Stitches Haul, Day Two

We didn't do as much shopping on Sunday, but I managed to buy yarn for seven pairs of socks just the same.

To the left is a new sock yarn called Aussie something or other, purchased from the Have Ewe Any Wool booth. To the right is a discontinued sock yarn, Jojoland cashmere/merino, which we picked up for a fraction of its retail price.

I can't remember if I've told the story here of the black cashmere socks from Target. About three years ago, I found a pair of black cashmere-merino-nylon socks at the local Target. This was long before I ever anticipated ever knitting socks, let alone becoming a complete addict.

The black cashmere socks were special. They were warm -- I have a metabolic disease and have to fight hard to stay warm in these Chicago winters, so the socks quickly became favorites. Plus, they actually fit my little feet. Most socks are too big and sort of spin around and bunch up inside my shoes. This was the first pair I'd ever owned that didn't do that.

I scoured all the local Targets looking for more of these socks, and found only one pair. I wore those two pairs until they were literally threadbare and falling apart. It made me sad beyond words to have to throw them away.

And it's because of those socks that I took up sock-knitting. So when I saw the Jojoland cashmere-merino blend, I had to buy skeins in every color. You can call it nostalgia for the Target socks. Or you can call it lack of self-control in the market. But whatever you call it, you can bet that my feet will be happy this winter.