Long Drives

We took a road trip to Sequoia this weekend, and as the passenger on the drive I got quite a bit of time to work on my basketweave sock. I'm down to the straight portion of the foot so far. My daughter has also asked for some new socks, so I am swatching something up this evening.

I also got a design idea for some socks for my father-in-law, but I need to sketch it out and see if it will work. My Sensational Knitted Socks book (see Amazon link in the sidebar) has been a wonderful resource for giving me the confidence to try my own patterns based on the master patterns in the book.

Project Spectrum

I just signed up for Project Spectrum 2007, which will begin February 1st. I really enjoyed looking at everyone's colorful projects last year, and am looking forward to taking part this time.

Knitty Gritty

My husband put Knitty Gritty on the DVR to-do list over the weekend, and last night I took advantage of an amazing confluence of both kids in bed plus too early to do my night-time work and watched three episodes while working on my log cabin blanket. I skipped most of a rectangles-are-cool episode, got an idea or two from a sock episode, and really enjoyed watching the cable work on an Aran episode. I was alternately excited about knitting on TV and embarrassed to be excited about knitting on TV.

My basketweave sock continues apace, after a day or two of estrangement resulting from an unfortunate quartet of dropped stitches. I am about an inch away from finishing the leg and starting the heel flap.

Hey, Buddy, Want to "Knit Some Socks"?

Via Yarn Harlot, Blue Moon Fiber Arts had their (now former) bank cut off their ability to accept credit card payments and refunded the money to any customer of their Socks That Rock 2007 club. Why, do you ask? Apparently the club, in which you preorder a year's worth of yarn, was off to a resounding start and the bank couldn't believe that BMFA was bringing in that kind of money selling yarn.

Happy New Year!

I didn’t blog much at the end of the year, but I was knitting like mad. I gave many knitted gifts for the holidays: a striped Noro scarf and hat for my sister-in-law, the double-moss socks I finally finished to my mother, two felted potholders for my mother, and a set of six dishcloths for my in-laws. I made a pair of toddler mittens as a hostess gift. I also sent a mini-sweater and stocking ornament through an ornament exchange. I made my elder daughter a pair of mittens and used the rest of the skein to make a ruffled hat for the baby.

I also got some very nice knitting gifts from my family. My husband gave me a lovely wooden ball winder and umbrella swift, which I put into use right away, winding up my stash of Cascade 220. I also received some pretty stitch markers, gift cards to JoAnn, the winter issue of Interweave Knits, and a few books:

Knitting Beyond the Edge: Cuffs and Collars*Necklines*Hems*Closures - The Essential Collection of Decorative Finishes

One Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit and Crochet


Museum of Kitschy Stitches: A Gallery of Notorious Knits

It’s not a knitting gift per se, but my new Canon PowerShot Digital Elph will be great for blogging!

Currently, I’m working on a log cabin blanket, some socks for my husband, and the Equestrian Blazer from the winter IK. I try to knit a little every day