Finished "Secret Stockings."

I'm still coughing (I was up a good bit of the night coughing) but the tickle in my throat is a bit less this morning. Also, I did finally develop a fever last night which tells me this is something viral rather than allergies. The good news on that is that in a few more days I should be over it. (I'm pretty sure it's viral and not bacterial; I examined my throat to the best of my ability with a flashlight and a mirror and couldn't see any discolored patches, just redness - usually any kind of whitish patches suggests bacteria, like strep throat - and anyway, since it seems to be getting better on its own, it's probably viral).

Still, I'm kind of wiped out this morning, both from all the coughing (that takes energy) and from not sleeping soundly. (I don't know whether to take an expectorant or not. At this point it seems to be a dry cough, which suggests "not." And I prefer to avoid most OTC cough suppressants because some react badly with my other meds, and others make me feel bad otherwise. I suppose tonight I could cook up some lemon juice and honey and take that before bed).

I did, however, manage to finish (Well, I was up nearly to the toe when I last put them down) the "Lydia's Secret Stockings" from Jane Austen Knits (the 2011 issue, I think?)

These were the socks where I went and panic-bought another skein of the yarn (same colorway but as it turned out, a different dyelot). So, did I need to break into it?

Nope.



That little ball of yarn in the middle is what was left over from the first 116-g ball. (I kind of figured, when I weighed things out on my little digital kitchen scale - this was after I ordered the other skein - that it might be OK).

They fit very well. I like the idea of temporarily dropping down a needle size (from US 1 to US 0) for the part where the ankle narrows (just before the heel flap); it's shaping without having to shape. (Most ankle-shaping in socks involves decreases, which can get tricky in a lace pattern like this one).



The lace pattern shows up a bit better here:



It wasn't hard; in fact, it's a really easily-memorized pattern. (The bas-relief hearts up at the top were more difficult to keep track of, and I'm disappointed they don't show up better, but that's a problem with dark variegated yarn.)