Getting Back My Knitting Mojo

We went away this weekend WITHOUT kids - the longest we've been away from them. Our trip involved a lot of sitting in airports, so I got some good knitting done. I got about 2 inches of my first Jaywalker done. I'm doing it in the Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn, in Purple Club. I'm not sure I'm loving the pattern as it comes out, but I'm definitely enjoying knitting it! I haven't done a top-down sock in a while, so hopefully the heel flap won't be too confusing. I am doing the leg in Magic Loop, but I may switch to DPKs for the heel, since that is how the pattern is written.

I also got almost all of my second Fetching done. I just have the bind-off and thumb to do, but I'm not quite sure I have enough left of the skein (not sure why I have less this time than the last, oh well). I do have more, so no worries. I'm planning on doing Knitty's Coronet in the same yarn, I think it'll be cute. Yeah, I know, the cables aren't the same, but I'm strangely okay with that! It's odd, as I'm typically a matchy-matchy sort of person.

I made it to Wildfiber in Santa Monica (a mile from our hotel) while we were in So Cal. I really wanted to see some Socks That Rock in person, but they were out. Ah well, I'm just going to have to order some next month (when I have money again). so many questions - what weight? What color? I did got some wool wash that I've been needing (I have a couple of pairs of non-machine-wash, handmade wool socks to do so I can wear them again!). I think I may have to designate one night a week for sock washing! I am feeling very inspired to keep moving on socks.

I also bought some GGH Samoa for a hat as well. I got that started. It's a hat of my own design, in light and dark green. I got some red to do an apple hat as well. I like the yarn so far, it's really nice to work with! It's machine washable, so this would be an option for baby clothes as well. I'm going to make something for my own kids with it, and try drying it to see how well it machine dries.

So, some funny moments on my trip. This was for the wedding of a dear friend from college, and I saw many friends - some that I've stayed close to, others that I hadn't seen in more than 15 years. For these folks, the news that I've become an avid knitter was a tad...surprising. The initial response was not unsupportive, but more baffled (I think they thought I was joking at first when I said I needed to go to a yarn store before the wedding on Saturday). Once they realized that (a) I was serious and (b) this is a past-time that brings me tremendous joy, they were accepting (not that it actually matters much, as I do this because I love it!). One friend (D) asked me what I knit. I told him the various things I've done. Then he said "What are you going to make for me?" I said "What do you need?" He suggested a scarf, since he lives in DC. [Note: I am thinking something like this for him, because it's pretty, or this.] I may actually do it, but it was a funny moment of "You just don't get what you're asking, do you?" I mean, for what other thing would someone request as a joke a handmade item, the materials for which are not necessarily inexpensive, and which requires a significant investment of time from someone?

I think I'm going to go finish that Fetching so I can wear it tomorrow, the weather seems like it'd be perfect (low 40s and rainy!).