Our first morning in Ireland started out with breakfast and the best coffee of my life.
It was in a little pot, so I put sugar cubes in my cup, poured hot coffee over them and added half a cup of milk just the way I like. and it was still hot. Ya’ll, it was like angels singing.
Then we headed off to a river and lake tour aboard the Corrib Princess. Our tour group joined a boat half full with lovely Irish folks. Speaking of angels singing, one Irish gentleman, Dennis Clare of County Clare, sang Irish Ballads as we traveled up the beautiful river. It was transcendent.


Until they asked our group to sing. To say we were horrified is putting it mildly. Not a strong singer in the bunch and geographically diverse to boot, we had a hard time coming up with a song we all knew. We quickly chose America the Beautiful and it was a bit of a train wreck. There are some really high notes in there. They did not ask us to sing a second song.

Dennis agreed to take a picture with us and then picked it back up and we listened to more beautiful singing while enjoying the view.

There was a castle with vines growing all over it.

Swans meandered along.

You could practically see the fairies that lived in the little glens off the river.

It was magical.

As I was getting off the boat, Dennis was gracious enough to take a quick sock pic; I gave him a hug and he wished me luck in whatever road I go down. He is everything I thought an Irishman should be and I was completely charmed.

* My humble apologies to Dennis if he’s from a different county. It sounded like Clare to my Texas ears. I am sure his last name and his county were the same.

Pattern: Popped by Hunter Hammersen (I’ll let ya’ll know when the pattern is out.)

This pattern is not super stretchy, so you’ll want to try a sock on after one leg chart repeat to make sure you can get it over your heel. Don’t try it on after just the cuff ribbing. That’s a rookie mistake…that I totally made.

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Tonal

These are mostly wool; I can block more room into them. (Please don’t point out that “That’ll block out.” is NOT the voice of reason)

Colorway: Spring

I’m not a huge fan of how this yarn feels, given that I like my socks on the softer side, but the colorway got A LOT of compliments and I do love it when people admire my knitting.

Needles: Started with 2.25mm Sig. Arts DPN’s but the yarn was 1% splitty, and the cuff was kind of big, so I switched to 2.0mm wooden needles.


This is where you realize why I don’t sound more worried. I have a plan.

I know a knitter who is the Jackie Chan of blocking. I knit fine looking socks, and sometimes they go off for a wee vacation and come back looking like movie stars…and if her blocking magic doesn’t fix these puppies, they’ll be sacrificed on the alter of the 100 sock challenge without a second thought because as I said, several people were admiring them.

Ya’ll know I love a Plan B.

(I have the flu, so I’m posting a Christmas story.)
Let us first note that my brother’s wife (J) had until last fall, never commented on the blog. I assumed she was not a reader. So, I posted pics of the completed socks she was getting for Christmas and didn’t post a blog link on Facebook. No worries. Then, out of nowhere, J commented on HER socks! I thought something to the effect of “Sons of Biscuits! What are the odds?!?” but never said anything.
the rest of the story.
I handed J a Christmas package and she said, “OH! I hope it’s socks!”
me: “It’s better than socks?”
J: as she’s opening, “better than socks?” like she can’t imagine there is such a thing.
She opens the package and is surprised to find the socks that she admired on the blog.
me: “They’re award winning socks! They won honorable mention at the Texas State Fair.”
J was thrilled and immediately kicked off her shoes to try them on. They fit beautifully. WINNING!


At this point, she told me that she did not remember picking out the yarn (I can’t really imagine such a thing, but that’s what she claims) and thinking when she saw the really pretty socks on the blog that they were for one of my other sister’s in law, she was jealous and loved them. I was VERY pleased to have surprised her after all.

Ps. If you fancy a pair of Annetrelac socks for yourself, you might want to buy yourself some Schaefer Anne yarn. I’ve heard that the genius dyer at Schaefer is retiring.