Between spending the last few days obsessively watching 'Kelly' videos on Youtube (Text Message Break-up to be precise. Yes, I'm 13.) and getting my act together for the Mirepoix kal (Louet Gems? Check. Pattern? Check. Needles? Oops...), I have managed to finish Shedir, a hat which is nothing short of a sheer delight. This project required two solid weekends of don't-talk-to-me-I'm-busy knitting as there is a fair bit of attentiveness required. I love the pattern and have been marveling at this little gem ever since finishing it. The Rowan Calmer is a true fetish yarn, and I already have a dirty little attachment to it. It is so soft and cloud-like...
The Specs:
Pattern: Shedir, Knitty Special Issue Fall 04
Yarn: Calmer in sh487 'Refresh'. 1 ball exactly with none to spare!
Needles: Size 3 circs
Next up for me (after finishing le Clapotis, bien sûr!) is the Mirepoix. Doveknits jokingly wondered in a recent comment if I'm 'in enough kals already'. . . A valid question, as I seem to be joining them left and right. I am indeed a joiner par excellence. I mean, yes the Silver Belle is in the attic far from my sight and I will probably pick it up again in 11 years or so when Alzheimer's is in full swing and I'll have some vague recollection that I used to be a crocheter, but until then, hey, I'm staying in the kal, you know, to give the impression of actually working on the project.
Exciting news: Babs has a blog now! Please welcome Purlfriend to our ranks. She's the knitter who taught me everything I know, except the bad habits, which I picked up all on my very own. Her mom, Big Babs, is also an amazing knitter herself. They are the real deal. Her first post is hilarious, check her out!
I just love the Internet. I really do--because it has proven to me beyond a shadow of a doubt the sheer force of the power of suggestion. Who needs a behavioral psychology lab to tell you that if you see something, you will want it. B.F. Skinner would have delighted in the utter predictability of my stimulus/response mechanism. My mother always jokes that for my dad and me, need and want are collapsed into the same thing. And she is so right! Somewhere right now there's a former Soviet scientist from a top secret lab who is keeping tabs on my Internet clicks and is recording data about how all that needs to happen is for me to see a project on Ravelry for me to add it to my queue, and that certain yarns have a high suggestablilty quotient, meaning that if the name of the color way is something like 'Handsome Park Ranger', the statistical probability of me buying it is very, very high.
Above you see the most recent data to support the 'Power of Suggestion' research, Sophie's Toes 'Handsome Park Ranger'. Just go ahead and TRY to pretend that you wouldn't have purchased it, too!
After seeing Ms. Flint's utterly adorable EZ Baby Sweater in the ever so luscious Dream in Color 'Cool Fire', I was motivated to get my remnants of that very yarn and color way out and have another go-round with it. This yarn has million dollar yardage. After a pair of adult and baby socks, I still have enough left over to make a pair for my daughter. Hot damn! I completed the High Energy baby socks yesterday. If you are a sucka for a picot edge like me, I say give this pattern a whirl.
The Specs
Pattern: High Energy Baby Socks
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in 'Cool Fire'
Needles: size 2
From top, left to right: Embossed Leaves in Fleece Artist 'Moss', Jaywalkers in Opal Handpainted, and Monkeys in Brooklyn Handspun 'Jungle Canopy, High Energy Baby Socks in Dream in Color 'Cool Fire', Thujas in Artyarns Supermerino, and Chevron socks in 'Cool Fire, Thujas in Artyarns Supermerino, Conwy in Colinette Jitterbug, and Toe-Up Socks in Sundara 'Cherry Blossom'
The Summer of Socks escapade is drawing to a close, so I thought it would be useful to faire le bilan or do a final tally of where we're at with the whole sock thing. One of the unexpected outcomes is that I am massively over socks at the moment. But I loved doing all of these beauties this summer and recommend joining something like this to everyone. I just need a break from the whole sock drill, but when I get my enthusiasm back I'll cast on for the Firestarters. Hecky, I joined the kal so that means I have to, right?
Occasionally knit blogs will talk about things other than knitting, and this I don't mind. In fact if I like a blog, I am willing to read just about anything they fancy talking about. It could be sewing, something of which I know nothing but can nevertheless enjoy the visuals. It can be fabulous vacations to unexpected places--if the blogger is a great writer, I particularly enjoy such postings. It can be blood feuds with other bloggers and family members, I love having ringside seats for that. Or it can be about the most stupifyingly cute baby nursery in the history of the world. And sometimes bloggers post about things that immediately captivate me and I must try for myself. Now since I suck at sewing, don't have a sister-in-law who hates my blogging pal, don't plan on hitting Peru anytime soon and am not preggers, the Fig and Plum cake had my name written all over it. I love figs, the plum is in my top 5 fruits for sure, and my love affair with cake is well documented. What a delicious treat to enjoy right now! Babs made it and gave it her highest recommendation. You must act with alacrity as these ingredients will no longer be at their peak in several days, seriously. The DRMC says that he is now my slave for life after tasting it. Mwahahaha!
This weekend I was feeling the need to start and finish a project all in one day. Sometimes it just needs to be that way, and so I perused the new Knitty, hoping to find a dish on the side to complement my current Cobblestone/Clapotis/Shedir main course. Enter Foliage, a super quick project that only took several hours to make. Even the disaffected tween thing looked up from her manga obsession long enough to say "Hey, cool." If you feel the need to crank out holiday projects (which I don't), meet your new best friend, Foliage.
The Specs
Pattern: Foliage, Knitty Fall 07
Yarn: Rowan Cork, oh how I miss thee! 1 skein of Very Berry
Needles: size 10.5, hot damn!
Knitting Pals
Peeper-Lou and her pal joined me in the back garden yesterday for some afternoon knitting. Her pal called and asked to come over because "...your mom is fun, she knits....'. So after a cup of tea we sat down for a knit, only disturbed once by the old bag next door who crankily complained that 'our laughter was disturbing her'. I am normally deferential to elderly people, but I have recently given myself permission to act out my rage and hostility toward her and it feels GREAT. In any case, here's a transcript of our conversation once we got down to the matter at hand:
Me: "So, why do you like knitting?"
The Pal: "Well, it's just so much fun I mean when you're on the airplane and you're knitting and someone says 'hey whaddya doin'?' and you say 'hey I'm knitting' and you think to yourself, 'wow, I'm knitting' and you start with a bunch of yarn and then after a while you make something and you think to yourself 'hey I'm a knitter' and it's so much fun to hear the needles clicking, too."
Wow.
When we were driving her home she suddenly realized that she'd forgotten her knitting at our house. I suggested that my daughter bring it to her tomorrow and she said "Oh please, please can we go back and get it? I just won't be able to sleep knowing that it's not with me, and I'm planning on knitting tonight after dinner, after swim practice, and before bed". Ok, so she's an addict at age 10. I hope I don't get hauled in on some corrupting a minor charge. First one's free, kid!
WIP update
I am experiencing a major love affair with my Clapotis. This is my first one ever and it is a sheer delight. It turns out a lot of other knitters have rediscovered this old chestnut from waaaay back in Fall 04 as there is a new second-time-around KAL for the Clapotis, called The Second Wave Clapotis KAL, thanks to Tiennie for pointing this out!
From the Lemming Dept.
Apparently all I have to do is see a yarn mentioned on a blog and I will madly search the web until I get my grubby little hands on it. Luckily the Loopy Ewe is equipped for such moments, and in less that 48 hours and I had some Fleece Artist Somoko in my possession. It's gorgeous, natch! And a lovely combo of merino, kid, silk and nylon. The color here is fruit punch, and I can't wait to give it a whirl.
What is the only appropriate course of action when you are awash in newly casted-on projects and struggling to keep your head above water for fear of drowning in a sea of WIPs? Why, going to a yarn store with your best pal and buying more yarn of course! Yes, Friday Babs and I made a seasonal sojourn to Kathy's Kreations in Ligonier, PA. See the sensational designer extraordinaire Kathy Zimmerman and soon-not-to-be-blogless (nudge, nudge) Babs pictured above. Yeah--we came, we saw, and one of us spent waaay too much money. It wasn't my fault, you see...
I have three LYSs in my geographical region and I am trying to share the love between them. There is one located less than a mile from my house, one right on my route to work, and this one, Kathy's Kreations, which is at the very western border of the arbitrary boundary I am calling my geographical location. Like any good polyamorous knitter, I love each one for its own special reasons. But oh how I love K2, not only does it have copious amounts of Rowan and other non-available yarns at the other two, but Kathy Zimmerman knows how to sell some yarn. She has a knack for making great recommendations and is patient and helpful when substitutions are necessary. She is ultra talented, and I highly recommend her store if you are in the Pittsburgh/Central Pa./Northern West Virginia area.
Kathy clued me in to the fact that my favorite color combo--brown and blue--is actually now known as 'chocqua'. Ok, well I guess if it has a specific name now, that means I need to buy it, right? Pictured above you see three skeins of Zitron Lifestyle, a yarn I first saw at MD S & W and had to have both then (in green and yellow) and now. This weekend took a break from my Cobblestone/Clapotis/Silver Belle knitting chain gang and made a simple pair or fingerless gloves:
The Specs:
Pattern: Knitting at Knoon Fingerless gloves
Yarn: Zitron Lifestyle, color 1861 (MC) and Rowan 4 ply soft, color 389 (CC), 1 skein MC
Needles: Size 2 dpns
Mods: Because the pattern is written for a worsted weight yarn, I cast on 48sts rather than 36
If the heavy burden of all your Big Projects is weighing down upon you, I highly recommend doing a jaunty pair of these fingerless gloves as it will restore your knitting soul to begin and complete something so useful so quickly!
If August was Take-Those-UFOS-and-Make-Them-Your-B*tch month, apparently September is Maniacally-Cast-On-Everything-in-Sight month. Yes, the major gains that I made in reducing the obscene amount of WIPS last month have been wiped out by the amount of new projects I now have on the go. Who knew that knitting and the financial markets would so closely mirror one another? Well, you're not going to finish anything if you don't cast on, right? Let's take a look at our new contestants in September Cast-On Mania, shall we? 
Cobblestone Sweater This is the ultimate auto-pilot knit. I will log some major hours with this while screening films for my class. At first the Classic Elite Skye Tweed felt, as dear Babs put it, chalky, but once you start knitting it, the fabric softens quite a bit. The pattern is amazing and I am loving it. 
VK Silver Belle All I need is to see a KAL set up for a project and I am immediately in. You'll help me and hold my hand? Okay. I can copy off my lab partner? Count me in. Actually I got some super helpful advice from Kim at Chronic Ennui, and now I am rolling along with this project. I was intially daunted by having to cast-on 480 stitches for this, but I decided to move up to an aran weight and size 9 needle, so I am doing the smallest size, despite the fact that I am in no way, as one person on Ravelry put it, a member of the Itty-Bitty-Tittie-Committee. Because of the extreme chart action, this is high cognitive-load knitting, so I envision this being worked on without the disractions of tv, the DRMC and the junior units and their incessant demands for clean clothes, three squares meals a day and my attention. You can get the pattern here for free. 
Clapotis It was only a matter of time, people. I mean, I've done the Jaywalkers, the Monkeys, and the Ball-Band Dishcloths, so only a few obligatory patterns remain. I'm breaking out the Brooks Farm Duet that I got at MD S & W last year, and Babs has promised to do this with me.
Mirepoix Bodice
I am still waiting on the yarn for this one: Louet Gems, one of my all-time faves. This sweater is appealing for so many reasons. I love being able to do a pattern out of the exact yarn the pattern is written for, the fair isle action on the bodice is just the right amount for my tastes, and the colors are stupendous. PLUS there is a kal, which always sweetens the deal with added enticement. I won't be starting this one until October, so hopefully I'll be casting on for this in a month or so with a clear conscience. This is far and away the Fall 07 Knit that I am the most excited about! What fall project are you most excited about??
I am new to the whole lace shawl game, so it was with much trepidation that I cast on for the Shetland Triangle. But I was encouraged and motivated by all of the beautiful examples I saw on Ravelry (if you're not on, you will be soon) and figured I'd try my hand at it. One in particular--that would be Jared's of Brooklyn Tweed--really captivated my attention. Yes I seem to be in permanent paean mode regarding our dear friend Jared but this guy has some seriously impressive talent and killer, subdued style.
In a fit of inspiration I cast on for this in July, worked on it intermittently and finished it earlier this week. One of the joys of this pattern was that light bulb moment when you mentally exclaim 'aha!' because you see and get the pattern. This moment seemed to come midway through, but I was happy to have it all the same. I highly recommend this pattern as a first time shawl, because if a major league knitting knucklehead such as myself can do it, you surely can.
The Silky Wool was from my stash and repurposed from an earlier project, which felt like a frugal and organized thing to do. The yarn seems twine-like in the hank but knits up nicely into a soft fabric, so I would recommend it for this project.
Everything I read assured me that the magic of lace was in the blocking, and I am here to tell you that it's all true. After breaking out the gigantor Le Creuset soup pot, I set about the soaking process and let it sit for several hours, during which time I cast on for the Cobblestone (Jared I SWEAR I'm not stalking you!). After a night of blocking, Peeper-lou and I were ready for our photo shoot.
I am so happy with this project. The difference pre-and-post blocking is unbelievable! Once you get the pattern you can truly knit this on auto-pilot, and it is a relatively quick knit, so any of you holiday knitter types out there, keep this baby in mind.
The Specs:
Pattern: Shetland Triangle from Wrap Style
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool
Amount: 2 skeins
Time: July-August, intermittantly
Modifications: I didn't pin out the yos on the edge because I wasn't strongly attracted to the pointy edges. Neither did Jared.*
*What Would Jared Do?
I know that people who, as my husband says, "work in industry" will not feel the least bit sorry for me. Neither will people who report dutifully to their posts year round, work their shifts like the respectable paycheck earners that they are, and then go home to pursue their hobbies in their free time. Nor will academics/teachers for whom knitting is a pleasant side activity. They most likely accord to it a measured and healthy amount of weekly time and manage to balance their knitting with work. But if there are those out there like me for whom The Knitting Lifestyle has surpassed the bounds of decency and have spent their summer knitting fiddling while Rome burns, I know you are feeling the depths of despair with me right now. WOW am I hurting. Knitting seems to have permanently damaged my work habits as I have become accustomed to hours and hours of swatching, Ravelry-ing and just general yarn induced lollygagging. So yeah, it's back to school for this Knitting Knucklehead and it's not pretty.
Luckily one of my fave LYSs is right on the route home from work, so I deadened the pain with some yarn. Hey, that's what it's there for, right? Stitch Your Art Out is a fantastic store for many reasons, the main one being that Kim and Cynthia are always keeping it fresh. Every time you go there, it's a new store because of the constant stream of new inventory. HELL to the YEAH. So I got some Cherry Tree Hill Sockitome in Potluck Jewels and Potluck Blues/Greens. You know, just to be nice and all.
I am progressing nicely on the Wollmeise RPM socks. There is a lot of hyperbole being thrown around these days in Claudia's direction, and let me just that it is all quite deserved. The colors are out of this world, and this yarn is like velvet...so if you can get your hands on some, I say DO IT NOW because the Yarn Harlot recently blogged about it and you know what that means, folks: scarcity city.
I know I spent the last post turning up my nose at Angel motifs, but just look what the Darling Resident Marxist Wallpaper Scraper uncovered in our daughter's room underneath five layers of hideous wallpaper:
These must be from the 1920's at least. Since both our dads were born in 1927, we both imagined what our fathers lives had been like back then, and how much things have changed throughout their lifetimes. It was a pleasant surprise to find these little treasures, but sadly they are going the way of all the other paper to make way for the decidedly more modern Martha Stewart treatment. Although come to think of it, I'm sure Martha would be amused in her own Martha way by such a retro design find.
When it comes to sock patterns, I think I might have finally found the area in which I am profoundly vanilla. Don't get me wrong, my freak flag is out there and flying high in so many regards, but not when it comes to freak-kay patterns. I have been forced to come to grips with my own limitations after receiving the latest Socks That Rock sock club shipment and feeling yet again completely underwhelmed. Without a doubt the yarn is gorgeous and lovely and amazing in every way, it's just that once again the pattern seems over the top and too busy for my tastes. In fact, ALL of the patterns have been too much for me. When I see a variegated skein of STR like June's Firebird or this month's Flower Power, the first pattern I think of is something simple and uncomplicated with maybe a few ribs, or a basic stitch pattern similar to the one featured in the Jaywalkers. But the lace anklet/crazy cable/wacky stitch thing is just a little too much for me. I can't deal with the frou-frouness of it all. Hopefully I'll find another pattern for this yarn, one that will let me butch it up a little!
Speaking of butch, today is the DRMC's birthday and along with a new hub cap for his car and the recent Beastie Boys album, he is getting the above pictured fantastic loot. Yes, I am thoroughly on board with the Cobblestone and can't wait to get started after seeing this one and this one. Wasn't that so thoughtful of me to give him yarn for a sweater? Actually I happened to have this in my stash and am doubly excited to be able to use it for such a tantalizing project by the mighty Brooklyntweed, who I think we are all a little gaga for at this point...
Some are fond of flowers, there are those that love to adorn anything and everything with hearts, and others still find magic in Angels (not me, even writing that line gives me the creeps). Me? I am a major fan of the simple leaf motif as evidenced by the various leaf-inspired designs in our house:
Adding to my leaf collection is a finished pair of Embossed Leaves, a.k.a. The Most Magnificent Socks in the History of the World. Seriously--if you are in a sock lull, why not give these little darlings a whirl?
This pattern is a major winner and I am gaga over the Fleece Artist Merino sock yarn. The color way is ‘moss’, an apt and fitting name as the yarn has all the subtle change in hue and variation that makes real moss so textured and appealing. The pattern was so easy to memorize, was such a pleasure to knit, and the end result is a pair of socks that are comfy and comely--and feature my favorite possible motif ever!
The Specs:
Pattern: Embossed Leaves from Favorite Socks
Yarn: Fleece Artist Merino Sock yarn in Moss
Needles: size 2 Magic Loop
Notes: No modifications necessary, why would there be?
I know I hinted that I was on the verge of sock saturation, but I do believe I have a few pairs left in me. Next up: the RPM socks in Rhabarber Wollmeise. How can I resist the lure of rhubarb and its last gasp before the autumn leaves must turn?
If there is one thing I love, it's getting parcels in the mail. You can keep your supermarket fliers, your credit card offers and your 'have you seen me?' mailings that come at an ever increasing clip. When I get to that mailbox, nothing gives me a greater frisson than a package. I am certain this is why in college I began a love affair with catalogs, and then later with Internet shopping. I believe it was all a big ruse for me to rustle up some special delivery joy for myself. Lately I haven't had to create any scams or confabulations to receive happiness in the mail, it's just happened.
Jenny from the Lone Knitter sent me this fantastic Lane Borgosesia yarn as a prize from her cancer drive on her blog: 
Our group knit a bunch of squares and received this as a prize donated by Knit-a-bit in Westfield, NJ. Although the selfish little bugger in me would love to scream "Mine all MINE-mwahahahaha", the polite Episcopalian in me will be dutifully turning it back over to our church knitting group so we can make some other charity project with this lovely pink yarn. Thanks for a great project, Jen!
Speaking of Jens, Miss Knitting Sutra sent me a skein of Scheepjes that I have yet to show you. My love of all things Dutch is well documented, so receiving this creamsicle-colored sock yarn made my heart skip a beat:
Thanks to both of you!
I am in the process of finishing my Embossed Leaves socks which are turning out to be one of my favorite patterns ever, and when I do, I believe that I will be all socked-out. Is this is indeed possible? In anticipation of this state of sock fatigue, I have picked up a long haul wip that was on the verge of moving into permanent hibernation. The Katharine Hepburn Cardigan from Lace Style--a gorgeous piece of artistry but WOW is it taking forever. I am almost at the arm hole decreases and this feels like a major victory. Wasn't this going to be such a cute early summer affair? Look for this to possibly be done by next Easter...
If you have been reading this blog for a while, you will know how utterly thrilled I am to be writing the following words: I have finished the Jaywalkers. This project had been on my needles for over 14 months and taunted me at every turn. But now I have subdued them into submission, and I owe it all to my trusty Hitachi Magic Wand Magic Loop method! You see, I started these socks in the B.M.L.* era and made scant progress on them. Indeed I spent many hours toiling away on these. After what would seem like an eternity, I'd look up from my work, which was starting to feel like a sort of knitting chain gang, only to discover that I had knit an inch at the most.
Enter the size 1 Addi Turbo (40 inches--because I am a size queen). Hello sailor! Yes, this past weekend my Magic Loop and I were able to make mincemeat of the Jaywalkers . And I am delighted.
The Specs
Pattern: The Jaywalkers
Yarn: Opal Hand painted. I began this project so long ago that the person who hand painted the skein is most likely pushing up daisies. But I think the color is #20.
Needles: First they were on size 1 dpns. Two of them broke, and the manufacturer replaced them. Then I wised up and broke out the Loop. Nirvana ensued.
Notes: The socks are tight as hell, so they are destined for a friend with a dainty foot. If there is ever a next time, I'll definitely use a softer yarn like maybe Sundara or Brooklyn Handspun. The Opal Hand painted was too twine-like for my tastes.
*Before Magic Loop era. A time when knitting was dominated by frustration, sluggishness and a general lack of progress. Also referred to as the Dark Ages and the Sad period.
I am sure many of you remember my super pal Kenric. You know, the guy who knit a purse in a day after about 4 minutes of knitting instruction? Well, he's become very active in The Lifestyle. He has knit about 3 more purses. He has joined a Men's Knitting Group in San Jose. He has made friends with other local knitters and is making plans for an LYS yarn crawl. He is on Ravelry--check him out! He is making a cabled sweater. Yeah, his first sweater has cables. Alice Starmore you better watch out, sister, because I'm sure he'll be doing stranding before Labor Day.
My super pal Mike of Socktopus sent me a recording of Elizabeth Zimmermann telling her life story--of growing up in England, studying in Germany, meeting her husband, and coming to America. I played it on a recent car trip and was completely enthralled. When you tell things like this to your non-knitting friends, they think you're barmy. (A fine EZ vocab word). Her delivery is pure magic and she has such a knack for recounting events in a charming and detailed way. Listening to it motivated me to dust off my wayworn copy of Knitter's Almanac and finish a wip that was laying fallow in the bottom of the wip basket of purgatory. You might recall that I had a mini nervous breakdown over running out of yarn. As it turns out Babs had a skein of it to spare, and Bob's-your-uncle I was back in business. Hot damn!
The Specs
Pattern: February Baby Sweater
Yarn: Koigu p403 (2.5 skeins held together)
Needles: size 6
Mods: I did the sleeves in the round using 2 circs. I love the pattern but next time will use a solid yarn as the pattern is lost in all of the Koigu variegated madness--two strands held together was just a little too busy. But don't I get style points for using Koigu for a non-sock knit?
A funny thing happens when you work on one project exclusively--you actually finish it! The UFO August drill is proving to be of great use to me, as within the past week I have finished two pain-in-my-ass projects and this weekend should see the completion of the dastardly wip that has been on the needles the longest. Stay Tuned!
Part of my jobs involves overseeing student-created podcasts that are used in a foreign language classroom, so the whole podcasting thing is not foreign to me. I love the concept and think it has a myriad of genius applications. I have listened to a variety of knitting podcasts--some really dry and serious in a sort of formal way, and others raucous, chatty and completely annoying in that 'you had to be there' sort of way. But I have yet to find one that makes me want to put my Morrissey away. I am curious to know which podcasts you enjoy, and why. I am bandwagon-ready, but can't seem to find one that appeals to me.
I am now what my deceased grandmother would refer to as a slothful, slovenly girl. Soon the Darling Resident Marxist Curmudgeon will return home from 5 long weeks away of toiling in an underground nuclear lab only to find that our house has fallen into utter disrepair, with tall weeds coming up through the cracks in the sidewalk and the front garden lousy with Dandelions and Creeping Charlie. He will note with dismay that the recycling bin is full of empty tonic bottles and microwave dinner boxes. Luckily we don't have Tivo™ (we're the type of pathetic pseudo intellectuals that don't actually admit to watching tv), because he'd be treated to a cavalcade of dreck such as Beauty and the Geek, My Super Sweet-16, and several season-long marathons of America's Next Top Model. He'd immediately accuse the kids, but we'd know better. Hopefully he'll appreciate the pile of hand knit socks that will be buried underneath the stacks of unopened mail!
In that pile will be these little wonders, celebrity socks that truly need no introduction:
The Specs:
Pattern: Cookie A's Monkey socks
Yarn: Brooklyn Handspun in Jungle Canopy
Needles: HiyaHiya circs size 2, Magic Loop
June-August, 2007
These were an enormous pleasure to do as the yarn and pattern were well matched, I just love these HiyaHiya Needles. If you have never knit with Brooklyn Handspun, it is so soft and is pool-proof. I have gotten many compliments on this color way from non-knitters, as this has been a very transportable project and has galavanted quite a bit around town with me.
Completing this project also fulfills another goal: the August UFO challenge. Kirsten (inspired by Beverly) of Through the Loops fame has started a Flickr group for those of that have many unfinished object loose ends to wrap up before hard core fall knitting begins. So if you are in a situation where you need a little motivation to finish up several wips, join us via the Flickr group! My goal is to complete the random socks that have been started and have at some point been inexplicably set down : Retro Rib, Canal du Midi, and Embossed Leaves all come to mind, just off the top of my head. I'm also determined to finish my Shetland Triangle as well, dammit! I feel like if I could just finish the above-mentioned projects, I would somehow be free and clear and a brand-new-shiny- good person, and not a slothful, slovenly girl. Are there any projects that you'll be damned if you don't finish by the end of the summer?
