O hai!

As predicted...no post for 3 months, then 2 in one day...

*What I'm working on...

My Branching Out toe up socks are 75% done

Your Princess Is In Another Castle...continues, unabated.

I did finish another square, only 27 to go...

*Finished Objects -

Kosta's "Stalagtites"

These were just dragging, he's a man. He doesn't want neat patterns. He wants plain, old vanilla socks. These were on the needles since we returned from Colorado, and I just couldn't bring myself to finish. They actually sat, with only the toe decreases needing to be done for a month! Then! I found Rachel Olsson's TDTU Vanilla Sock and learned how to do a TOE UP SOCK! WEEEEE!!! I finished the second sock in a day and a half!

*In My Queue -

TOE UP SOCKS!! I am IN LOVE with toe up sock construction! They are so fast! As always, I can never be told what to do, I have to come upon it on my own. Now I know what everyone was talking about when they raved about knitting from the toe up!

*Rambly Ramblington -

So, Colorado was a blast and I swear if we could move there at this very moment, I totally would. I can't speak highly enough about it.

Work has been extremely busy and stressful, I have just been so wound up when I get home at night that I have trouble settling in to knit...and that made me sad.

I found that if I listen to podcasts, I can knit to my hearts content and make good progress.

My schedule changed at work, and I am now working 8a-5p, and wishing that I had a knitting group to go to once a week. No such luck.

*Things I am digging -

Again, podcasts. I finally subscribed to "The Knitmore Girls" and OMG!! I LOVE IT!!

At this moment, I am listening to episode 51.

Hand painted sock yarn...my love for it has been rekindled with two skeins of Claudia Handpainted Fingering sock yarn in "Hawaii".

My swift & ballwinder!!

You know what is a pain in the ass? Ordering sock yarn online, having it arrive in a hank and having to hand wind it into a ball.

Well, now I don't have to! Kosta got me a swift and ballwinder for my birthday!

(fresh off of the ballwinder!)

When we went to Fancy Tiger in Denver, CO - I bought 2 hanks of Lorna's Laces shepherd sock and the woman at the register graciously offered to wind them for me and I quickly replied "NO!" - in retrospect, I should have said that I wanted to do it myself on my new equipment! She probably thought I was a fool that was going to wind it by hand :)

My Knit Kit

I take my knitting EVERYWHERE.

Since I am primarily a sock knitter, my knit kit contains all the essentials for anything I might encounter when knitting in the wild.

I contain my knit kit in a red, faux-snakeskin leather makeup bag that came as part of an Estee Lauder holiday makeup kit many, many moons ago. It's about 6"h x 8"w x 2"d. It fits all my tools, as well as my sock in progress and a back up ball of yarn, in case I want to cast on something new.

Photo #1:

A small hole developed in the liner, I have no clue why, but it fits a tapestry needle perfectly. This is handy, it keeps my needle right where I need it.

Photo#2:

The Contents-

Susan Bates "knit-chek"

Fiskars scissors

stitch markers (that I rarely use)

Point protector (I don't think I've ever used it)

Tape measure

Analog row counter (that task has been outsourced to my Stitchminder app)

Knitting needle tube filled with an assortment of sock sized DPNs

Impromptu cable needle

Pilfered hotel post its - for keeping my place on pattern rows, especially if I plan on reusing the pattern.

Bobby pins - to put my hair back if needed.

Size H crochet hook

Size F crochet hook