Sidetracked

So, I've had one full week to myself with no school, and I've been trying to rediscover my life.  I think I had one, and it's nice to see that it hasn't abandoned me entirely.  I've been knitting and I'll get to that, but first I need to own up to a serious distraction:

I found this book in the new materials for the library, and while I don't tend to do a lot of cross stitch, I fell in love with this book.  I promptly ordered it online, and as soon as it was in my hot little hands, bought the materials for the main attraction:

I know, eh?  Looks fantastic!  Okay, so here's what it will look like:

Eventually.  The whole book is stuff related to magic and witchcraft.  Some of it is kitschy like cutesy little fairies and wizards, and the dragon on the cover (which I think is very pretty, just not for me), but then there are images of Father Sun and Mother moon, and this cushion.  The Celtic wheel of the year.  I hope mine comes out looking at least something like the picture from the book.

So enough of that.  This here's supposed to be about knitting, so here's some knitting:

This is going to be one of those projects that looks the same every time.  The Hex Afghan from Nora Gaughan's Knitting Nature.  Maybe I'll mix up the pictures a bit by incorporating things in the background to make it a little more interesting than a neutral taupe afghan.  Case in point: the lovely Rock Band drum kit it's photographed with here :)

I've also been working a little bit on my Double Eyelet Rib Socks:

Not too much to see there, either.  I've finished the heel and am about to work up the leg.  This is a great, simple, easy to memorize pattern that is perfect for mindless television knitting.  If only the afghan above wasn't so time sensitive, I'd be much further along on this.  Ah well, what can you do?

But wait, there's more.  I went to Michael's to get the materials for the embroidery above, and encountered something else.  Who knew there'd be yarn at a crafts store?

   

Well, okay, I knew but in my defense, the Kroy was on sale.  So, as the labels state, this is Patons Kroy Socks and Stretch Socks.  Muslin and Licorice colourways.  The stretch is something I've never tried.  Not sure how that's going to work, but I think it's worth a try.  So anyway, I'm going to cut it off there, and hopefully get some more knitting done.

Return to the land of the living

Well, almost anyway.

I have been plugging away on the final bits of my courses this term, and am so close I can almost taste it.  I wrote my history final on Thursday, and have my astronomy final on Saturday, and then I'm free until September.  I have been knitting off and on in an attempt to remain sane, so here's an update.

Carolina Sock number one is complete.  Mostly.  I have ends to sew in, but that part is not conducive to sanity, so it will wait.

In the meantime, I like to work one sock pattern and then another sock pattern before returning to the second sock from the first, so here's the new sock:

This is Wendy D. Johnson's Double Eyelet Rib sock.  It's knit from Knitpicks Essential yarn in the Russet Tweed colourway.  I was nervous about the little flecks of colour that are mixed in this yarn, but the pattern is coming through alright, I think.  It's a great pattern, incidentally and is one of her free ones.  I might also have preordered her book last week too, so there should be more to blog soon :)

Stash enhancement.  Hmmmm, there shouldn't be much to say about that.  I say "shouldn't," which somehow doesn't mean "isn't."  Ooops.  Some was necessary, and I'll get to that, but this is really pretty:

This is a hand dyed sock yarn from a Canadian dyer from Quebec called Biscotte & Cie.  Her colours are really gorgeous.  This one is Lupin in the Witch's Cat colourway.  It seems to meet the fine standards of the actual witch's cat in the picture.  Check!

Regia Galaxy Jupiter Granite.  This was an accident too.  I went to the LYS to get the yarn which is coming next, and found this in the sale bin.  How could I resist?  Seriously :)

This is what I went for, though:

Nothing spectacular, just a simple yarn.  Patons Shetland Chunky.  I got 15 balls of the Taupe colourway.  This is meant for a wedding present for my cousin.  The wedding is in June, I think I can manage.  Here's what I've got so far:

It's difficult to tell, but this is about half of the first repeat on Nora Gaughan's Hex Afghan from Knitting Nature.  I've wanted to knit something from this book for some time, and I've finally gotten the chance.  So far, it's coming together really well.  I just hope it doesn't get tedious.  I know it's going to get heavy.  Thank goodness this wedding is in June and not August :)

The last one is one I bought ages ago, but realized I had neglected to blog it. 

I'm not sure how I managed to miss it in my blogging, except that it's really pretty and it's possible I was hoarding it.  This is Americo Original 100% dehaired baby llama.  The colour is a steely grey, and I have one skein of it.  It's luxurious, and I'm awaiting the perfect pattern for it.  In the meantime, it sits on my desk and gets petted.

That's about it for now.  I just thought I should check in with the blog every month or so.  Bad blogger, I know.  Summer is almost here, and that should offer lots more to say.  I should return soon.  I hope.  No promises :)