The sun was wonderful today, the sky was as blue as a sky can be and all of a sudden the Christmas tree in our living room seems to be out of place. Had I not heard a coverage on the radio this morning about the 12 holy nights between Christmas Eve and January 6 (the so-called Twelfth Day) I would have sworn that Christmas is months ago …

Well, it is not. At least not on my blog. After all, I can show you now what I have been working on all through December. Those rubberduck socks for example. My sister loves rubberducks in all their nature and form of appearance and has quite a collection. Of course, I had to cast on a pair of socks for her, when Sophia discovered the pattern. I did it secretly though.

I started the first sock top-down (left) … only to realize that those ducks looked grumpy with their beaks not being a “v” but upside down. Hence, I frogged them and started over – this time toe-up (as suggested by the designer) and all at once they were much better (right).

Thereafter, I kept knitting happy ducks and in due time a pair of socks was done.

My first pair in a two-colored pattern and I have learned a lot. Not only, that one stitch can change everything. Furthermore, I know now that I need to cast on more stitches when knitting in two colors (60, not 48), that stretched ducks look funny and that even for socks gauge swatches may make sense. Because ducks are ducks and could not care less about foot length. Hence, one can only adapt the length of the sock by modifying the toe section or by changing the number of rows between ducks. And it is easier to calculate before knitting the actual sock than while …

What I really like is the variegated yarn. Regia Denim looks like water to me (hard to see in the picture).

What I do not like: pictures of socks. Whether you take them with or without a foot inside – they hardly ever look nice. Usually the wooden feet work wonder but not this time as they are to small (the heel is wrong placed). Sigh …