Between

It's amazing how productive you can be when you're busy. My theory is that you feel less guilty for procrastinating on something (like a paper, let's say) if you're doing something productive (like knitting a sock, maybe). My other favorite way to procrastinate now is to sleep. I call it 'self care.' Us psychological-mental health people can rationalize anything.

So, now I have a sort of but not really matching pair of Opal Socks.

You can kind of make out the differences... um, besides the obvious difference in length of the leg. The sock that has the white/purple toe (they look like little purple tulips to me) was done toe up. The longer sock was done cuff down (I cast on while I was out and about and didn't have my "how to cast on for a toe up sock" instructions.

Having knit two pairs of socks this way (one toe up, one cuff down), here are my conclusions. I love that i can end the sock almost anytime after turning the heel when knitting toe up. I DON'T like binding off the cuff on the toe up sock, b/c I"m a tight tight knitter and even if I use 'stretchy' bind offs and larger needles, it's not as stretchy as the cuff down cuffs.... For the cuff down socks, I love the seemingly more 'finished/polished' cuff, but hate grafting the toe. I also don't like how I can't estimate how much sock I can knit before I run out of yarn. (Ok, honesty forces me to admit that I never really worry about running out of yarn. I have a small foot, US6.5. I'm just impatient, OK?

Other fun purchases, made at Windsor Button in the Downtown Crossing area of Boston:

I couldn't choose between these two Rowan Classic books, so I bought them both. There are tons of sweater patterns I love in the left book, and see that scarf? LOVE IT.
These sock patterns are a Fiber Trend pattern. I don't know how well you can see them... but they're PURTY. And maybe will force me to make some matching socks?




On the left: my latest acquisition of Cherry Tree Hill supersock. You know that all their colors are kind of limited editions, so when I see one I like, I snap it up b/c it really might never be available again.

On the right, a pic of the blanket from one of the books I bought above.


Now I have to struggle with what skein of sock yarn to use next. Maybe I chose the company first. Koigu? Cherry Tree Hill? STR? Lorna's?
So far, I've used Meilenweit, Opal, Trekking, Cherry Tree Hill, and Interlacements. But I bet I'll end up using the Fiber Trends pattern to make me some cute sandal socks...

I probably won't be blogging for another 2 weeks. I have humongo ginormous papers due in the next 1.5 weeks (90 pages worth) and someone needs to get cracking. This past week, I was at school for an average of 10 hrs per day (not including today). I think when you're at school until 11pm at night (and you've been there since 10am that morning) something in your life is whacked and you should have to check yourself into a mental institution. Or a spa. Right now, I would probably find either one of those pretty relaxing.

You won't believe...

I called my brother a couple times this weekend to gloat about my 'find' in Boston this past weekend. An authentic Taiwanese brunch place! He didn't answer when I called him, but he called me back tonight. Not to ask what I had called HIM about... his opening line was

"you won't believe what Dad did..."

wanna bet? Remember this? I guess my dad has perfected his "my children are really busy RIGHT NOW and it would be the PERFECT time to call repeatedly" timing, because that's exactly what he did. He called my brother seven or eight times on Saturday while my brother was trying to finish his take home final for his... um. Some class in his MBA program.

Anyway, I've been MEANING to blog. I really have. I can't even think up all the reasons why I haven't been blogging. Feeling blue, feeling exhausted/overwhelmed, traveling, visiting friends... those are all some of the reasons. Let's play catch up, shall we?

1) I went out to CO to spend time with Stacey, her family, some other friends, and of course, my little red headed monster (LRHM).





The pic on top is the view from the balcony of the house I stayed at in Edwards, CO. The bottom pic is the LRHM... he's obviously quite unhappy with me, b/c I forced him to model the Robin Hood Jacket for me. Too big, but I love the color on him. It'll look great next Fall.

2) Knitting project update: I have some FO's! How unfortunate that the pair of socks that I finished don't match.




That's one finished clessidra from Knitty (love love love the pattern still), so I'll have to order another ball of the sock yarn from Webs. The second sock I started... a long time ago. I've finished the first, and have cast on for the second. I'm almost ready to turn the heel. Decided it was time to let the sock yarn do the work and it's a plain stockinette.

I've also got some mitered squares, using Harry Potter colors, but I'm running out of my allotted blogging time. School is over in about 2.5 weeks, and I'm really excited/dreading it. Dreading all the work I know I'll have to do in the next few weeks, the sleepless nights... but so looking forward to being FREE.