Finally, Some Knitting

Wow. With all the newfound freedom to branch out a little bit with my topics, I have amazingly little knitting to show you. I don't know why I haven't knit much this week. No good excuse, really. It would be so much more exciting to be able to say, "I would have knit a lot this week but I was afflicted with the plague," or "I would have knit more, but I had scurvy." I think those would be valid reasons...but I have been busy staying on top of Natalie's school work and trying to get the kids outside as much as possible before it gets too miserably hot and humid (which, I fear, is right around the corner).

I did start a new sock in the new(ish) Austermann Step Duett yarn "mit Aloe Vera und Jojoba Oil." Impressive, eh? I was happily knitting along and after trying the sock on I realized that it really needed a higher stitch count. Translation for you non-knitters: it was very tight. So here is where said sock stands now:
Clearly, I am back to square one. The yarn really is nice to knit with - you can definitely feel the effects of the aloe and jojoba. Interestingly, the colors of this yarn are a bit distracting to me because all I can think of is Trix cereal. You can almost smell it now, can't you?

I have also been (slowly) working on the Merino Lace Sock from Interweave's Favorite Socks book. It's an interesting pattern and I think the finished product will be lovely - but I only work on it in the evenings when I can concentrate on the charts:

I do actually have a finished object to show you...I finally knit my Jacobean pattern for myself! (see sidebar for free pattern ------>) These are knit in Socks That Rock in the Beryl colorway, which is darker than this photo shows.
I was really hoping to get some sewing or scrapbooking done this week, but so far, nothing. I suppose the week isn't over yet, but I feel like I need to get the house cleaned up before I can do either of those things. The house isn't terrible, but could use some sprucing up since both sewing and scrapbooking will involve dragging out supplies and having space to spread out. I am left wondering, though...am I letting the valid house-cleaning serve as a way to procrastinate about the crafting? I don't know.

A case of scurvy sure would make things a lot more cut and dry.

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

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.