Over and Out

Hello all...just letting you know that I'll be out of pocket for the next two weeks! The kids and I leave tomorrow for a week in Michigan and then we're heading to Missouri to visit Greg's family. I may have some email access, so if you need me you can probably get me that way.

See you when we return!

Travel Sock and some art

I'll be leaving town for two weeks on Friday and have been agonizing over what knitting to take. Enter a new Jaywalker:
You may notice that I have already done a bit...but since I'm working toe-up and really, you just never know about the Jaywalker fit, I wanted to get it started before I leave. I really wanted this yarn to be a nice, normal variegated, but I kinda like what it's doing so I think it will be ok.

Natalie created this little masterpiece last night while we waited for our dinner. She has always loved to draw but lately has been getting much more detailed and creative. Here you can see a bird with feathers, two baby birds, a very arty birdhouse with a decorated pole, a bird deck with a ladder, a flower and tree...and Greg added the 10th hole/flag because obviously, this is an upscale bird community.

For Fun

Summertime

It's summer here in the mid-South and nothing says summer quite like felted wool! Right? I've had some KnitPicks Wool of the Andes in my stash for over a year - it was intended for a felted bag project, but as it turned out, I didn't love the pattern after all. So into the stash went the yarn until I was ready for it. For all the things I've knit, I've never felted anything and I figured it was high time. Enter Anne's Bubble Bag. (click on the Knitspot Pattern Catalog - there doesn't seem to be a direct link)
Fun knit...short rows...it's single-strand worsted...big needles...FUN! I changed up the striping a bit on mine and I'm pleased with how it came out. (Note: the mural is on the side of our house up on our deck...was here when we bought the house. Not our doing.)

And just because, here's my growing-up girl. She's got her first woggley (her word for wiggley) tooth. *sob*

Feeding the Addiction

I got new yarn this week, from The Loopy Ewe. Everyone always says such nice things about ordering from them that I figured I should probably see for myself. As it turns out, everyone was right! My order came super-fast and, just as everyone says, there was a handwritten note included.

I got some Gypsy Girl Creations in Brindle:
and some Misty Mountain Farm in Mountain Mist:
and some Fleece Artist Sea Wool:
There has been very little knitting lately, what with the house stuff. It's like I've developed a very short attention span with my knitting while I work on the house. I did start a new sock this weekend, but I frogged it last night because I wasn't thrilled with the stockinette part of the fabric on those particular needles.

I did, however, knit a little baby hat! The recipient of the baby sweater I just made is, in fact, a boy, so I thought I would make him a hat, since he will be born in November. I'm not sure how I never came across this pattern, but I'm so glad I found it - I think it's adorable!
Pattern: Jewel by SockPixie
Yarn: leftover Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock and Claudia Handpainted from socks I've knit
Needles: Addi Turbo sz 2

Work

That's what I've been doing a lot of. Working. Working on the house, working on decluttering, working on cleaning...all getting ready to move. Blurgh. I did manage to put about 4 rows of stockinette on a sock late last night, but that's all the knitting that's been done since early last week.

Today's project (at least for this morning): removing a ceiling full of glow-in-the-dark stars that were here when we bought the house - so they've been up there for at least 10 years, if not more.

I know you're jealous.

A Good Solution

Whaddya do when life gets you down?

Well, knit, of course, but in the event you need another option...pose with your favorite Klingon.

Speed and Softness

Project: "Plain Jane #172 QK" by Minnowknits (sz 6 month, but looks to be smaller than that)
Yarn: Plymouth "Oh My" in color 12
Needles: US sz 9
Buttons: don't know the brand

One of our business partners and his wife are expecting another baby in the fall, so I thought I'd whip out something quick and then just stash it away until later. This is a great little pattern and the yarn, while 100% nylon, feels just the way a baby sweater should!

Better Than

What could be better than a finished sock?
A finished sock with the start of its mate, of course. (Retro Rib pattern, worked toe-up)

And what could be better than a finished sock and the start of its mate?
New shoes, with which one could wear one's new socks, of course. Especially when said new shoes have tiny skulls and hearts on them. HEE!! (now is the point where my mother just shakes her head)

And of course, where would we be without yet another new sock?
This one's a gift, though. I intended to do the Eagle's Flight pattern, but decided to take the (ultra) easy way out and drastically shorten the cuff AND do a short-row heel AND do the foot in stockinette. The yarn is Panda Wool, in Baby Blues. Shorter than I would want for myself, but I have thick ankles. I know the recipient will like them anyway.

Two Random Things

First up, we have a picture of a sweater I purchased in Ireland many years ago. 100% wool, very cabley and very heavy. I wore it a LOT back in the day, when I lived in the Midwest and winters were really cold and actually had snow. Now I live in the MidSouth, where winters get cold, but it's a relative thing and there's rarely snow, so I haven't actually worn this sweater in years. I did give it a good wash this week, though, and am interested in hearing some opinions...I can't bring myself to give the sweater away because I'm too sentimental. However, I don't know that I'll ever wear it since it's so bulky. Should I reconsider giving it away? Or should I attempt to unravel it and repurpose the yarn? What would you do?

Second, I decided to take a picture of my sock yarn stash yesterday. It's not a great picture since I had to take it indoors with the flash, but here it is, in all its glory:
There's enough for 20 pairs of regular socks, 1 pair of worsted weight socks and 1 pair of knee-highs. I must look at this picture anytime I'm tempted to go online and order more sock yarn. If you'd like to know what anything is specifically, feel free to ask in the comments.