Ripping it out….

Life’s too short to spend it knitting something you don’t like. I’m ripping out the baby blanket. I’m having way more fun knitting my log cabin blanket, and if I do end up knitting a baby blanket, it’s going to be a log cabin. (Not that I have any friends needing baby blankets any time soon. At least not that I know of….) No sense having a WOOP that I don’t have any desire to get back to. Hmmmm. Maybe I need to take a look at the rest of the WOOPs on my list. (And if you look at this and think, “She hardly had anything done on it – that’d be easy to rip out” – you’re right.)

I have come up with a plan for knitted items for holiday gifts. (Remember my post last week about certain issues that I seem to have with giving up knitted items that I originally picked out for ME?) I am going to knit socks with Sport Weight yarn. I did this with these Claudia Hand Painted (in Donna’s Favorite) and they knit up so fast that I did the twin right away. (And as we all know, I seem to have issues with knitting in pairs, as well.) Sport weight socks make GREAT gifts! (Added bonus – they are small and lightweight – easy to mail if need be.) So, I’m going through my list and picking out yarns from Lorna’s Laces Sport, Claudia, All Things Heather, and Sweet Georgia (note – we’re starting with Sweet Georgia’s sport weight yarn at The Loopy Ewe, but never fear, I also have 15 fingering weight colorways already on order, which will be in by mid-December.) As soon as All Things Heather and Sweet Georgia are in, I’ll pick the colors and let you know what I’m going to be doing for holiday gifts. Yarn Pirate is all fingering weight, and so I’m picking ones from there for me. Not that I need to add any more “for me” yarns to my stash, but I can’t help it. There are too many YP colorways that I love. So, how many sport-weight socks pairs do you think I can knit between now and the end of December? I have a long list of intended recipients. If I can get rid of all my other responsibilities, I may be able to get it all done.

The latest photo to keep you posted on my Log Cabin Quilt. I am working my way around longer and longer strips. Each time I start a color, I think, “Well, I’ll do this color and then work on my socks for awhile.” but by the time the color is done, I’m too anxious to get a new color strip started and so I muster on. It’s a sneaky blanket, let me tell you. I am still in love with the blue/brown colors. (I’m using Regia sock yarns, double-stranded, knitting on size 4 needles. I’m using the Knit Picks interchangeable needles so that the cable can grow as the blanket grows. I like these needles fairly well. Love the pointy end. I have a catch-point on one of the joins that I’m not fond of, though, and one of the joins broke over the weekend. I’m sure they’ll replace it.) I feel like I have been knitting on this for hours and hours and hours – shouldn’t it be bigger?? I have also decided to re-do our bedroom in browns and blues. Gotta have a color coordinated place for the Log Cabin blanket, you know? (Even just one year ago, I would SO not have been into browns and blues together. What changed?)

Here’s a sneak peak at something that I just added to The Loopy Ewe today. Ooooooh – are these ever incredibly gorgeous. They feel so good in your hands – substantial, but not so weighty that your hands will get tired of holding them. They’re just …. so amazing. I ordered just a limited amount of each size from Molly at Celtic Swan Forge. Since they are hot forged and hand finished, they are very labor intensive. We will keep them if you like them, but just know that the wait time (once we’re sold out) is a bit lengthy. (Click on the photo for the enlargement – you have to see these up close.) They would make wonderful gifts for any special knitter on your list. Of course that is AFTER you have spoiled yourself with a pair……….

Sheri lovebuyingyarnoutoftheholidaygiftbudgetbecauseitdoesn’tcountagainstme