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January 17, 2007
Orange You Glad
Three day weekends aren't the only perk for this public servant. I also have my very own, very nice, very private office. And that means I can take photos like this:

And this:

I can even take a photo showing you the oh-so-pretty picot edge.

Yes, gentle reader, the orange Opal socks were finally completed last weekend. They fit perfectly and I love them. Of course, I always love Opal socks - it's the knitting of them that doesn't always thrill me. You see, to get Opal socks to fit me correctly I need to knit 72 stitches on size 0s and this makes for socks that take a looooong time to finish - almost a whole month for these. I'm going to have to knit for someone with smaller feet if I'm going to make my goal of 20 pairs of socks this year.

Nevertheless, they were worth it and my feet are toasty. Given that the predicted high today is only 23° (thanks, Dave), that's a very good thing.
Posted by Carole at January 17, 2007 7:00 AM
Comments
Very nice! Opal has become my go-to yarn for "pretty but mindless" stockinette socks. I love how soft they get after washing.
Posted by: Ruth at January 17, 2007 7:05 AM
Those are beautiful socks! The Opal yarn is so pretty.
It sure is chilly this morning. But I think we've been spoiled and this really is normal January.
Posted by: Karen at January 17, 2007 7:19 AM
Can you believe this weather??? I've got my handknit socks on right now. That's a nice Opal yarn that you used there.
Posted by: Dave Daniels at January 17, 2007 7:21 AM
It must be good to be the big cheese :)
Great socks, love the picot!
Posted by: Debi at January 17, 2007 7:25 AM
Finally wintery weather! Baby it's coooooold outside!
I don't know what it is about orange. I simply love the color. Now I want some of that Orangey Opal! The picot edge is a really lovely touch. I hope they keep your feet nice and toasty today.
Posted by: Kirsten at January 17, 2007 7:35 AM
Perfect orange stripey socks. Love them. I have to knit trekking at that gauge too... they take a looooong time.
Posted by: akonzen at January 17, 2007 7:35 AM
They are lovely. You think you have it bad, though: my Trekking sock is 120 sts around. That's right, 120. That could go a long way to explaining why there's still only one.
Posted by: Lucia at January 17, 2007 7:47 AM
We may not even hit 20. The socks look fabulous...just too much fun!
Posted by: margene at January 17, 2007 8:00 AM
i love the orange stripes. i'll have to talk to the boss, my office isn't nearly as nice as yours (although at least i have an office).
Posted by: maryse at January 17, 2007 8:00 AM
I love orange so much - such a great cheery color! I regularly have to knit with 72 stitches on size 1s for Lorna's. I don't want to contemplate the three balls of Trekking I have in my stash. 80 stitches on 0s? It is a horrifying possibility!
Posted by: meg at January 17, 2007 8:06 AM
I'm going to have to give Opal a try. Nice toasty socks.
Posted by: Manise at January 17, 2007 8:10 AM
Hmmm....nice office! I made socks with that yarn and love them!
Posted by: Kim at January 17, 2007 8:11 AM
They turned out great! Nice and cheery on a winter day. I have socks in that that same style of Opal, only yellow! Heh, I feel your pain - I have to knit 72 st on 0s for myself, too - and I have size 11 feet. :)
Posted by: Chris at January 17, 2007 8:28 AM
You have a red leather ipod cover?? Oh my heart!
Posted by: Judy at January 17, 2007 8:34 AM
Aren't they pretty! I wish I had an office...I'm like "Les Nesman" from WKRP...imaginary walls & door!
Posted by: Robin at January 17, 2007 8:49 AM
I love the socks! I have only knit a few baby socks and just one lonely adult sock so far since I began knitting a year and a half ago. I am going to make my next pair for myself out of the Opal. Thanks for the inspiration! And speaking of cold weather -- it was -8 degrees at one point on my drive here today. Brrr.
Posted by: Sue at January 17, 2007 8:59 AM
72 stitches on size 0's!!!!!!! Ouch! That's a lot of stitches in those socks. They are lovely, though :)
Posted by: Julie at January 17, 2007 9:05 AM
Ooh, those look cozy. Great way to brighten a cold day!
I have some Opal in the tiger colorway up in the stash. But size 0's...I don't know. ;)
Posted by: Katy at January 17, 2007 9:31 AM
Lovely socks! I am a big fan of Opal sock yarn too. When I first started making socks I made a bunch of them on 0's. What was I thinking? Now I try to never use that size. It kills my hands.
Posted by: Karen at January 17, 2007 9:32 AM
You knew I would love those, didn't you?
Posted by: Norma at January 17, 2007 10:02 AM
Opal is my fav too, but I do 72 stitches on size 1 needles............it's a bit faster, but not much. So just for faster gratification, I almost always have a spare sock on size 2 needles going at the same time.
Posted by: christine at January 17, 2007 10:02 AM
Great socks! And your desk is so clean...I wish my desk was that clean!
Posted by: nova at January 17, 2007 10:02 AM
Opal is my fav too, but I do 72 stitches on size 1 needles............it's a bit faster, but not much. So just for faster gratification, I almost always have a spare sock on size 2 needles going at the same time.
Posted by: christine at January 17, 2007 10:02 AM
So sunny and festive for a gray winter day. And they do fit perfectly!
Posted by: Leah at January 17, 2007 10:04 AM
I have wool socks on too but I still think my toes got frostbit. I'm sitting here shivering in my Dale sweater and coat. Our heating system is struggling a bit! Seriously, I might go home.
Posted by: MArtha at January 17, 2007 10:05 AM
Those are the perfect socks for a cold day! Great cheery stripes. What is that Opal yarn called?
Posted by: gale (she shoots sheep shots) at January 17, 2007 10:15 AM
Well then, I guess you won't be knitting socks for me and my size 10 feet. Love the orange socks! 72 stitches is what I usually use but I can get away with size 1s.
It must have been a roast chicken/mashed potatoes kind of weekend 'cause that's what I made on Saturday. No coconut cake though!
Glad you liked the math problem on my post. She came up with that all by herself.
Posted by: Lisa at January 17, 2007 10:19 AM
I've never knit with Opal before and although I don't want to knit a pair of socks for a month, yours turned out so beautiful it may be worth it!
I LOVE your picot edge detail! I'll have to try that in the future on a pair of socks although when I tried to do it on my Fetchings, it looked horrible!
Posted by: ~Kristie at January 17, 2007 10:47 AM
I love that the big cheese is wearing socks that remind me of the color of kraft mac and cheese :o) They look great!
Posted by: amanda at January 17, 2007 10:47 AM
Ah, Opal! My first pair of socks were Opal. I knit them on 1s with 80 sts and I'd have people asking me if I was knitting them for a baby. I was a much tighter knitter then and I did K3, P1 rib. They hold up really well though.
Posted by: Kristi aka Fiber Fool at January 17, 2007 10:53 AM
I love that picot edge. It is SO cold out. The hubby said this morning, "I don't know why you Massachusetts people are always complaining about the cold. I'm from California and am fine with it." Bah!
Posted by: Kathy at January 17, 2007 11:23 AM
Yours are making me rethink my attitude toward picot-edged socks. But not about my attitude toward size 0 needles ;-) Great socks and a great photos!
Posted by: kmkat at January 17, 2007 11:24 AM
Nice sockage! I love the picot - maybe I'll finish my current pair with a picot edge, just for a little variety...
Posted by: JessaLu at January 17, 2007 11:47 AM
Pretty! Love those little picots!
Posted by: Cookie at January 17, 2007 12:04 PM
lovely orangie socks.
You know, 72 stitches on size 0 was what I just did for my daughter - and I totally agree. It took fa-evah!
Posted by: Teyani at January 17, 2007 12:13 PM
I've got size 5 1/2 feet. Just sayin.
Posted by: Monica at January 17, 2007 1:06 PM
I love the socks but, almost more than the socks, I love that you took that picture in your office. You're the bomb!
Posted by: Susan at January 17, 2007 2:01 PM
ONLY 23? PA - lease. Yesterday's high was 7 here in MN. Just means we get to wear our socks longer in the year I guess.
Posted by: Deb at January 17, 2007 2:14 PM
Perfect timing for new cozy socks! They look great.
Posted by: jillian at January 17, 2007 2:20 PM
The socks look great! But size 0 needles, that would make me poke out my eye.
Posted by: Mindy at January 17, 2007 3:02 PM
Lovely orange socks. I have the same benefit of being able to take pictures in my office.
Posted by: Stephanie at January 17, 2007 4:17 PM
Great socks!
Posted by: Kelly at January 17, 2007 5:12 PM
Great socks! Very cheerful colors, but the size 0 needles and 72 stitches--ouch.
Posted by: Brenda at January 17, 2007 5:42 PM
I wear a size 6 ;-). 62 stitches on size 1s, although my mosaic socks were 58 on size 3s. ;-)
Posted by: Anne at January 17, 2007 7:44 PM
Love the orange! So fun!
Socks take me forever because of my size 10 "boats"... I have never tried socks on a 0 - 1 is the lowest I go!
Posted by: Lolly at January 18, 2007 7:13 AM
Those socks are great, but the private, knit blog photo shoot-safe office is even better!
Posted by: molly! at January 18, 2007 7:45 AM
Opal is still my favorite sock yarn, though STR will probably dethrone it eventually. My Opal socks all wear really well (haven't lost one yet--even the pair J. ran through the dryer are still in good shape) and I love the zillion and one fun colorways. :-)
And, of course, one cannot go wrong with orange...
Posted by: Beth S. at January 18, 2007 10:55 AM
Ohhhh, those are pretty. Makes you think of spring. I haven't yet tried knitting with opal sock yarn.
Posted by: Becky in FL at January 18, 2007 10:59 AM
I'm telling you, a month is light speed for some of us. Very pretty, especially the picot.
Posted by: Laurie at January 18, 2007 2:20 PM
I just found your blog and had to laugh when I saw "Orange you Glad" because that was our Christmas theme this year - "Orange you Glad it's Christmas?" And you guessed it - everything was orange, from the tree decorations to the presents. It was so much fun. Your socks would have fit right in!
Posted by: Pat at January 18, 2007 3:32 PM












