Hah! I am posting and no one will expect it! I just received my new shipment from the Rocking Sock Club and I wanted to post a picture. Sorry about the bad lighting, it's cloudy here. I do have some stash to document so I hope to catch up on that, but...I'm not making any promises! I do have some other Blue Moon I added, along with Fiesta Boomerang, Knittery, and I don't know what all.

Yep, it's been almost 3 months since my last post. Very bad blogger. I have been knitting, but not for myself. Well, I've been knitting and playing World of Warcraft! I got a job at a yarn store so I have been knitting samples and swatches for the store. Here is the first sweater I knit for the store in Manos Cotton Stria:
The pattern is a Manos pattern in one of their books. I'll have to check at the store.
Well, my real reason for posting is that I am FINALLY finishing the Koigu socks that I started, I dunno...5 MONTHS ago! After all that time, I couldn't remember how I did the bind off on the first sock. So, I went to my trusty blog thinking all the info had to be there...and, what's this? no info about the bind off?!! what kind of a blog is she running? So here 's the pertinent info on the bind off: I used Grumperina's stretchy bind off and it worked perfectly! My new favorite bind off for socks. Woot!
So, what do I knit next?

Yes, I finished the sweater vest! My daughter, H, is completely happy with it so I am happy. She can wear it all spring. She says it came out just like she wanted it . That's important since she designed it. The specs are a little sparse on this vest but here goes:
Needles: knitpicks Size 7
Yarn: Tahki Cotton Classic in Cactus(4 skeins), Sunflower(1), Turquoise(1).
Pattern: my own with H's input
Start: Well, the first time was Dec. 4. This time was around Jan. 12.
End: Feb. 18.

And since I am in a pic posting mood, here is the baby hat I made for a friend's granddaughter. This took me longer than it should have because I knit it on size 3s.
And here is the vest not on my daughter :)
So now I get to work on socks for ME! Yea!

These are part of my Valentine's Day present from my DH. He does get me the best presents :)

Lorna's Laces in Ravenswood and Gold Hill above and below is Schaefer Anne. There is more yarn, but I haven't taken pictures of it yet.

Now, since it has been awhile since I posted, I do have a project pic as well.
I have to admit that this is an old project pic. I have finished the front and am now on the final inch of the back. But my warcraft character is doing great! I'll get an updated picture done soon...as soon as i level up my character a wee bit more!

Awhile back I fell in love with the Loopy Blues color from Yarn Pirate. It's an exclusive color for Loopy Ewe and they sold out of it almost immediately. So when I saw that Sheri had some back in stock at the Loopy Ewe, I had to buy it immediately. This is it in the merino/tencel on top and Toasted from Claudia's Handpainted Yarns. 'Cause you know I can't just buy the one skein when I can get free shipping by adding just a wee bit more...

This one I have no excuse for. I was weak while walking through the Yarn Barn and couldn't resist. It's Koigu KPPPM in 407, I think. It's actually a little darker than this picture, but it was the best I could do.

And next time I will post a crazy boring progress pic.

I know I have been a bad blogger. Before, I was having trouble getting my kids to let me use the computer because they were playing Warcraft. I now regret to inform you that I, also, have fallen victim to the Warcraft addiction. Since the new release of Burning Crusade, my entire family has been playing nonstop. I feel so ashamed. ;)

Also, I had thought to join the Knit From Your Stash bandwagon...I didn't even make it 3 weeks. So, here I am. With, apparently, not enough willpower to fill a thimble. So in my next post, which I promise won't take 3 weeks, I will post pics of the new additions to the stash and the project progress update. I know you're dying in anticipation.

I have been knitting, even if I haven't been blogging. There just doesn't seem to be a whole lot to blog about. I have been avoiding knitting H's sweater vest because I am unhappy with how the edges of the intarsia look. And how fiddly intarsia in the round is. I have been contemplating frogging the whole thing and starting over with regular intarsia, but I don't think H would let me. She is anxious for the sweater vest to be done and doesn't want it taking any longer than it already has. And there is that hope that washing and blocking will help some of the wonky stitches. (But I don't really believe that.)
In my knitting avoidance, I did cast on for a new sock. I just wanted an easy project to work on for the college bowl week and random tv watching.


This is Koigu KPPPM in p113D and this is my first toe up heel flap. I had to knit the heel twice because the first version didn't really fit my heel. I did more research and found the Widdershins pattern and the notes that the author made to tailor the heel to your own sock. I am so impressed that she even came up with a formula to figure out the stitch counts. I love this heel flap! I can easily memorize this heel and there are no stitches to pick up. It also fits my heel great. The only problem I have with this heel is one of my own creation. I didn't increase enough for the gusset stitches so the heel flap is 1 cm too shallow, but it still fits great. I'll just adjust it on the second sock and any future socks.

So, I am no longer avoiding the vest and I hope to finish it by next week. Then maybe she won't give me the evil eye when she sees me knitting on something else.