Giant Smiles

I have only nice things to say today - how refreshing!

Let's start with the absolute best part first. Here is the biggest smile I have ever seen Sophie make. She was watching Daisy cat walking around our living room and trying to grab a handful of fur as Daisy brushed by. She succeeded a couple of times and I had to pry her hand open and brush off the collected fur. It was a priceless moment.




Here's another lovely moment that happened just after. Julie and Sophie playing together. You can't tell it from this exact moment, but they were sort of interacting with each other. It was very cute.



Okay, and someone was complaining a few days ago that I haven't shown the blankie recently. I didn't think it had been that long, but it turns out it was almost two weeks ago. Time flies when you're incredibly busy having fun. I layed the thing out on the bed and Harry came trotting into the room and jumped right up as if somehow he could sense from the living room that a comfy spot was waiting for him. That's okay - it's good for scale. Comparing this picture to the one two weeks ago, I'm afraid there's not all that much visible progress, but I have been averaging at least one square a day. That's pretty pathetic, but remember we've been having sleep issues and I've spent a couple evening's worth of limited free time sorting yarn in the hopes of getting it sent out in the near future.



Oh! See that package with the yarn sitting directly below the blanket? That's from Jennifer in Melrose, MA. A few more nice chunks of exactly-what-I-asked for. Thanks, Jennifer - you're #94!

One last thing - a different Jennifer was asking about what kinds of cotton sock yarn I've been getting and which ones I would recommend. Most of the big companies that make self-striping sock yarn make a wool/cotton/nylon blend in fingering that is great for warmer climates and seasons, or just for people with warmer feet. I knit this type of socks for our falls and springs here in Minnesota for myself, and will wear them in the winter too, if the warmer ones are in the wash. Socka, Regia, Opal, Meilenweit, Sockotta, Jawoll, even KnitPicks. These are all pretty similar, although some make them with a little elastic mixed in and others are just the wool/cotton/nylon. There is also Cascade Fixation, which is more of a DK weight and very stretchy cotton/elastic.

Here's where my personal bias comes in and I'm going to go ahead and get all opinionated, so brace yourself. I don't care fore Fixation. The elastic feels weird against my skin, I don't enjoy working with something so stretchy, and it is too bumpy underfoot when I try to wear it. It just doesn't make me happy. Also, I really think the wool/cotton/nylon blends make the most sense for several reasons. Wool is good to have in there because it helps make the socks more elastic naturally. Wool has great memory and will stretch out less than all-cotton does, plus it is easier on my hands to work with, and it absorbs moisture well. Cotton - well, it's cooler, which makes it great for warmer seasons. Nylon is really important to strengthen the fiber and keep you from putting a hole through all that hard work after a couple of wearings.

And, moving along with that train of thought, but away from cotton for a moment, I'm going to disclose an opinion that I know some of you will disapprove. All those luxury fibers people are selling and knitting up into socks these days? The pure merinos, the Bearfoot, the pretty pretty handpaints that make you drool on your keyboard when you see someone knitting them? I'm not going there any more. They just wear out too quickly on my feet. I need some nylon built in, and carrying it along for the toes and heels doesn't cut it because mine wear out just outside the heel zone. I made a pair in Bearfoot last fall, and after about ten wearings they're already getting thin in spots. I've had this happen with other expensive yarns, too. Not so much with the Regias and Opals and similar yarns. I think the luxury ones are better saved for things close to the face like scarves and hats, or maybe sweaters or, um, modular blankies.

Okay, and just one more step down that trail...I don't like Jawoll either. At least, I don't like the wool blend of it. They put acrylic in it, and it sucks. It's too shiny, in a fake sort of way. Worse, it feels swampy in my shoes when I wear the one pair I made in Jawoll, and they stretch out on my feet and flop around after I've been wearing them for a while and take off my shoes. Okay, hopefully the people who were looking for all-positive-thoughts aren't reading by now, but if you are - quick, go back up to the top and take another look at Sophie blissing out over the cat.