Knitting, Reading & Products I Love Update
Week ending August 9, 2026
It was a pretty productive week around here, especially in the sock department. I finished a pair of socks, made progress on another, and managed to squeeze in one finished book. Not too shabby if I do say so myself.
Knitting
FSU Shortie Socks: Finished!
The big knitting news this week is that I finished my FSU Shortie Socks!
They are Pair #12 for 2026.
Twelve pairs of socks in a year feels pretty darn good, especially considering that I knit year-round and tend to favor lighter-weight socks that are actually wearable in Florida.
These shorties are officially off the needles and into the finished-object pile. I love a shortie sock for warm-weather knitting and wearing, and the FSU colors make this pair especially fun.
Twelve pairs down. Who knows how many more to go?
Ribbed Sock
I also worked on my Ribbed Sock this week.
This was the only WIP that got any attention. Sometimes it’s nice to resist the temptation to bounce between five different projects and just keep plugging away at one thing.
The Ribbed Sock isn’t finished yet, but it’s moving along. I think I’m almost halfway through the length that I need it to be to fit. Remember, this is similar to the Banana Socks I knit in that it doesn’t have a heel!
And that’s it for the knitting this week. No progress on any of my other WIPs. They can wait patiently in their project bags. I’m sure they’re very understanding.
Reading
I managed to finish one book this week.
The Storm
Loved this book. You would think it’s based in Florida. Close but no. It’s in Alabama.
That’s two books back to back that I gave 4/5 stars.
Currently Reading: Dexter is Dead
I’ve now moved on to Dexter is Dead. I loved the TV series so I thought I would give one of the books a try.
Three Products I’m Loving
Here are three things making their way onto this week’s “things I love” list.
ChiaoGoo 9-Inch Circular Needles
If you’ve been reading these weekly updates for a while, this one probably won’t surprise you.
I continue to love my ChiaoGoo 9” circular needles for socks. They’ve become one of those knitting tools that I reach for without thinking about it.
When you find a needle that makes knitting small-circumference projects easier, you hang onto it.
Counter All Bright Vitamin C Serum
My Counter pick this week is All Bright Vitamin C Serum. It’s designed to brighten and smooth the look of skin while supporting a more luminous complexion, and Counter says it uses two ultra-stable forms of vitamin C.
It’s a nice little reminder that the “products I love” category doesn’t have to be all knitting supplies. Sometimes you need something for your face while you’re sitting there knitting another sock.
Freckled Whimsy Self-Striping Sock Yarn
And, of course, sock yarn belongs on this list.
Freckled Whimsy remains one of my favorite sources for self-striping sock yarn. There’s something deeply satisfying about knitting a sock and letting the yarn do the color work for you.
It’s also exactly the kind of yarn that makes me want to cast on another pair before I’ve even woven in the ends of the current one.
That’s a Wrap
So that’s my week:
FSU Shortie Socks finished.
Pair #12 of 2026 completed.
Ribbed Sock progress.
One book finished.
Currently reading Dexter is Dead.
Several WIPs patiently existing.
Not a bad week at all.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a Ribbed Sock to knit.