All the Pretty Words

Well, I finished the Waving Lace Socks for my Sockapalooza sock pal. I think they turned out well, but I’m much more enamored with this:

My first handspun! I bought the roving and a simple drop spindle at Lettuce Knits while we were in Toronto, and had been reluctant to spin it up because I was sure I would mess it all up. Yesterday I decided to just get over it and do it, and here it is! It’s a bit overspun, but I think it will be okay once it has dried and the twist has set more completely. I’m a little disappointed by how little yardage I got out of it, though…only 45 yards or so. I think I might combine it with this wool/mohair blend I got at the street market last week to make a little pouch for socks-in-progress or a small purse, or maybe some gloves. I’ll figure something out, I’m sure.

I’m at a bit of an impasse for my next project. I have some lace yarn, but I’m doing the Mystery Stole soon and don’t think I want to work on two lace projects at the same time. I’m also a little burned out on socks, so my stashed sock yarn will have to wait some more. I’d like to knit a sweater or a cardigan or some kind of top, I think…but I don’t have enough yarn of any single type for that, and it would not be a good idea for me to spend the money on a sweater’s worth of yarn right now. I guess I’ll go back to the Log Cabin blanket until inspiration hits, then.

Yes, I am still alive! As proof, I give you a FO:

The Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I had been pretty bored with the project until I saw someone talking about putting the ribbon through the yarn overs. I tried it (cursing at the newly-unearthed sewing machine as I sewed the ends on), and voila! Boring turns into cute!

I’ve also finished another project that I really loved, but I can’t show it here because the recipient reads my blog. I will try very hard to remember to blog it when I give it to that person, but the gifting date is well out of my easy remembering range. I’ll try!

A few days ago, I started some Waving Lace Socks (scroll down) for my Sockapalooza 4 sock pal. I’m using Jawoll for the first time, and the included bobbin of reinforcing thread is semi-exotic. Should I knit it along with the yarn? Should I sew it in later? Should I toss it aside? Who knows what wonders the reinforcing thread might bring… ;)

I also signed up for Dish Rag Tag (Team Canada, woo!) and Mystery Stole 3 today. I’ll definitely get into the Dish Rag Tag, but we’ll see what happens with the Mystery Stole. There are tons of lace patterns calling my name and I have so little yarn with which to knit them…