See You In September

I really wish that I could have started this post with a show and tell of my Sockapalooza socks, but it seems that our local postal system is sloooow (something to do with a labour shortage affecting the sorting department), so even though my pal sent them over a week ago, still no luck. And I'm not going to be seeing them for a while because we're taking off on vacation for the next while. So, I'll be out of blogland for a couple weeks. See you in September!

Dishrags, Dishrags Everywhere

Okay, so I can't tell you how much better I feel as a human being now that the guilt of not wanting to work on my Mystery Stole has been lifted. I still haven't been knitting a lot per se, but I do have some dishrags to show you. I decided that it might be fun to whip some of these guys up when my fingers are feeling busy (but not busy enough to do something too heavy duty), so I bought a pile of cotton yarn. Here is my first set (I'm planning to do a bunch for Xmas hostess gifts/stocking stuffers -- yes, for me it is necessary to plan this far ahead). You've got your standard free patterns, plus the famed Mason Dixon slip-stitch one and a couple from the Lion Brand Just Gifts book. To be honest, I think I like the Just Gifts slip stitch (the blue and yellow one) a lot better than the Mason Dixon. Neater edges, I guess.

I'm surprised I haven't delved into the world of dishrags before. A few years ago my friend Leanne gave me a little stack of cotton cloths and Ruby and I both swear by them in the shower/bath. So, expect to see a few more of these guys in these parts. Plus, there's so many patterns out there, I have a feeling this might be my new addiction.

Kickin'

Wow, sometimes life is just so... life. Yeah, I'm having one of those days. But, to prove that I am indeed still kickin' here is a pic of my just finished Charade sock. The photo is purposely not super hot, so that I can do a more grand reveal once the second sock is finished. I'm loving the Downey colourway, if only because it's so unpredictable. Like everything else.

Enough

Enough is enough. I've abandoned my Mystery Stole. The charts are giving me a headache, I'm not enjoying the knitting and I hate the colour I chose. Also, today Melanie revealed the general shape of the final design and... it's not for me (which is nothing against Melanie or her designing prowess -- it's just not for me). Why beat myself up over something I'm never going to wear and probably never going to finish? We shall never speak of it again.

All Stuffed With Fluff

Okay, while the actual making of stuff has ground to a near halt in these parts, I'm still thinking about making stuff. And buying stuff that will eventually be made into stuff. One day. I swear.

My latest prized possession is this 1965 McCall's pattern, for which I paid more than I'll publicly admit (on ebay, natch). Here's the story: Ruby is obsessed with Winnie The Pooh. Obsessed. To appease her obsession (or perhaps to feed it), Leena pulled out some old Pooh Bear stuffies that she'd bought for Aaron's sister Daniella way back in the '70s when she was a little girl. Leena explained that they were made from a McCall's pattern that she'd never been able to find for herself. Well, the rest is history -- I had to take a crack at finding the pattern and making Ruby some of these guys for her own.

It seems that the small town ladies that Leena bought Daniella's toys from modified the pattern -- they're made of felt with the seams on the outside, as opposed to the original pattern, which are made in the more standard way. I'm not quite sure how I'll do them or what kind of fabric I'll use -- I'm just glad I snagged to pattern for future use. Does anyone else out there remember these toys or have any of them? I'd love to see other examples.