Reassurance

I didn't think I could love knitting any more than I already do when I pulled out Janel Laidman's book, The Eclectic Sole. I love making socks because they're portable, quick and you can't get better satisfaction than being able to knit a pair and put them on your own feet.

This is the Rivendell sock. A vision of beauty even though I've barely begun to make it. The yarn is from Fleece Artist called basic sock (superwash), and the yarn is from Little Knits. I bought it years ago, so you can't get this color, but you can buy the yarn here. It's very soft and lovely. I felt compelled to make socks so that my current project wouldn't make me crazy enough to talk to my bra strap begging to be beamed up.

But the sock isn't the only think I knit to keep from being driven to drink hard liquor. I had to make the Ishbel scarf. As math challenged as I am, I managed to get through the pattern because the chart instructions were written out. I made way fewer mistakes that I would have if I'd have had to use the chart alone.

The color is brighter than in the picture. The yarn is Gloss (sock yarn) in burgundy from Knit Picks and I used US #7 circular needles.


I would not use this yarn for socks (too soft). And when I gave the scarf her bath (a nice 30 minute soak) before blocking, the water was bright red. I'll make sure to tell my mom not to throw this scarf in the washing machine with her whites!

OK, so the Baltic Sea Stole. You've seen it here before. I keep talking about it and I keep putting it off. Secretly, I think it's because I have more than 30 days to get it done. I don't think I'll be happy making it unless I have only 2 days to get it done. Knitting under pressure gives me (apparently) a thrill when I am fighting against time.

I'm up to set 10 and I'm close to the end:


I'm thinking this scarf might be a mile long. I plan to knit until I run out of yarn, which from the look of things, might just be when the pattern ends. In spite of the tedium, how can I look at this pattern and not be in love with it?

It's made with Exquisite Lace from Fiddlesticks Knitting, in ivory and US #7 needles. Lovely.

So that's what I've been doing for the past two weeks. Now I have to go pack my bag for Rhinebeck. OMG, I'm so excited!

I got a new memory card for my camera, I bought some rain boots (just in case), I'm trying to decide which pattern to bring and I've got to make sure my GPS system is charged (even though we chartered a bus, last year our driver got lost!).

So that's it. Happy knitting to you!