely pair of Merino Wool socks to wear with my boots to keep my tootsies toasty!

I also finished the stocking cap for the neighbor boy and yesterday I found the yarn to finish his matching scarf. I'm betting he's wishing I had found that yarn a bit sooner right about now...brr! (I'll get a picture once both are finished.)

I also finished the beret for the birthday party TWO DAYS EARLY! It is modeled here by my lovely daughter--I've not yet seen the birthday girl with it on...but perhaps now that it's frigid outside, I will!

And I was able to finally get a picture of my mother-in-law in the sweater that I knit for her this Christmas.

Yesterday, I started on my February socks. I am making them for the girl for Valentine's Day. They are made from a beautiful fingering weight wool/bamboo blend in a muted red that does NOT bring the Nebraska Cornhuskers to mind, and therefore does not make me twitch. The pattern, however, has caused much twitching, gnawing of fingernails, and gnashing of teeth.

This pattern is apparently not for the beginning knitter, or even the somewhat-experienced knitter, this pattern is definitely for the advanced knitter--which I am not. I managed to work 13 rows of a 16 row pattern before I dropped 3 unrecoverable stitches and had to frog the entire thing...sigh.

I cast on again and managed 3 rows of ribbing before I noticed that I had cast on too few stitches and had to start over....again.

At this point, I am seriously considering switching to that other form of therapy....