Too long.

It's been too long since I've updated. Sometimes I view this with amusement, that it was last before my vacation, and some with embarrassment. I know I don't have the time to be one of the top bloggers, but I offer you guys my apologies for being incommunicado this long.

What have I been up to? (All photos pending)

Well, I finished the kitty hat in time for the trip... and then remembered that I'll be wearing a ski helmet on the slope, so I really didn't need to panic about the hat. Oh well, it's still done.

I also began and finished Odessa, in Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Nymph, with cool pearlized aqua size 6 seed beads. It's a lovely hat. What I learned from Odessa is that knitting with beads is fun, and that Cotton Fleece is NOT as stretchy as Cashsoft. This meant that my hat didn't expand as much, and as such was really tight on my head. It was pointed out to me that my co-worker who had lost her hair due to Lupus had a really small head. She tried it on and it looked lovely. My heart wrenched but I gave her the Odessa. I still have enough beads and have procured enough yarn to remake my hat. I'd have to make it again anyway... I'm planning on going up a needle size to 2's for the body of the hat. I had to go to a size 1 to get gauge previously, and I think that that will be enough to expand the hat so my ears don't feel like they're being squished bloodless. ;)

I had a conversation with my Mom about getting yarn instead of tchotchkes for St Pats and Easter. She was keen on the idea once I proposed yarn requirements for a couple of 'surprises' for her. Basically, this meant that I told her 'for surprise A, you'll need nine balls of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in a color you like to wear that's not black. For surprise B, you'd need five balls of Knit Picks Twist in that black.' (Project A would have lace repeats in black, and I decided I didn't want to deal with that.) She ended up getting me both sets of yarn for the proposed projects from Knit Picks, and her Easter present is the 'drop stitch Twist shawl' from there in 'Broadway Lights'. I mailed it out today... hopefully she'll get it in time.

For any of you out there, I found the Twist shawl easy and fast. The self-fringe is very neat, and the shawl simply won't lay right until you do it. Note that in person the Broadway Lights colorway sometimes appears black and sometimes a very dark navy blue. Not a problem for my Mom, but someone hoping for a true black will be in for a surprise. My biggest problem with knitting the shawl was getting distracted by science and reading. I've discovered Tamora Pierce recently, and have happily borrowed most of her backlist from a good friend. ;)

What's in the works now?

I'm also knitting with Socks That Rock in Farmhouse... I'm trying another Grumperina pattern, Jaywalkers. I've heard many complaints that they come out too small. Since I knit a bit on the looser side, I'm using my size 0 bamboo dpns and *hoping* that my actual gauge when I'm telling myself to knit tightly will yield a good compromise sock. I'm worried because the leg looks a bit large, but I'm only 2" in. I'm fairly certain that the Socks That Rock is a bit thicker and sproingier than Opal, and I want to get a nice plushy fabric. The Dancing socks featured on this blog have shown one tendency that saddens me greatly... when I'm standing in them, I can feel the stitches. All my reading indicates that that means I'm not knitting near tight enough. So I'm trying again with the Jaywalkers. We shall see.

I also got some sock yarn from Knit Pick's clearance. (Now there's a sale to sadden the heart and lighten the pocketbook.) I had some of it earmarked for a birthday that's coming up until the DH admired it for himself. D'oh! (Sock Landscapes Mesa. Lovely colorway.) Not a problem, I bought the birthday girl something else. I also got some Parade, and am planning on making some nice squishy slipper socks for myself and perhaps a couple of friends who have been helping me out in the science department. :) Any Parade reccomendations gladly accepted.

What's Surprise A Wool of the Andes for? Well, Mom got me Hollyberry, and it will become one of the shawls in the Folk Shawls book. As she also requested a kitty bed in shades of green, it's more likely she'll get that first. She's got five indoor cats, and only three beds, so I've some catching up to do!

Last question. Is Photobucket a good option for hosting photos, moneywise? It appears that I've used a great deal of my Photobucket account space, and must switch to paid subscription soon. I've been pondering whether or not I want to go there... any other suggestions? :)

Thanks for reading.