Knitting Ketchup

I've been having a horrible time getting around to blogging these last few days. It's not in any way for lack of blog fodder - it's more on the opposite of the spectrum in the way that I've been so busy playing with yarn and fiber that I can't seem to pull myself away to tell you about it. I'll warn you right now - it's all about the knitting and fiber this time. If you don't knit, move along now there's nothing to see here.

Let's start with the spinning. There was really no question the other day when I realized I had that felting kit. The fiber in it was luscious merino perfectly-prepared roving, and I needed a fix for my new addiction.



Oh, yeah. Oh, yum. The colors in that first picture are totally off. Here's a more accurate one.



That first skein accounts for a third of the fiber I had, and I got 145 yards out of the 50 grams of roving. I think it's somewhere around sport weight. Of course, this photo is a couple days old, and the second skein is done now and I've just started the third. I'm so spinning out of control. This yarn I've been making - so soft! So shiny! It's gonna make a nice scarf or something.

Moving on, I finished my second pair of Sock Wars socks. I finished them several days ago, and they are still sitting around my office because I've been too busy spinning to get them packed up and sent off to my target.



Also? My target doesn't want chocolate in her package. I don't think I know how to send out a knitting swap package without chocolate in it. I'm trying to come up with something else to stick in there. Something light, because it's going to the UK. Something not too expensive since this is not really a swap any more - I'm on to my second kill and I do have that new spinning addiction to feed after all.

I'm also cranking away on those Smooshy black socks. You can see in this picture that it's not a true, true black, but has some shades of dark blue mixed in there. I love the way socks look and feel with ribbing all the way down the cuff and instep, but it sure slows down the knitting and makes it a little less fun that plain ole stockinette or something more interesting like lace. But these are an act of love, so it's worth it.



Someone asked for details on the pattern. I'm using my standard short-row toe-up pattern - it's available for sale on Ravelry or through a few local yarn stores. Once I finished the toe shaping, I started K2P2 ribbing on the top half of the sock, only in order to center it, I started with P1 and ended with P1. So it goes P1, K2, P2 ... K2, P2, K2, P1.

And finally, we'll look at someone else's knitting - my hat class just ended, and my students were doing great. I especially love the skulls and crossbones.



Excuse me now, I need to go play with some wool.