Boxes First

I stop for boxes containing yarn. Who cares about planes, suitcases or other little details? I got to leave with the joy of new yarn in my heart (but without a hairbrush, not that it counts, because I figured it out in time to stop and buy one en route to the airport), and I arrived home to find more of the same (both yarn and hairbrushes, but the hairbrushes weren't new). As the Knight was trying to get me to the door so he could get me to the airport Tuesday evening, I was admiring the Vesper Sock Yarn that had just arrived. On the left is Meteor, which is a lovely brown/red/turquoise colorway. On the right is Crew, which is just assorted greens and white. The picture hardly does the yarn justice. I've often admired the Vesper colorways, and now I have two to call my own!


When I got home Thursday night, there was another box waiting for me from Knitpicks. There was another pair of 16-inch circs, as I've decided I like that length best for my sockies, and finally, at long last, there was some CotLin to try. (Center, in Moroccan Red.) It feels softer than the other cotton-linen blend I tried, so I'll give it a whirl. My mother inlaw selected some of the Felici self-striping in Hummingbird (on the left), as she was honest enough to admit that she won't be bothered to hand wash hand-knitted socks. I couldn't help but order some of the Firefighter colorway in the same yarn. I don't know whether I'll make them for the Knight or for me, but I want to come up with a little Maltese Cross pattern for them. (No, I still haven't unpacked. I packed light, so there's nothing but dirty clothes and the books from my workshops in there, and the two cookbooks I purchased, but they aren't touching my soiled laundry. However, the yarn has been fondled and blogged, so don't question my priorities!)

Since I don't think Knitpicks does a great job of displaying their colorways, here's a closeup of the Hummingbird. We really lucked out here! My mother inlaw will love it, and I'm looking forward to casting on for her wee little socks. She wears a ladies size 5 (US), so it won't take long at all to whip out some simple socks for her. I will say that the colors aren't quite as bright/neon-ish as my photo shows, but it's a heck of a lot more than you'll see on the company's site, so I hope it helps. Her birthday isn't until November, so I doubt you'll see these socks much before early November.



Likewise with the Firefighter. There's nothing close to the whitish pale gray I captured with my sub-par photography skills. There's a rather solid, true light gray, a dark gray, and some not quite fire engine red in this one. Heaven only knows when I'll cast on with this, because unless there's a pattern I've not been able to Google, I'm going to have to swallow hard, take a deep breath and venture into the land of writing my own pattern on this one. I don't want anything too lacy or patterned, but I do want a Maltese Cross or two on there somewhere, maybe dead center of the front of the leg, between two twists or something?



In other knitting news, Amanda's second sock is into its toe decreases. Then - of course! - I'll whip out Anne's second, "manly" pattern, and then, with whatever is left of a rather busy weekend, I'll tackle the elusive heel of the toe-up Tofutsie. I also need to finalize my plans for my Sock it to Me pal's sock pattern and yarn selections, because that will be my project for next week, and likely, the week after that. I haven't forgotten about my Tea Swap pal either, so that's the NEXT item in the assembly line. My felted bag pal has a pattern, and I need to make yarn selections there too, but since she reads my blog, that's about all you'll hear on that project. I also need to get started on the Knight's blankie when he's not around, but again, SitM and the Tea projects come first! Once those are safely behind me, I can start holiday knitting.