First things first, Mystery Stole is done! Okay, not really but it sounded good right? I decided I wasn't going to finish it because I didn't want to knit a wing or a table runner. However, I was motivated because I really wanted those size 4 needles it was occupying to start a pair of socks. Impulsively, I bound off right there and then and was happy as a clam. I am now the proud owner of a pentagon-shaped lace scrap, so proud, in fact, that it's balled up in a wad in the corner. But I'm still happy and I have those size 4 needles free!
Those size 4 needles are for some footies for Sweetie Boy. Remember Marie's crafty sale? I offered to give Barbara's leftover sock yarn, Elann Esprit, to my friend Pam who is learning to knit socks. What she didn't know is that I secretly filched a couple of balls of the yarn for myself. She had me at, "This is the UCLA sock yarn." Barbara, I'll buy you a cuppa for the yarn next time I see ya at knitting. Sorry and thanks!
I cast on for Saartje's Bootees last night with some leftover koigu and got about 12 rows done. Fun, easy, the shaping materializes before your eyes, and I can't remember the last time I did garter stitch. What a blast! Babies are exploding around me and it's time to for some baby gifts.
My clap is spreading (heh heh) and this is the baby that's taking up most of my attention. I'm officially halfway done. Idiot that I am, I forgot to weigh the skein before I started, since I wanted to do this scientific-like and follow Teresa's most excellent instructions on how to make a clap with the yarn that you got.
After doing all of the increases, I weighed what I had left, and learned it took me 3.05 ozs for the set up (I got a new scale and I'm having a time getting used to the grams-duh!). That left 2.something ozs for the straight sections before going onto the other skein. I finished up the 5th straight repeat and then added the new skein, so all-in-all, I think I'll get 10 straight repeats, before having to start the decreases. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it doesn't become knitting's first square clapotis.
Finally, I offer you the very best of yarn pron. Behold... Ruby Soho from Melanie of LotusKnits.
This is a beautiful, deep red, no hints of tomato (even though the lighting in my picture looks like it), just beautiful cranberry and and hints of burgundy. When I saw the Love My Way colorway at Madge's house, I knew I had to get me some of the LotusKnits semisolid. After drooling at all the beautiful yarn she had just posted to her etsy site, I sent Melanie an email that I couldn't decide, and could she just surprise me with some purple or red. Well, red I got and I love it. I didn't see the picture of this yarn before receiving it, and I was so glad I didn't because it was the best surprise in a long while. Beautiful, gorgeous, deep red. Ahhhhh...... Another great thing, in honor of Melanie's birthday this month (go wish her a happy birthday!), Halloween, and her favorite time of year, she's donating 20% of her October etsy sales to Habitat for Humanity. That's right; if you buy her yarn, you're a giver. So buy yarn in the name of altruism.
