Time just "wooshes" by for me these days - what with me working hard to get my serious, wonderful, glorious work done (it's gonna be cool, I PROMISE), watching the Tour, learning to spin and knocking down the knitting queue ... well, I lost two whole days there. Wierd.
Ok, topic 1: How's that spinning going, really?
I've gotten past my innate fear of the spindle and I think the two of us are going to be friends. My new pal, Pre-drafted Fiber (we'll call her "Pre) and I went over to hang out with the spindle (get it? hang? heh) on Monday night and things went quite well. I managed to spin something that didn't have the same diameter as a spaghetti noodle and, for the most part, don't think I over spun anything. Much. My fingers are getting used to the feel of the twist working it's way up the fiber and "charging" it up for the next round of drafting. If the temperature goes down just a bit tonight, I may take another crack at it. Regardless - spindle #2 is good. I pronounce it so. At a minimum, I need to wind it off the spindle so that I can do something with it. Cool.
Topic 2: What about those other things you said you're knitting?
Yeah, well. A LONG while ago, I made one of the Must Have Cardigans. Very aptly named. Patons Classic Merino, on the order of 6 skeins and this think knit up so fast that it was done in, like, 1 week. Awesome. I should crochet in on the back of the collar to prevent it from opening up, and also add some reinforcement to the button holes. Whatever. The pattern also makes the cables running up the arms look vaguely skeleton-like .. but the shaping is forgiving, the length is awesome, even the shoulders are just right. It's as if the pattern were made for me.
Regardless, it's awesome. I wish the temperature would go back to "normal" at the house - which usually means in the high 40s/low 50s at night which would allow the cardigan to come back out. Today it's languishing on the chest at the foot of the bed. I know it thinks I don't love it any more. Feh.
Next thing is a pair of Riverbed socks ala Cat Bordhi. I couldn't manage to get a good picture of the whole sock, but here's some closeups of the stitching. Blue Moon sock yarn is a dream to knit with - and even the lightweight stuff is just so squishy that it's a dream to wear. The yarn was originally intended for the Sock Club pattern, but that thing foiled me completely. Enter these stripey wonders.
The cuff is a 4 row pattern of 1 purl followed by 3 knit. Then, an additional 3 knit to make it roll ever so amazingly down to meet that last row of purl. These babies fit like no sock I've ever made fits. I'm in love with the book, with the pattern and with math in general. Seeing as I had, like, 12 YEARS of math, you'd think I'd had enough - but nope, it's good. Love the stripes, love everything about this sock. Just need to start on #2.
Finally, there's a Dragon Skin Baby Jacket in process. As always, the "third time's the charm" for this kind of think. First try, the edge was too tight. Second try, I couldn't count. Third try, I found a mistake about 8 rows down after casting on for the sleeve, and there was NO WAY I was frogging that far back. Enter two bamboo DPNs, a glass of wine and my fan.
Yes, that's a blackberry in the background. If it weren't for that thing, I'd never go home. Also, I think that this is a tremendous sign of optimism that I'm bringing knitting to the office. And not just socks, but FiddlyKnitting. The kind where interruptions and short bursts of time are sure to wreak havoc.
The baby is due in 1 week. Think I'm gonna make it?
Me neither.
