the red socks are making some nice progress. I’m finally working the short-row heel on the second sock. and I’ve decided to use one of the cable patterns from Sensational Knit Socks for the cuff on them.

I’ve also started swatching for Calla. I got the Dale Svale in a sort of brown color (I think one site calls the it ‘carmel’), in an attempt to have something that goes with an orange skirt I have. my gauge is off though - I’m trying to decide if I’m better off switching needle size (I like the way it looks on the 5s I’ve used) or trying to rework the pattern to my gauge. I’m also planning to alter it a bit - I want to leave the back plain and make the straps a bit wider (I’m thinking maintain the cable width), and I’m going to try and knit it in the round. seaming is not my friend.

although, I did finally persevere and attached the first sleeve on Eli’s sweater. I think it’s off by a wee bit, but I don’t think it’ll be noticeable once the side seam is finished. yay! I’m hoping to have it done by the end of the week so I can mail it off along with Lilin’s birthday present (and Melanie’s soaps).

in other news, I had a lot of fun at MN Sheep & Wool this weekend, despite the rain. there was lots that I wanted to buy, but it kept ending up in the “but what would I make with it?” category, so I ended up not buying. I did get some handspun sock yarn - one’s a nice solid green and the other is natural with lots of color speckled thru it (as Nancy says, it looks like the inside of a crayon box). should I ever learn to spin, I think the fest will be truly dangerous (I petted some camel ‘wool’ - SO soft). I also got a book on knitted tams that I’d seen and fallen for at one of the LYS - it was on sale, couldn’t pass that up! (Knit Picks palette sampler box is in my future for working those, I think). I also stopped at Sheepy Yarn Shop to check out their anniversary sale. I was again tempted by a lot of yarns, but didn’t end up buying any. I did see a nice lacy cardigan in a brown yarn on display - I think it’s what I’ve been thinking I want to make for wearing over tanks and stuff for work (when the AC gets to be a bit much). so I need to go back and figure that out. I also went to Three Kittens and got the above mentioned Svale and something from Ironridge? and to All About Yarn where I picked up some Malabrigo for the felted basket pattern and some Cascade 220 for the felted snowmen patterns that I bought at Yarnover. (I got a gift card from my boss for my one-year anniversary, I had to put my free-day to good use!)

so many projects - I need to get knitting!