oh my!

dear kate,
have you SEEN the new sock pattern that eunny wrote? it's the most stunning thing ever. i think everyone's getting a pair of these for christmas this year. :) i'm tempted to try out the new knitpicks sock yarn, gloss. it's a merino-silk blend that looks absolutely delicious! (i know you're not as big a knitpicks devotee as i am, but have you tried it yet? i'm hoping to find some reviews of it before i shell out the dough. not that it's expensive, of course, but i'll be buy most of my christmas yarn at once in order to save on shipping, so i'd hate to spend all that money and find i don't like it.) anyway, i'm slightly concerned that the silk content will make the cables not as crisp; i guess i'll just have to try it and see. i may need to go with something else.

i'm starting to think about christmas knitting and am feeling a touch overwhelmed. my projects this year won't be NEARLY as ambitious as last year's (think: aunt nancy's song of hiawatha stole) but i will still have a lot to do. this year the big project will be another stole/shawl/wrap thing on which i need your advice! ha! my aunt pat, a fellow knitter who has just started grad school, has requested "a light weight throw/shawl to put on [her] shoulders while studying." do you have any favorite patterns that would fit the bill? i have some ideas but none of them are particularly sparking my imagination. some input would be more than welcome. :)

love
k