SunIce, Ice, Baby

Historically, Mary's Yarns has always had a booth at the Knitter's Frolic, a weekend long event held at the Japanese Cultural Centre, which is chock full of fibre related vendors, classes and people. It's always a riot of a time, and while I come home from it more exhausted than anything else in the year... I always adore being there.

The knitters, the yarn, the old friends, the good times, it's a ball.

This year however, had a different tone to it for me. And not because of anything the show organizers did wrong... but because I knew what was lying ahead of me in the days that were to follow.

This year, the Frolic was held on Saturday, April 26th, and on Tuesday, April 29th, we let the world know what the future held for Mary's.

While I typically love to do a good walk through the show and chat with all of the other vendors whom I know and love, I opted not to this year. It felt sneaky to answer with "Everything is great thanks! How are things with you???" when they asked me the obligatory "How are things going?" question.

So, I kept to myself, and stayed safely tucked into the back end of our corner booth.

My good buddy Lynn. M was kind enough to join me for the duration of the show this year, and when there was a moment that it felt safe for her to slip out of the booth and have a browse, she did. Before she snuck out however, I handed her some cash and said "Please buy me the most neon sock yarn that you can find. I think that Regia makes some..." and man, oh man, did that girl ever DELIVER.

Matching neon socks- yeah... YOU HEARD ME!

I cast on that night and I simply couldn't stop. I didn't move from my couch the day that followed the Frolic and when the sun started to set on that Sunday, I had one sock completed, and the cuff of a second well on the way.

Something that I discovered throughout the closure of the shop, was that colour was my therapy. It always has been... that's no secret. But during what was such an emotional time, I found that I just had to knit very simple patterns, in very colourful yarn. So that explains my need for these socks- not to mention the recently painted pink spare bedroom in my house (but that's a story I shall save for another day...)

Regia Fluormania Color in shade #7188

These socks remind me of my first SunIce ski jacket that my mom bought me when it went on sale when I was a kid. I couldn't believe I could own something so cool... and it was in these shades exactly. Apparently, neon has always had a huge place in my heart, so thumbs up to my mom for letting me run with it, even when she was the one in charge of outfitting me.

And you know what? That was the warmest dang ski jacket I ever owned. A very good thing when living in this beautiful country that for whatever reason prides itself on it's never-ending winters.

Something tells me that these socks might be not much different than that jacket as far as keeping me warm is concerned.

Now if only that jacket still fit... I would find myself with a matching set.

As for who is going to wear these absolutely out of control socks, the recipient is little ol'  me- and for two reasons only.

1- I cast on in such a haze that evening, that I just went into auto-pilot mode and accidentally found myself with a pair in my size. Little thought was really put into it... but I am quite tickled with the end result.

2- I only know of one other person who might wear such insane-o neon socks, much like these ones.

Our peony bed before it POPPED this week

So it certainly is a good thing that I happened to give Lynn. M enough cash for two balls of neon sock yarn that day...

♥