Try and Try Again

I did go yarn shopping yesterday. Due to the rain, I stayed in Brooklyn and hit up Knit-A-Way, which seriously? Gets stranger and stranger every time I'm in there. The owner is nice, but there's always something off when I go there - yesterday it was the homeless man seated at their main front table, and the register was down so the owner had to add my stuff up without a receipt.

On the plus side, I got the needles I wanted (size 0 bamboo dpns) and I found two balls of Trekking XXL sock yarn that I fell in love with. I know you're thinking, more sock yarn and you haven't ever finished a pair? I know, I know. But I have goals. Aspirations.

I brought it home. I love it.



I hope the photo does it justice. Its a great fall color scheme - oranges and yellows and pea green and a nice light brown. I love it.



I've seen others use this kind of Trekking, the non-patterning kind, and I love the way it comes out. I'm 90% crazy about the colors (a little too baby for even me) but I like it.

I started a sock, a toe-up sock using that new technique from the new Knitty - the magic toe thingy. Magic indeed. I started the damned thing, no exaggeration, 6 times. And on the 7th time, I got it to work for me. At least I know now that I have perfected the technique. It looks good, though you can see the wonky part where I cast on the slip knot. Haven't figured out a way to get rid of it, and by that time I just wanted to knit the darned thing.



I have completed the toe (thank you, laundry!) and am now into the foot part. I'm using Wendy's Toe-Up pattern, just with the different toe for the new method. Sorry for the non-links today. Mike's machine runs Safari, which doesn't play nice with Blogger. I think this is the perfect sock - its just stockinette, which is what I wanted. I love the colors. I'll be learning the short row heel, and I'll be able to take it with me on the subway. So, if you see me with it on the train, please say hello!

Sigh

I have some free time right now. I almost don't know what to do with myself.

I finished blocking the shawl and it worked beautifully. The stitches relaxed nicely, and the piece is so so so so so soft. I wore it a few times this week and last week, and I just love it. It works equally well as a shawl and as a scarf. In fact, its super snuggly nd warm as a scarf, which I love. It will definitely come in handy next winter.

Right now I'm torn as to what to do next. I am thinking socks, as I must make my heel on Jaywalker #1 (remember those, that I started mid-February? Haven't touched them since the Florida conference). I also started the other socks, but I am thinking I'd really like a plain stockinette sock to work on instead of a lace sock. But, I only have the two sets of sock needles that are in use, so that would require buying another set. I don't think that's the worst thing in the world, and in fact, it may be a good excuse to go to Downtown Yarns to return two balls of mohair I am never going to use. Let's just hope they have the sock needles! I know Purl has a set, as I saw them on my day off on Wednesday.

Speaking of which, two days off this week! And its Spring Break at school! Even so, I have two papers to write and a team presentation to work on, so I still have a lot to do, I just have more time to do it in. Today, I am debating what to do. I have drink plans for 6 PM on tonight, but I have the whole day ahead of me. Do I take a Pilates class at 10? Do I skip it and go for a run later? What about sewing? I have so many ideas right now, but I am also leaning towards just sitting still and doing nothing, as that seems like such a luxury right now.

I'm thinking socks. Maybe a visit to some stores and socking... and I'll do the dishes. For sure.

A Finished Object!

Don't get too excited, as its unblocked and crawling with ends. But, I finally had a moment to myself and was determined to finish this thing! And I did! And I got almost all of my reading done! Hooray!

First, the dorky modeled shot (also totally blurry, sorry!), with me kneeling in front of an unhung mirror in our disastrously messy office at home:



Next, the full shot. This shot is great, because you can see Mike's plans underneath for his freelance project, as well as my big toe, his new computer and his old computer, and a box from when I moved in one year ago (for the second time for those of you who are counting) that is now filled with clothes we desperately need to donate.



And finally, the detail:



I think that the color is probably best represented by the full shot, at least on my screen. Its a really deep eggplant-y purple and I love it. Its super snuggly soft and I kinda wanna sleep with it tonight. The yarn is very sproingy, and so I hope it loosens up a bit once blocked - I'd like it to get a little bit longer, and for the garter stitch to open up a bit. I don't know what to exepct with this yarn. Has anyone used Knit PIcks Elegance and blocked it successfully?

Finally. Something is finished. And I actually can't wait to wear it! I suppose I can give it a soak after class tomorrow and spread it out to dry overnight. Maybe by Tuesday I'll be able to wear it!