Kick!

Yeah, I'm definitely on a sock kick (pun intended).

See, my husband was out of town. I went to pick him up Sunday, which involved a 1.5 hr ride on the El. Especially for such an occasion, I cast on a sock on Friday night, so that I could have the heel turned by Sunday to knit it on the train. (Yes, that means I finished the Hederas.)

I haven't been knitting very much besides the train (I got the Sims 2 in the mail, so my after-work obsessions have changed!), so I'm still working on the same sock.



It's in the gorgeous Lorna's Laces Irving Park colorway that Grumperina sent me. This is my first attempt at a toe-up sock, as well as a short-row heel, and I like toe-up socks thus far. There was alot of yarn in this hank, and I'm using it all up by making these go halfway up my calf. I'm even shaping them to go over my calf. Pretty soon, I'll start the top ribbing. I'm quite pleased with these socks, especially the color and feel of the yarn, but I did a poor job with the heel, and it's holey. I'll need to weave some yarn through there.

I've also been totally yarn-splurging. In addition to the KnitPicks shopping spree my husband promised me, my in-laws sent me a hefty gift certificate to Joann Fabrics, which I already spent on some size 3 mercerized cotton in Natural for these dresses for my nieces; some more of the same stuff in teal and lime for the Daisy Dresses from Zoe Mellor's Adorable Knits for Tots, again for my nieces; and some TLC Cotton Plus for a light short-sleeved top from the summer's Vogue Knitting. I still haven't gone on the Knitpicks shopping spree, but I will tonight.

Anyway, besides that, I took advantage of working short hours last week to drop by my LYS for the first time. I was a bit disappointed by their selection -- almost nothing I could really afford, and way too much slubby/novelty yarn, which I don't like. HOWEVER, I did find something I just HAD to get -- the Baby Alpaca Grande from Plymouth Yarns. I snatched up 3 skeins with the remnants of my birthday cash and ran. Originally, it was going to be the Robin Hood sweater from Adorable Knits for Tots, but a quarter of the way up the back I realized I won't have enough yarn. Like, REALLY won't have enough yarn. And at $12 a hank, I couldn't exactly afford more than one more skein. Plus, cables and bulky alpaca just don't go together.

So I frogged and started a super-simple, super-plain hoodie of my own "design":



The back took quite a bit less than one skein, so I'm guessing the front will take that much, too, and the remaining skein and the leftovers will make the hood. I can buy ONE more skein to finish up, but not more than that.

It'll be extremely simple. Stockinette with moss stitch hems and cuffs, dropped sleeves, no shaping except at the front neck. The front will be a split neck rather than a button-down, cardigan thing that the hood will fit into. I'm loosely following the Robin Hood dimensions, but using mostly my own judgement. It seems like too simple a pattern to do the yarn justice, but at the same time, anything else takes away from the softness and drape of the alpaca. My sister-in-law will kill me for presenting her with a handwash-only alpaca toddler jacket. Ah well, I just couldn't resist!

So, let's see...once I get the Knitpicks yarn order, I'll finish off the circle cardigan. Still can't bring myself to finish the Fir Cone shawl. Will finish the Chevron Socks after I finish the first toe-up sock. Still need to remake that hat. I know a few babies due in November, so I'll need to make some Trellis sweaters for them, since they're quick, cute, and can go for either sex if done in cream, blue, or green. I'll need to make those dresses for my nieces for Christmas presents. I need to make a few toys for the new babies, their big sisters, and my nieces, too. I need to make a vest for my dad for Christmas, and hopefully a sweater for my husband. And hopefully a Tubey for myself...

Yes, lots of projects!