Socks again and Christmas 2006!

First things first, Alex, I haven't decided what I'm going to do with the merino that I bought, apart from socks I rarely work with 4 ply thickness as its so time consuming. I do have a shawl pattern in fingering weight that I was thinking about, but I don't think it's the right pattern. While I decide I will content myself with stroking it and enjoying its softness.

Sock progress continues, this one is into the gusset decreases, I'm reasonably optimistic this will be finished thsi week, one more after that and I'll have my pair a day for a week milestone achieved.

This picture has another of my part knitted socks, it too is at the gusset shaping, it's growing nicely but is the first of a pair so I'm not sure if both socks will get done this month.

Below you can see the reasons why. I'm experimenting with knitting with Rowan DK cotton, I got it cheap some time ago and I'm testing it on a Debbie Bliss children's pattern to see how I get on with it. I've never made anything in cotton before - I don't like what feels like a lack of stretch to it, but this pattern is mostly ribbed so feels as if it will have more ease.

At the bottom is a test in Debbie Bliss cashmerino arran, bought cheap from eBay on the cone, I made a lasagne scarf with it then lost inspiration. I'm thinking this may be OK for gifts at Christmas this year and am testing it to see, so far I'm happy with the way the cables stand out, my picture doesn't really do justice to either of the cabled patterns. If these two patterns work out I will actually be using up stash yarn rather than buying more which I'm sure I was supposed to make some sort of resolution about this New Year?