It's Like Christmas in May....

.... Mostly because I'm working on some stealth projects and it has reminded me of the blog material void I faced last December when I was finishing up my Christmas knitting. All of that to say I've got a couple of interesting projects on the go - but I can't tell you about them.

Aren't you glad you stopped by?

Instead of the interesting projects, I'll post some pictures of recently completed socks. Hurrah!

These are the Embossed Leaves socks that I started when I went to Qatar earlier this month. I ripped them back and they are no longer too big for human feet and I'm very fond of the finished product. The pattern is from Favourite Socks and is definitely on my favourite sock pattern list. The leaf pattern is pretty easy to memorise, but interesting enough to keep you zipping around.

This is my first pair of Socks that Rock socks, and I am ready to take out a mortgage to stock up on more. The yarn really is lovely and squishy and the colour is great.

After successfully completing a pair of identical socks from self striping yarn, I've gone back to my lax ways and whipped up these fraternal socks using Kaffe Fasset regia sock yarn.

(Miraculously, I actually know that this is 'Landscape Storm' colourway. Go me!)

And because I had 5 pairs of socks finished but not yet distributed I decided to take a socks on parade photo because I could and I'm sad that way.



On a less productive note, I have decided that the Faux Russian Stole I started last month is never going to be. You may recall that I started it using some lovely (but crazy crocking) Claudia's silk. And I can't really say why - but the project never really took off. I did about 60 rows, but each with little or no enthusiasm, and since then I can't seem to convince myself to pick it up again.

So today I pulled it off the needles and ripped it all out.


I still like the pattern, and I love the silk - so I expect both will reappear (separately) at some point.

(And for those of you whose hearts have stopped at the photo of the unravelled yarn in a heap. Fear not. All was lovingly rewound. No laceweight was hurt in the making of this blog.)

I've Been Podcasted!

This morning WonderMike from Y Knit let me know that this here very blog was mentioned in their latest episode - Lace in Your Face. One of their guests (either Doug or Troy, I confess I didn't know which was speaking at the time)(but Doug (or Troy) - if you're out there today you are my favourite reader!) -- anyway, Doug (or Troy) kindly mentioned my blog as one he likes to visit. I'm still blushing.

The podcast was a great 33 minute diversion this morning -- and I would have said that even without the reference to me! Apart from Doug and Troy they also spoke to my latest crushes - Lew and Gene who are master knitters from the Lacy Knitters Guild. I defy you to listen to that section and not go - "aaaahhhh - how cute are they?".

And to prove that the world is powered by some sort of crazy synchronicity thing WonderMike and hizKnits closed the podcast with an homage to Public Enemy's 'Bring the Noize' called Lace for Boyz. Now the orginal is a track from the very same album Zane Lowe and I bonded over last week! Hip hop is alive and well in the world of knitting!

Naturally being me, after feeling ridiculously pleased, I started to worry. Sure Doug (or Troy) liked my blog so far - but what if it starts to become stale. What if I run out of things to say or (eeeek) knit? What if Doug (or Troy) think my next project sucks?

Luckily before I could sink into a pit of despair at disappointing my now favourite reader Doug (or Troy) the phone rang and I had to do some work.

Knitting wise, I'm still working on the self striping socks.

Just to prove I can I'm making these socks as matching socks.

So far so good.







I've also cast on the Faux Russian Stole from a Gathering of Lace using an amazing reddy - orange Claudia's Handpainted silk. I am not sure what makes the stole Russian, so I'm even less clear why it's Faux.

But it is.

The pattern is fairly straightforward so far, but hasn't really grabbed my interest. The yarn is crocking like a crazy crocking thing. (Crocking, I discovered last week, is what you call it when the dye from yarn rubs off onto your fingers, pattern pages or anything else it comes in contact with.)

The excessive crocking makes it look like you've been feasting on Cheesies (or Cheesy Wotsits for my UK friends) instead of knitting. It washes off as easily as Cheesie dust, but I confess it doesn't taste as good if you are tempted to lick it off your fingers.

PS to Opal -- the sock pattern in the last post is Waving Lace.