April Socks

Loverly. After the disaster of the knee socks I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to do next. So I modified a pattern so much that I'm just calling it my own. A Smattering of Sapphires. Big diamonds on the front little ones on the back.

This is the Spirit Trail Fiberworks yarn. So soft and yummy; it's amazing what just 10% Cashmere can do to a yarn, and a person. I wanted to figure out how to knit it while wearing it on my foot, they feel so good. Not that I'm going to wear them for four days straight without washing or anything. Though I can nearly understand how one could want to.

April is done, despite set backs. Now for May I'm working on Cookie A's Twisted Flower socks.

Announcing

Dishcloth Extravaganza Spring 2009!

A pattern has been chosen. The bug has been helping with the sorting of the dish cloth yarn. She's become quite adept at helping wind them back into balls. Such a great little helper!

And a first sampling has been made. This will be mine to replace the one made a yearn and a half ago for the last dishcloth extravaganza.

Crazy Times

For the past week we've had company. First my parents then Mr. Gnome's Parents. Everything has been crazy busy. We took them both to fun touristy stuff around St Louis. The Bug got to charm the pants off her grandparents. She's very good at the charming. It was great fun but now I'm looking forward to life at it's normal pace.

Last week I finished Oh Mickey and got a ribbon. The Bug Loves it. She wore it for three days straight until I declared it dirty and in need of a wash. It's superwash Merino, all's good. The ribbon helps hold it up, it's a wee bit to big, but I'm sure she'll grow into it.

I had mentioned before that I was going to change the pattern in order to avoid all the ends. The pattern has you end the color change at the bottom of the skirt. It would probably help to know that the skirt is made side ways, not around. Ending a color at the bottom made carrying the yarn impossible, or just icky looking, so she had you break the yarn for each color change. Uck! So I just knit back up to the top of the skirt and did an even number of rows instead. I think this used more yarn. It doesn't look any different and the only ends I wove in were the ends of the balls of yarn.

Knit a long fever!

I finally did a knit along with the the Fingerless Glove Fanatics group on Ravelry. I've wanted to so many times, but didn't have the yarn or the time or the money to get the yarn. This month was Sourwood Mountain Mitts I used the recommended Rowan Wool Cotton because I love the stuff. I made the small because that was my measured size but they turned out a wee bit too small. The color isn't really me either but I liked it for the pattern. I think they'll work great for my MIL. One Christmas present done! Oh and I went to the vintage consignment shop where I got the buttons for Textured to get the buttons for these again. This time I took The Bug with me. She had a blast; all those fancy dresses and sparkly jewelry.
Then I also joined the One Shawl to Rule Them All knit along on Ravelry. I'd seen this when they did the last one but was too late to join. It was a hard decision between the Elf shawl and the Dwarf Shawl. I like them both. But I had the yarn for the Dwarf Shawl and that was the deciding factor for me. It's hemp which is rather stiff and I think it makes it look like black chain mail knitting. Sort of.

Growing Pains

This past weekend I got to the toe on the German Stockings. I tried it on for the millionth time. Pulled at the leg. Lamented the gaping, the lack of pull on the cables. Sighed. And ripped it all out. In the past I would have left it alone, finished the second sock the same as the first and been disappointed with the results. I'd like to think that ripping it out to do again a size smaller is a sign of growth. If only I'd done it a week ago when I first knew deep down that it was too big. The odd thing about it being too big is that gauge was dead on.
I've started a different pair of socks for the April Sock. Can't quite face the German Stockings again right now. Besides I'd never finish it by the end of the month along with the other knit-alongs I've joined.
More on that later.

Knucks

Last night I finished and did the finishing touches on my Knucks. Just in time for this very gray and rainy day. The yarn is Rowan Felted Tweed, left over from the Textured cardigan I made a few months ago. I will admit that my embroidery is lacking quite a bit, I think it's funny how the letter get progressively bigger. And we won't even begin to talk about how many times I had to make that blasted heart. ah well. The sentiment is still true.
I did have a wee bit of help from a gnome or two while knitting. Found these stitch markers over and Etsy a few months ago. Perfect; he's even holding a lantern!

First Salad

At Saturday's Farmer's Market there was Arugula. I don't usually get arugula, it can be a bit strong. But it was green! I was so excited to see something green I just had to get it. The leaves looked mostly small so I figured it was more like baby arugula, with maybe some adolescent arugula thrown in. I made the Arugula, Barley and Cannellini Bean Salad from Veganomicon and it was so yummy! The arugula didn't have any of it's usual bite and I liked that. Wooo green food!