Liberation

I wanted to start knitting these socks.

using this colourway.

I started with the 2.75mm needles the pattern calls for but the gauge was too loose. When I went to find some 2.5mm needles, I discovered I didn't have any long enough to knit them with 'magic loop'. I then had to hunt down a 2.5mm circular that was occupied by a UFO.

I found an appropriate one in socks I've been knitting for my friend, Robbie, who is halfway through his 12 chemotherapy treatments (to be finished in April). I only had the toe to finish in one and the foot and toe to finish in the other.

Last night was a big TV-watching night with the one hour pre-'Downton Abbey' show on Highclere Castle where some interiors of the show are filmed, followed by the 2-hour 3rd season opening episode. Then, because I have a tendency to be a 'night-owl' I watched the new episode of 'The Good Wife' starting at midnight. That gave me about 5 hours of knitting time and I got Robbie's socks done. They're the longest socks I've ever knit as he takes a size 12 shoe.

This Regia booklet of patterns supports their lovely Angora Merino premium line yarn which comes in several colourways.

These socks looks like they'd be fun to knit, too.

The Regia patterns are written quite differently from most that we see in North America.

• the basic patterns for all patterns in the book and all abbreviations are on the second page rather than in the body of each pattern
• the sizes are European (i.e. 38/39, 40/41)
• all measurements are in centimeters
• quantities of yarn needed are in total grams rather than in number of balls needed

The instructions are 3 columns on a page so I would use a sticky note to keep track of where I am in the pattern. The charts and legends are very easy to read.

So I've liberated the 2.5mm needle and look forward to casting on at my earliest opportunity.