Sockapalooza!

I got my Sockapalooza package this week! Thank you, Emily! The sock yarn is alpaca/silk and sooo soft and slinky and the socks fit perfectly. The other little goodies are fun, too!

This has been a crazy week. My parents came to visit last weekend and ended up taking my kids home with them for the week so we can do the final push to get the house ready to put on the market. It has been incredibly helpful to be kid-free this week and we've gotten so much done. A few things left to go, though! The realtor comes Monday to do the appraisal and then we'll be ready to list the house.

As a result of all the house stuff, I've had precious little time to knit. However, I did start a plain stockinette sock and turned the heel last night. This yarn is so hard to photograph - this picture shows the colors well, but overall the actual sock is several shades darker than this.

Proper Pictures

First, I finally took proper pictures of the Jacobean socks for my Sockapalooza pal. I'm quite pleased with myself.

I have also finished the Borg yarn socks. Here is Trelawney:
As you can see, Natalie got new shoes this week.

See previous entries for specifics on yarn/pattern. (sorry, I'm feeling very lazy this morning)

This is a test

Test knitting, that is. I just had the privilege of test-knitting Anne's new Orchid Scarf and I must say, it is a very lovely knit. Simple, yet still interesting. An easy lace pattern, but not so easy that you're bored to tears. And oh yeah, I'm using Sea Silk. *swoon* As you can see, I'm not terribly far into the scarf, but this was all that was required to confirm that the pattern is good to go. Now I can finish it at my leisure. I don't think Anne has officially put the pattern up for sale yet, but watch her blog for details.
In other news, I am about to finish the last three rounds of ribbing on my second Sockapalooza socks and then I will be finished!! I can smell new sock knitting on the horizon...

Slow and Steady

Progress continues on the 2nd Sockapalooza sock - just not as quickly as the first sock went. Seeing as how the deadline isn't until August, I don't think I have anything to worry about. I am, however, very eager to get the sock finished so I can delve into my sock yarn stash again.

Several of you requested that I make the Sockapalooza sock pattern available, so I am working on that! Thanks for your interest! I've got it written up, but need to tweak the format and see if I can add a picture or two - so look for it in the next day or so.

Before I started the Sockapalooza knitting, though, I did dabble a bit with some lace design swatching and since I don't really have any other knitting progress to show you, I'll give you pics of that instead. Once I get a few other things finished, I plan to knit this and write up the pattern. The question will be, do I leave it as I've swatched it here, with a basic garter stitch border? or do I branch out and attempt a lace border? Thoughts?

Pardon the scary pin job - I didn't want to steam block it.

Sockapalooza: One Down

One Sockapalooza sock down, one to go! I finished the first sock on Friday night and started the next one Saturday morning. It seems strange to have started the second sock so quickly, since I am usually prone to distraction...which leads to Second Sock Syndrome...which leads to several single socks with no mates. However, that is not an option in Sockapalooza, so I am being diligent.

Here we have the completed sock. If anyone shows any interest in the comments or by emailing me, I would be willing to write up the pattern.
A close-up:
And proof that I have started the second sock:

Socks, Soxie and Not Socks At All

I started my Sockapalooza pal's socks this week. Panda Wool plus a pattern of my own design equals hours of entertainment. I consorted with dear Barbara Walker to find a stitch pattern combo and am very pleased with how the sock is turning out! Toe-up, short-row heel, magic loop...perfect.
I also got some new yarn this week...really had no intention of buying new yarn, but I think we all know how that usually turns out. Here is Great Adirondack Soxie in the color Nightshades. It's very hard to get an accurate picture of this - I think it looks brighter in this pic than it really is:
I also started some new lace this week...the Hanami shawl, which will be for my sister. Since she has wool issues, I'm using Conjoined Creations Pastimes laceweight soy silk, which is just absolutely heavenly!! I can't even express how much I am loving this yarn. I don't know if it is just because of the fiber content or what, but it doesn't even really need to be blocked! I will anyway, of course, but you can see in these pictures...it just lays flat and does exactly what it's supposed to do. I have not steamed this and it is not stretched or held taut. It is laying in it's relaxed state.

Crazy, huh?