It seems somehow fitting that the last thing I tried to knit in 2007 had to be ripped out and redone in 2007.
I did two nice-sized gauge swatches, really thought that a #4 US (rather than the pattern's specified #3) would do it, but no: after about 3" I could tell that the
Béret Gaufré was going to be tooooo (large. I had to rip it all the way to the cast-on, then did it again. I've not quite made it as far as I was before, so can't check the size yet, but I'm hopeful.
I love berets. They're really the only hat I look good in. I am using
Sundara's worsted merino, and I had almost forgotten how luxurious it feels to knit with a really high-end, sproingy merino. My fingers are happy despite the small needle size and tight work (you knit the Béret Gaufré extra-tight, which adds some rigidity).
Meanwhile, my feet were cold, so I decided to make a new pair of
Rick's Socks. I don't usually feel like knitting a pattern I've knitted before, but this was the first pair of socks I ever made, and it's a nice fast comfy worsted-weight sock that calls for Paton's Merino. Since you can buy Paton's Merino in places like Michael's, I have a small stash of it around at all times. For this sock I use US #6 dpns. I knit these with short cuffs because they're meant as house socks and I like them that way, so I nearly got two socks out of 1 skein (just used a few yards of the 2nd skein). I don't really like purple that much, but it was that or some dreadful Pepto-Bismol pink (I must have planned some kind of multicolored, possibly felted, project at some point), so purple it was. For home that's not too bad.
I started these on Thursday night and finished them Saturday, which was good because I broke one of my little toes (just a tiny hairline fracture) on Saturday, and shoes hurt. At least around the house I can avoid shoes and just wear my new socks and keep my feets warm.
The color in the first image above is closest to correct.)
Finally, for your amusement, a label.
Please do not use it near the thing of the curtain.
