The Yarn Made Me Do It.

Earlier this week, the October Sock Yarnista shipment arrived, and I was smitten with the yarn the second I unwrapped it. I think its my most favorite colorway ever. (I know. I say that every time.) But seriously, look at this yarn.

(This is not my photo–its the stock photo that Sharon took for the club page; copyright is hers. The yarn is McClellan Fingering, a merino/bamboo blend. Colorway is Lewis, a club exclusive color.)

Do you see how rich and varied and warm and subtle and yummy is it?

I thought so, anyway, and decided instantly that it was too pretty to be hidden inside of shoes. I set the yarn on my desk next to last months skein so that they could be friends (and because I’m all out of room in my little sock yarn tub) and I could admire it. And it started whispering to me. It wanted to be a scarf–no, gloves, no! Fingerless mittens, so that it could be worn inside and out.

I ignored it because I am already working on three pairs of socks and a scarf and anyway, both pairs of my size one circs had projects on them.

The yarn did not care.

First, it got indignant, wondering how I could possibly just leave it–clearly, a superior yarn–there to sit while I worked on boring projects that I wasn’t even enjoying. Then, it got tricksy. It reminded me that my hands were cold, and they were just going to get colder, and did I really want to wait until after Christmas to have warm hands.

Well….no. No, I didn’t.

Then, it pulled the tricksiest trick of them all. It said, “Wind me.” It seemed innocent enough, winding the yarn into a ball. I could see how it really felt. I should have realized that I was in for trouble when I wound the skein without taking a picture for my Ravelry stash page. And sure enough, you know what happens to yarn once you wind it. Its just the natural order of things. Resistance is futile

So, yeah. I’m making these.  I’m almost finished with the first cuff, and wondering if I shouldn’t make it longer.  Pictures to follow, when they won’t make me late for work.

Hey, look!

I finished something! And its even something I can show you! (If you’ll pardon the crappy picture.)

I am absolutely loving the pattern. It took a couple trips through the cable charts to really get the hang of them, but they got easier, and given how infrequently I picked it up, the sock knit up pretty quickly.

Probably it would have been better in a more solid color, but I think the subtle changes and short runs in the yarn leave the cabling unobscured enough that it works. As much as I love the color (Father Ailnoth’s Sin), I’m not sold on the yarn (Sanguine Gryphon’s Sea Sock). There isn’t anything in particular that’s wrong with it, and it feels delightful on my foot, but when I knit, it feels…squeaky. There’s something about how it slides along the needle that just doesn’t feel comfortable to me. Its a beautiful yarn with a great sheen, and it has the tight twist that I like, but I don’t think I need to buy it again.

Now, if I can work my way through some Christmas knitting, maybe this sucker can have a mate.

Sailing.

Way back in May, Jason’s father gave him tickets for a schooner cruise for his birthday and so yesterday, we went sailing, an incredibly chilly event that made me realize that I need to stop knitting socks for long enough to make some other cold weather gear. My feet were the only thing that stayed warm yesterday.

We left from a marina in Annapolis, cruised around the bay, and went for a little restaurant called Cantler’s to have crabs for lunch. Dad has worked on boats for most of my life, and when I was little, we lived at a boat yard. My best friend’s family was from DC, but had a slip there, and I spent a lot of time on their boat, a few times going on overnight trips, which was awesome. Since then, I’ve only had a few chances to spend any real amount of time on a sailboat, and I always forget how much I love it.

I realized yesterday, to my great amusement, that part of the reason I like it so much was because people have been sailing forever, and its still done basically the same way its always been…which is kind of the same reason I love knitting and spinning.

One of the crew, who I totally meant to leave my card with, is also a knitter, and was admiring my socks (which she wants to learn to make), and also my MacGyver-style work using some aluminum dpns as hair sticks after Jason had to borrow my hair tie.

Friday Giggle.

(with thanks to Becki!)

FO: Birthday Bag

While I’ve been pretty enamored with the spinning wheel, there has been actual knitting going on. The trouble is that much of it has been secret knitting for birthday and holiday gifts, and I haven’t been able to talk about it here.

But! My MILs birthday has passed, and I can share her gift–the mystery project that I was felting a few weeks ago. Behold.

Pattern: Amanda’s Squatty Sidekick

Yarn: Cascade 220, The Heathers, color 4007 (held double stranded)

Needles: Size 13

The entire thing was more or less inspired by the abalone button, and Christine was a huge help in finding yarn that went with it perfectly. The yarn and button both came from Knitche (my favorite yarn shop to date) and flew home with me, where they sat for awhile so that I could find the perfect pattern. (I thought I had one, but when I went back to get it, it didn’t seem to exist. Welcome to my world.)

I’m really happy with the way it turned out. It might have been felted a little more, but I kind of like the texture it was left with. (Who am I kidding. I was finished felting. End of story.) Mary really seemed to love it, and went as far as to say that it was the best birthday present ever. She really knows how to make sure she keeps getting knitted gifts!

Excuse me if things are quiet around here…

…but this is in my living room. I’m sure you understand.

(No, it isn’t mine. A friend is moving and I’m babysitting it to ensure that nothing untoward happens to it in the process.)