Ta Da

*Apologies in advance for the crappy quality of photos. It's very dark and rainy today, and I'm not exactly a professional photographer. My poor little camera can only do so much, and I'm not too great with the photo editing either.*

So this is being written and posted much later than I had anticipated. Oh well, that's what happens when life gets in the way. This past Saturday, I finished knitting the FLS. Sunday, I sewed in the ends and attached the buttons. Ta da!
Sorry it's not a live action shot, but I didn't manage to get a pic of me wearing it, Sunday or Tuesday. Next time. I love it! It's so perfect and comfortable. To all you knitters out there reading - knit one, trust me, you'll love it.

I got around to finishing the first Upstream sock on Tuesday night at SnB. Fits perfectly. Just need to get around to the second one...
I know I said I would get it done by the end of last week, but I was distracted by this.
Stimulating, right? How could you not be distracted from a fun crazy colored sock when there is charcoal and white yarn to be had? (Note: that sentence was dripping with sarcasm, in case you hadn't noticed) Seriously though, I spent most of Sunday knitting a super secret project with the grey and white yarn, thus ignoring my sock. And if you could see the pattern, you'd understand my delight and fascination.

That's all of the super secret project that you will see for a while on this blog - due to the fact that the recipient of super secret project is a regular reader. Really wish I could show it to you because it makes me feel all clever and cool, but it's not fun to spoil the Christmas surprise. That's right, I just said Christmas. The holiday knitting has commenced here at Annie's House of Yarn and Pointy Sticks. Look out.**

It's not all gift knitting though. Because this week has been especially trying on the professional level, I treated myself to a happy knit. I cast on the Hidecote Garden Shawl, using my recently acquired Jojoland Melody yarn.
Isn't it so pretty? It makes me happy just looking at it. When I get a little farther, I'll pin it out to show you the stitch pattern. Click on the link above if you can't wait that long.

And in more recent yarn acquistion news, I got enough of this,
Valley Yarns "Northhampton" in Dark Green Heather, for a sweater. I think that having at least one sweater's worth of yarn in the stash at all times is important. And as reward for using my stash yarn for the FLS (I got the Cascade in 2006) I let myself order some yarn for me when I purchased Ellie's birthday present (no photo, but I got her enough Mission Falls 1824 Wool in Raspberry, to make her own FLS).
The color isn't really showing up very true here, but I love the greeny heathery-ness of this yarn. Now all I have to do is find the perfect pattern....

And now for the yarn I'm currently drooling over...
Fleece Artist Trail sock in "Hercules". O. M. G. This yarn, is so amazingly gorgeous and rich and deep in color, I can't even explain it to you. This is my first Fleece Artist yarn, I found it at Simply Sock Yarn Company, and had to have it. It was the first time I'd seen this line of yarn from them, it's 80% merino 20% nylon (which is what I like for my socks), previously I'd only seen 100% merino yarn which I hesitate to use for socks due to the wear and tear they are subjected to. The nylon gives that bit of strength to make them last longer. I had to unskein it to try to convey to you it's true beauty.

As for spinning news, there isn't much. I haven't been doing much spinning lately. I got most of the Wander done though. It's about 230 yards.
And you'll notice that ball of singles next to it, that's what was left over on one bobbin after plying. Guess I wasn't so even after all. I'm working up to trying to ply it, but my history of plying from a ball is not so good, and I am procrastinating, big time.

Alright, that's it. That's all I've got. Big weekend ahead - homecoming is tomorrow at work, ND plays Michigan, Liz and I are going to the Indians game tomorrow night, Mason's birthday party on Sunday afternoon, and THE game, Steelers-Browns, is Sunday night. I'm busting out my Roethlisburger jersey and Steeler socks for the occasion!

**Family members - if there is something you would like me to knit for you for this holiday season, please place requests now. These things take time. All unreasonable requests will be laughed at, and dirty looks will ensue.

Visual Progress

Amazing. I have knitting stuff to show. And in showing it, I feel like I've actually gotten something done. Granted, no finished objects, but getting very close. As proof... the FLS.
OMG! It's seriously almost done. Just a sleeve left to knit. Then ends to weave in and buttons sewed on, and voila! Yay! And I love it! I mean, what's not to love? It's so friggin cute. Cute enough that my sister is contemplating a step up in her knitting know-how just to knit it!!! So go over to her blog, and leave a comment encouraging her to knit this sweater - or at least to learn how to increase and decrease.

So, I should have a new sweater by the end of the week! Very exciting, and not the only knitting I've gotten done either! What?!? I know... it's crazy! I started a sock (gasp) last week because it felt weird to have not knitted on a sock in a month. And I got through the heel last night, which means it's smooth sailing from here on out, and this sock should also be finished by the end of the week.
See what happens when my schedule goes back to normal? And my stress level returns to it's elevated state which in turn has me knitting more to keep me sane? The pattern for the sock is the Master Upstream pattern from New Pathways for Sock Knitters, being knit with Trekking XXL in colorway 100. Very fun. And that's about all the excitement in my life.