Endless Socks

The endless socks have heels now. I only had to make three and a half heels to get two. I'm streamlining my process. In the meantime, I've ordered more yarn and the dyeist is going to see if she has any old stuff left because the new batches of this dyelot are much lighter. The dark purple especially looks not dark at all. These are very special socks and I can't have the leg being short. I also can't have them in "femmy" colors, so we'll see what the mail brings.

There are a lot more things planted on the hill. I'll take pictures in some little while when more plants are established. LLD, I did plant one periwinkle. I didn't know that it put down more roots as it goes. That is just what is needed. If it does well, I'll put in more next year. It is a greenish-yellow leaved variety.

50 Grams of Laceweight

I wound it myself.

JAALA!!!!

This is Jaala. Sing with me: "Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful?" Aside from walking in beauty like the night, she is good designer and a really good knitting camper. She designed the sweater she is wearing. I think I might knit it. I'm going to get the pattern from KnitCircus magazine which will be delivered right to my door any day now. It's full of other nice designs to knit. It's a good magazine. She and Elizabeth(sidebar) publish KnitCircus. Ask for it at your LYS or go here to see the patterns and to order a copy or subscribe. Here's Jaala's blog.

I accidentally left Jaala's name off the list of campers even though we caravaned and arrived at knitting camp together, even though we had a shouted conversation through an open window at park headquarters while she was outside in her car and I was inside on line with 30 people. Even though she let me have the short chair. Shame on me.

I love you, Jaala.

Aced the Test

My friend Bev is a knitting designer. She asked me to test knit a simple but beautiful hat, or maybe I asked her if she'd allow me. The pattern is very well written. She made the stranded colorwork easy. It's called the All-American Baby Hat and it's availble for $4.00 in Bev's Etsy Shop or from Ravelry where she is known as knittersjourney. Not having a baby head handy, I photographed it on some laundry. Here is her blog post about the hat with nice pictures.

Isn't it cute?

I made a shawl.

I started this last summer. I know I had it at Alt. Schmores Knitting Camp '08. I finished it right before Alt. Schmores Knitting Camp '09. It is two skeins of Suri Alpaca. I don't know the name anymore. It just reached. I probably could have done one more row because I had about a foot left over. The shawl is designed to tie around the shoulders at chest level to keep you warm and have your hands free. It's a copy of a gray one I remember from years ago that my roommate, Gwen, gave me. At least she gave it to me for a few months, but then she moved and she wanted it back. I had no choice but to knit my own 20-some years later.

I got back from knitting camp this week. The company was terrific--smart and funny, the food was sehr yummy, we found the best campsite ever, and even the weather was perfect. I saw a lot of these butterflies, but this is the one I saw first:

I neglected to take a picture of everybody. I won't torture anybody by posting her picture since I can't torture everybody. You should come next year, at least for the day. You don't have to actually camp. Think of it as a day in the park with knitting. A knitting picnic.

MollieBees, Elizabeth, Sue, Helen, Christy, Janice, Sheryl, and Jen, thanks for the memories and the treats including 3 kinds of marshmallows.