More catch ups ... and current progress

Lots of pictures, I promise.

In my final "catch up from the 2 week vacation", here's some yarn p0rn:

	Baby camel yarn bought in Salem. I needed a new size 2 double pointed needle, due to Terry leaning on, and cracking, the sock-then-in-progress. And although I resisted the $42 per skein hand painted silky-wool, the idea of baby camel yarn was too fun to pass up. Plans are to make a scarf for Terry's dad for Christmas.
And this, finally, arrived when we got home. My HipKnits silk order. I originally placed this back in July, to be delivered to my parents' house when I was in London, to save on postage. Due to some postal mix up, it never arrived ... Kerrie then said that she'd send it to me in America with no extra shipping charge ... then she had a computer crash and lost all my information so was stuck until I contacted her again. So here it finally is, and it's just gorgeous. A soft pale blue, with some purple undershadows. Plan for this is a Clapotis for me, I think. And, to make up for all the time and waiting, she enclosed the picture below. Sari silk in two different shades. It's just gorgeous stuff and the photo hardly does it justice, though it's well worth clicking the thumbnail to see the larger version. I haven't a clue what I'll do with this, though I'm thinking possibly a vertically knitted scarf, to take in the full beauty of the yarn. Suggestions welcome.

So that's the vacation knitting stuff all caught up. Now onto more current matters. At Stitch'n'Bitch last night, I finished the rainbow socks for Terry ... and here are her feet, proudly modeling them:

I did the toe of the second sock slightly differently - Terry has long toes, as I discovered while getting the first one to fit. I ended up reknitting it twice, and spacing out each of the 11 decreases called for by the pattern with a straight knit row throughout all the toe. This made it too pointed and triangular (see the sock on the left below). So this sock, I did 4 rounds of decrease, knit 2 rounds straight; then 3 rounds of decrease, knit 1 round straight; then 4 rounds of decreases. Much nicer toe shape, and Terry said it was more comfortable too. (That's the sock on the right, in case it's not obvious!)

And although I'd promised myself that I'd pick up Wavy and finish that before beginning anything new ... the joys of two handed fair isle called to me. Not only did I buy a whole bunch more yarns to make two more hats ....

... but I cast on for a new one in brown and greens. This one I'm calling the Sherwood Forest. I know. I'm hopelessly addicted. A lost cause. Or something. But in other good news of the day, my sister and the adorable Oscar are coming to stay from October 7th til the 21st. Anyone know a good place to get baby stuff....?