Reveling in My Weakness

I wasn't going to go yarn shopping this month. Really. I figured that I had donated my yarn budget to the Red Cross and that was that. Then a really nice enabler person mentioned a combination yarn and quilt shop. Then that shop was having a second birthday sale. Of course I also had to go show Ursula my Petticoat socks. It was all downhill from there. On the other hand, I am very happy. First stop shows two of the Opal Rainforest yarns (Parrot and Tiger) along with a skein of Trekking XXL. I have been wondering what all the fuss is about this Trekking yarn and 15% off makes for a perfect opportunity. I also snapped up an early purchase for next year with the new Knitting calendar.

Next up is a Clapotis progress report. I have finished eight repeats on the straight section. I think I will end up with 16 of those before I start decreasing.

Finally, can you see how happy my sock is? It is nearly quivering with excitement. Yes, I have a copy of the new Yarn Harlot book. It's real and it's really in Southern California. Congratulations, Stephanie!

Greens and Blues

I'm not sure when green became my in color, but the last several projects have all either been green or have contained significant amounts of green. I have now cast on my third pair of green socks in a row! First it was Amble and then it was the Last Scream of Summer (which is slightly more blue than the picture suggests). Now it is a pair of forest green Chutes and Ladders socks for Young Man. Who can resist a child who asks for green hand-knitted socks?

I did finally cast on something that isn't green. I've started rectangles for a Warm Up America Afghan. I had been meaning to work on this before winter and Katrina just pushed me to dig out the Homespun (yes, Homespun) from my stash. It sure didn't take me long to become a yarn snob! This stuff isn't nearly as much fun as all the wool in my stash, but it meets the criteria for washability.

More blues are about to wing their way to Rebecca. She was the winner of the knitting bag, needle roll, and stitch markers that I tagged for Give a Little. Thank you for your donation, Rebecca, and I hope you enjoy the items.

Summer is Over, But the Scream Lives On

The last scream is finished, but I get to enjoy the results. This was my first time knitting with Koigu KPPPM and I have to say I really enjoy the yarn. The colorway, well, it isn't quite what I had expected. The socks, however, are wonderfully comfy.

Only This

Summer is Nearly Over - Aiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeee

School starts tomorrow and I don't really want the summer to end. I've enjoyed this last, lazy week with Young Man and few responsibilities. Tomorrow he heads off to third grade and I go back to work. Time is marching along. Today is also Big Guy and my 18th wedding anniversary!

It really seems hard to believe that we've been together this long. It really doesn't seem like that long. This is a very good thing. We aren't exactly celebrating. I did give us a copy of Blues Brothers and we aren't doing the million tasks that need to be done today. Young Man is getting a play date this afternoon and I'm hanging around knitting.

The big project for the weekend is a pair of socks using the Koigu KPPPM that I picked up while on vacation. It's a pretty wild green mix. I had planned to make the Crusoe socks from Knitty, but what adult can wear socks with a 44 stitch cast on? I could have just made them larger, but the stranded design wasn't working with the colorway so I switched to Susan's tried and true sock pattern and a stitch design that she used earlier this year. The socks are still wild, but they suit my mood this holiday weekend.

If you wander to Susan's blog, be sure to check out the Give a Little campaign she has started with Margene. I haven't blogged about Katrina because I just don't have the words. I am very glad that no one I know directly was affected and I am saddened by the slow response by my government and the lack of planning for a disaster that everyone knew would happen one day.