Summer FOs

A few small things I've also finished this summer:

Felted Miceys for various kitties. I wanted to knit two and stuff them with local farmers' market catnip for my aforementioned secret santee, so first I made a practice one that looked more like a bug. Cirrus wasn't too interested before the stuffing...

But filled with catnip - yum! (Sasha isn't as into 'nip, but even she has been seen rabbit-kicking it. Powerful stuff!)

The actual gifted mice look much more like mice and less like bugs - and the giftee says her cats are enjoying them as much as C & S seem to like the bug mouse.

I also spent a fair bit of July knitting a pair of ankle socks from a couple skeins of elastic, stretchy Cascade Fixation which I bought at Knot Another Hat in Hood River. After seeing how the colors worked together, I decided they should be Beach House socks for my Mom - so last week they went with her down to VA beach, where the air conditioning is often cranked up. Here are my feet modeling (Mom, feel free to send pics of your feet doing the same, if you like!).

The yarn is so stretchy, I could have done them down a needle size or cast on fewer stitches or something - the tops are a bit baggy as-is in size M. The pattern is free (pdf) - it's just a basic sock pattern, but the ankle socks knit up in ~1 ball of yarn. I adapted it pretty easily from the "on-2-circs" method to magic loop on one circ. I think for my next socks, after I make the mate to my magic loop class sock, should be either toe-up, or lace, or both. I do have 2 skeins of Koigu in my stash, but honestly I was considering a hat or gloves for those - seems a shame to hide the gorgeous colors under shoes. Hm. Suggestions taken :)