I have finished my socks for both of my sock swaps. I'll post pictures here after I get the boxes out and my partners receive their goodies! I can hardly wait for the ladies to get them!
B loves to spin with me. I brought out my drop spindle a few weeks ago, and she had to spin too. I have a little one that don't use, so I gave it to her. I spun up a short length of yarn for her, and she had a blast "spinning" her own yarn. 
She also loves socks and handknit things, so I made her a pair of slipper socks out of the first yarn I spun on my wheel. It is slightly thick and thin, but was mostly a light worsted weight. I'll give you the numbers that I used, but it is just a basic sock recipe. I did not write out explicit directions and I assume that you are already familiar with basic sock construction. If you aren't you can find a pattern with pictures here.Size: Toddler size 6Yarn: 100 yds worsted weight handspun woolNeedles: US 3, (3.25mm) Loop Stitch: Knit 1, but so not remove stitch from left hand needle. Bring the working yarn to the front between the needle tips and wrap it around thumb. Bring the yarn to the back again, slip the stitch from the right needle back to he left, and knit it together with the original stitch. Another description with pictures can be seen here. Cuff: Cast on 36 sts. Work these 6 rows back and forthR 1: Work loop st. in every stitch.R 2: KnitRepeat these 2 rows 3 times. The remainder of the cuff is knit in the round. With the loops on the wrong side, join and work 10 rounds in k2, p2 rib. Heel: R 1: Slip 1, knit 17, turn.R 2: Slip 1, purl 17. Repeat these two rows 9 times total.To turn the heel, work as follows: slip 1, k10, ssk, k1, turn;slip 1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn;slip 1, k6, ssk, k1, turn;repeat, working one more stitch before the decrease until all heel flap sts have been worked, ending with a purl row. Slip 1, knit across heel, pick up 10 sts in slipped stitches of heel flap. Continue across the instep in st st, then pick up 10 sts on the other side of the heel flap. Foot:Decrease for the gusset every other round until 36 sts remain. Work even until 1" from desired length (3 3/4")and then decrease for the toe. Toe:Decrease eor (every other round) 3 times, then er (every round) 2 times. Graft remaining sts together. Knit a second sock to match. If you knit a pair of these socks, please consider knitting another pair in some warm wool yarn and sending them to CIC. Copyright 2006 Chrysalis Knits.
In my last post I forgot to show what else I had finished in the last week. I've been spinning up some blue and green merino to knit into a hat for A. I'll spin up the rest, with added glitz, to make a hat for B. I spun a firm but springy two ply and is 270 yds in the two ounces. I probably won't start the other two oz. for a week or two. 
It has gotten chilly here lately, so I took out some fruit hats that I made last fall while I was pregnant. It is a blueberry hat, inspired by several other fruit hats I've seen, but I didn't knit with a pattern, I just used my basic hat formula and added green at the top and a little leaf. I used Wendy/Peter Pan Velvet Touch. It is like knitting velour and, unlike chenille, it doesn't worm. I love this for baby things! It is so soft. So here is a picture of A today, before our walk to the park. 
I've been diligently working on both of my swap socks and some soakers. I am almost finished with the heel of one, and I'm very happy with how it is working out. It is always nice when what you see in your head actually works on your needles! No pictures now, but I'll have some when my partners have theirs socks. I did finish another soaker this week. I love playing around with fair isle patterns and variegated yarns, and I thought that this one came out really well. More Patons Classic Wool since it was close by when I needed it.
As for my knitting "snack".... I was tired of sock knitting for the day, and last weekend while shopping for some fabric for some Christmas gifts, B found this yarn that she loved, Caron Glimmer, a glittery chenille, in purple. She loves hats and has been trying to wear several hats that are too small, so I figured that his would make a nice hat for her. Since I only had 49 yards to work with, I used a circular cast on and arbitrarily cast on 9 stitches. I started increasing at regular intervals and worked from the top down to use every last inch of yarn. After weaving in the ends, I had two inches of yarn left at each tail! I think she looks pretty cute in her new hat, and I enjoyed my "snack" knitting. Now I can get back to my socks!
