Another skein down

I finished the Embossed Leaves socks



What's interesting is that the pooling of the darker pink is very different on each sock. On my right foot, the darker pink pooled on the bottom, while the left foot it pooled on the top. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it and briefly considered ripping it back and putting heel on the other side so the pooling would be pretty much the same on both feet, but I really like the effect of it on the leaves.

The yarn is so incredibly soft, I think these just might be my new favourite socks.

So, after weaving in my ends, I put them on and then I did this:


Yep, another pair of socks. This time I'm using the Oceanwind Knits Merino in Indigo that I got for my birthday, and I'm knitting Azure. I'm a bit farther along in the pattern now, and I have to say that this yarn and this pattern are a perfect match. Complimenting one another beautifully. I love it when that happens.

I had to ask myself though...why on earth was I knitting another sock pattern? I have other projects I could cast on to satisfy my chronic startitis. I have things on the needles that need attention!

Then I realized why: aside from socks being a perfectly portable project (heck, I was able to knit a whole repeat during break at Thursday night's class), I have lots of sock yarn. I buy sock yarn, I ask for sock yarn and get it...because I want pretty handknit socks. I gather sock yarn because I like to knit the socks I want to wear. In my mind's eye I see my sock drawer filled with pretty socks. Nary a Wal-Mart sock to be found.

Can't get that if I don't knit 'em. Now...I could take this route...but that's pretty much cheating, isn't it? Although, if it looks like I'm going to hit SABLE in the sock yarn department I'm TOTALLY sending some of it there.

All other knitting was cast aside however, because the pattern was released today for HAT ATTACK!

I printed it off, sat with my needles and yarn, put my husband in charge of the children and knit away.

I finished it

Twenty minutes after the post office closed.

Oh well, I guess my target gets a weekend reprieve. Get knitting, come Monday morning, I'll be sending the hat.

The odd stipes...lemme 'splain. See, I watched the Colbert Report the other day and his guest was some scientist guy (too tired to go find out who he was, sorry) who has just come out with the book "Face to Face with Frogs". In it are some amazing photographs of frogs. He talked about some of the world's most toxic frogs, and as I looked at the photos I though, geez those are pretty.

And as I started knitting with the red today, the orange and the yellow were near the skein I was working with. And I thought, that reminds me of those deadly frogs (one of them, cut up properly, can kill 500 people. That frog was a brilliant shade of yellow). So I added two random-ish stripes in honour of pretty but deadly (Pretty Deadly?) frogs.

Side note: Cam was more than gracious as my model for the hat, he was actually excited to be a part of things, since the whole Hat Attack and SockWars concept really appealed to him. I called him into the kitchen, where we have the best lighting, to photograph it. Once I was done, Grace marched in, took the hat off his head and said "My turn. In the kitchen! Stay still!" plopped it on her head and smiled at me. What else was I supposed to do?

I took her picture.

Tussie Mussie is coming along nicely...I've only got a few more increase repeats to do on sleeve #1 and then it's on to sleeve #2. We're getting there! I've decided my next big project will be a sweater for myself, I just need to get the yarn in...and while browsing Knitpicks I found perfect stuff for two sweaters in the clearance section. Yummy...sale yarn!