Quickie

Finished Talia! Here it is before the edging to armholes and neckline:

Great pattern to make - and fast. Didn't much care for the yarn though - the wee bit of mohair in it sheds everywhere. I think I would make this again, maybe in a cotton mix, something less sheddy.

Next, need to block this, and then put away till xmas! Aren't I organized..okay, doesn't fit me so not like I'll be tempted to wear it...sigh. 24 weeks and counting!

On and off the needles

Cast on for Talia, a Knitty pattern, with yarn from the Colorado trip - this is a fun pattern, on big needles, going pretty fast.

Finally finished the red scarf, yay!

And am back into the flat feet socks - I am over the novelty of knitting from an unravelling piece of pre-knit sock blank, but I suppose it's a cute idea. I decided not to do anything more than a basic toe-up sock pattern, because using such variegated yarn will overwhelm a pattern. But just makes it a zzz to knit. Good commuting project though.

And... here's a picture of me and a guy I met in Wyoming

Stash acquirement...

So, this week finds me in Fort Collins CO, visiting some coworkers, and loving it here.

There are mountains...
trees...wildlife...

(the Colorado Boston Terrier contingent)...

and yarn stores...

First place I stopped was The Stitchin' Den in Estes Park

Picked up some Lamb's Pride worsted and Mango Moon Chakra for Talia.

That evening hit Lambspun, like a yarny candy store...
Buttons and yarn balls andneedles and weaving supplies...

and this is all I got...some pretty yarn for a scarf (maybe this?) and buttons for Talia.

Finally, visited My Sister Knits (like Lambspun, not someplace you'd stumble across, but well worth finding). No pictures...all I bought was more Lamb's Pride Worsted, for another Hey Teach :)

Anyhoo - the upside of business trips, in addition to guilt-free yarn shopping (it's a souvenir) there is time to knit on cross-country flights and nights in the hotel room. What could be cuter than an eggplant baby cap?

An eggplant baby cap and a strawberry baby cap!

Best Ravelry Pattern ever!

Look this this great new pattern on Ravelry - a Boston Terrier finger puppet!

Like it wasn't cute enough here already...

Sunday update

Finished 'Hey Teach' - I tried to wear it yesterday but it was realllly humid here. I am pretty happy with it - except it seems a bit big - when it blocked out I had to stretch it a little to let the lace show - but this made it very wide. And I am already on the unusually wide side what with being 'with child' and all...

On Wednesday at S&K The Other Denise very nicely wound my Blue Heron rayon metallic for me - and I started to make the Drop Stitch shawl pattern that came along with it...Here's how far I got till I lost confidence in it. The wee little 3x2 in. picture that came with the pattern didn't look anything like what I was making, plus it was looking way too pointy. So I frogged it. Yarn is pretty slippy and tangly, so not sure what to make now - maybe Jeanie? Or another Clapotis?

Meant to show you the yarny gifts I got recently:

from my ole college friend J:

a needle-felted doggie to match my real dog :)

and from work friend P:

a necklace made, I believe, from Bernat Matrix -

clever way to use this yarn, and it's a pretty striking necklace. Plus now I have an idea what to do with the several balls of this stuff I picked up a couple of year ago, thinking I was getting a great bargain (hah!)

I'm off to Ft. Collins Colorado tomorrow, for the week. Have already scoped out where I'll be buying my souvenirs: here and here.

Election '08 - there's no avoiding it

No don't run away!
NPR took the whole 'lipstick on a pig' furore to it's logical conclusion - right here.
Love it :)

Pregnant head, I suppose...

This is not going to turn into a pregnancy blog, but I am going to use my 'delicate condition' to explain away my actions today. On my way home I got on the green line train, as usual, plugged in iPod, pulled out (awesome) book, and settled in for the ride, having timed it, as ever, so I'd arrive at daycare in plenty of time.

Looked up around 10 minutes before my stop - I have this ride down, I mean, I've been taking it for 6+ years...what the? Got on the line going the wrong way. Was about 7 stops away from where I usually start. feckingfeckingfeck.

Go to daycare 15 minutes late, and now owe them $40. Little man not a bit upset so suppose that's all that matters. Ahhhhhh

In happier news, look at the progress I'm making on "Hey Teach!". I even did gauge swatches!

Am half done with the red scarf. Getting to the boring repetitive part now though. Doesn't help that the yarn for both ongoing projects is very similar...