Weekend knitting

First, the Fair Isle.....

I've reached the sleeve steeks! Observe evil kitty in upper corner of photo attempting to eat my Addi Natura circs. Lorraine the Knitting Hammy asked if this is my own design. No, I'm using a WendyKnits design and colorway for her Fearless Fair Isle. But I hope to design a Fair Isle of my own very soon! You know you're hooked when you go to the library and check out scholarly tomes involving the history of Fair Isle patterns (I'll try to remember and post the name of the book I'm perusing right now).



Next, socks.....

It's all Natalie's fault. She just finished an adorable pair of rib and cable socks from a Nancy Bush pattern in the IK Fall 2005 issue. I'm too lazy to try and scare up a copy for myself, so I designed my own rib and cable socks. I'm already decreasing the gusset of the first sock.....

I went to my lys on Saturday with the good intention of buying a few skeins of dark, solid-colored sock yarn. With these skeins I'm going to use up all the bits and pieces of self-striping or self-patterning sock yarn that are occupying valuable stash room. I did indeed find four skeins of dark blue Sisu Maskinvaskbar sock yarn (80% wool, 20% nylon). I forsee lots of striped socks in my future.

Right next to the dark blue, though, was this enchanting heathered gray in the same brand....I'd already been itching to start a pair of cabled socks and this just called my name and leaped into my hands. I've never used this yarn before; it's a bit more robust than the Regia that I usually use. It's knitting up quickly (ok, it's knitting up obsessively) on size 2 Brittanys. These are definitely going to be for me! (Sometimes, selfish is good)

I've ordered a pair of 1 1/2 (2.5mm) Brittany dpns so I can go back to Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks with confidence and produce socks that are not too small for my feet.

I've also ordered a wooly board from Lacis...let's hope this one is in stock.

I also just got my copy of the Yarn Harlot's new book Knitting Rules! delivered. I started reading and started laughing...if you haven't read any of her books and appreciate knitting humour they are all a worthwhile purchase. I've read some other people's complaints that she repeats too many stories that are already on her blog but I haven't noticed (or minded).