School-year's-start Socks

Two years ago when Chiquita started full day elementary school, I unwittingly started a tradition. Sitting down with her, we planned a project knit just for her in honor of the new year. The first year it was a soft, soft hat and scarf set in burgundy cashmerino. (That year her favorite color was red.) The next year for second grade it was a pair of mittens. (Favorite color that year was purple.)

This year she is asking for another pair of socks, which I have made for her before, but not as her special start-of-year gift. So we sat down yesterday and took all of her measurements again; she has grown a lot over the summer. She picked out yarn from my bag of lonesome balls of sock yarn. This year she says her favorite is (and always has been) blue, and the yarn she chose matches accordingly.

I love how excited she gets about this. It is funny the things that unexpectedly become annual traditions, but still it is nice. I am glad that she still values this type of thing, and I am excited to see her own ability grow. I figure I have to enjoy this while it lasts. Who knows when it would be too uncool to have something handmade or even funnier if she would just rather make it herself!