Busy as a.. flibbertigibbet?

So what have I been up to?

Knitting-wise, not much. I finished one half of the fetching pattern for my Step-mom's Christmas present (I have a month and a half yet to knit the other one.. plenty of time!) and have figured out how to read the chart for Conwy from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road (when I try something for the first time I don't go by half measures! Not overly complicated, but complicated enough for a first pair of socks..).

I must admit to only learning to read it today. I realized I was reading it right to left, not left to right. It kept confusing me as to why a round ended with a knit when the written instructions (thank goodness for those!) ended with a purl..

But I understand now, and I have started the decreases. A little late in the pattern, but still early enough since when you finish the decreases you just keep going for awhile so it won't look weird. My muck up of the twined cables might though, but I just knitted a couple of rounds and then started the cabling over, and realized I was mostly right in the first place.

Who cares anyway? These socks are for me! If I manage to get them done and do decently, I'll try to make a pair for my friend who is a sock fiend. Hopefully I get these ones done before Christmas, with enough time to try another pair!

On the crocheting front, I have decided I want to make myself the Too Good For Your Boyfriend sweater in Not Your Mama's Crochet (I need a good sweater, it's hard to find decent ones that will cover my wrists AND my kidneys unless it's a guy's one. The bane of being a 6'1 female, I've practically given up on finding something not totally shapeless on me so why not make one?). This will wait though, but I do think I should hit up Make1 again because the yarn they mentioned getting in last time looks so nice and perfect for the sweater... hopefully they still have some when I can next get there!

I also had better get cracking on those mittens I wanted to make for my son, my little velociraptor. It's cold here, he needs something to keep those little hands warm! I bet he'll get a kick out of the mouse mittens

I have decided I want this mug. I was rambling around, and it's just too cute. I need more knitting things.

Speaking of which, I have several books on my Christmas wishlist and I shuffled stuff around to empty one of those smallish rubbermaid tubs to put my stash in. It will fit in there with room to spare right now. That will no doubt eventually change.. but it's enough for now.

But for now the plan is to go drink tea and knit while I watch some tv. Haven't gotten enough of the knitting time in, and I have a schedule to keep!

Wine and Yarn..

They make such a lovely combination don't you think?

So I did go to the book launch party. It was great, met quite a few nice people to chat about whatever, drank 3 glasses of wine (be glad I wasn't driving, I began losing words halfway through the second glass though I was still able to make myself understood) and ate a fair bit of sushi, cheese and crackers, and cupcakes from Cravings.

Amusingly enough we discussed knitting more than crochet, which is amusing since the book was about crochet. This also meant I spent more money today (on top of what I spent yesterday) so I think I shall be staying away from the store for a little while. At least until I get some more knitting done. But I now have yet another ball of sock yarn and some new circulars, along with some beaded stitch markers and a signed copy of Not Your Mama's Crochet. I think I'm going to make myself that lovely sweater out of it. Sometime.

Later.

Once I've finished Christmas knitting.

*smacks the fingers that have twitched and begun to reach for the crochet hook*

I did mention that I half-assed blog about knitting and the name of it to some people. So if you did decide to look me up (and when I googled the name of the blog I was amazed it worked.. wow!) welcome to my little corner of the knitter interweb.

But now I shall go to sipping more wine (I'm not a lush! Honest!) watching some Supernatural and knitting away at my socks. Tomorrow I have to drop the knitting needles for pins though and cut out everything for my son's halloween costume. I want to get it done, not have to rush out at the last minute and buy some crappy costume while I curse myself for not staying focused.

Of course I have to do all this in between my usual weekend catch up on household chores and entertaining a VERY busy almost 3 y/o boy.

Wish me luck!