Yikes! Ike!

We made it through the hurricane with only minor damage compared to our neighbors in Galveston and the surrounding areas. We lost part of our fence, some shingles, and will have to repair a piece of sheetrock which got soaked when water came in a loose water heater roof vent. We were pretty well prepared, so we had generator power for the refrigerator, freezer, fans, television, and cell phone chargers. Plus we had gas water heaters and cooktop, and a well-stocked bar. That at least made the power outage a little more tolerable. Our power came back on the evening of day 4, but we just got cable and internet service yesterday (day 12). If I ever have to watch "Two and a Half Men" again, it will be too soon! I'm addicted to cable tv and email!

On the knitting front, I got a LOT done! Finished a pair of socks and started a baby shawl. It usually takes me months to do two socks since I only get to work on them in my spare time. Didn't do any spinning due to the sweat factor. It is incredibly difficult to spin wool with damp hands. No fun at all! And having all those little fibery bits falling on you. Yuk!

I took a few hurricane pictures on my phone, but the usb cable isn't working and I can't download them at the moment. Here is a picture of the finished socks though. This was a fun pattern to knit (if you don't mind short rows), and I like the finished look. They gave me some good ideas for dyeing yarn, so I'll probably do a couple more pair eventually. BTW, I love the Tofutsies yarn. It comes in great colorways and there is enough in one ball for even large feet.

Rainbow Socks
Designer: Susanne Kitzmann
Free Pattern: from Strickanleitungen
Yarn: Tofutsies (1 ball)
Needles: US 1

The summer of finishing is finished

September has begun and my summer dedicated to finishing projects is done. It's been a fairly productive couple of months and I am SO ready to get started on some new things. And I don't even have to feel guilty about it! So here's the run down on what I got done...

VICTORIA SHAWL
Designer: Jane Sowerby in Victorian Lace Today
US 3 / 3.25 mm
Yarn: Jojoland Harmony
How much? 2 skeins = 1760.0 yards (1609.3m)





BRANCHING OUT SCARF
Designer: Susan Lawrence for knitty.com
Needle: US 4 / 3.5 mm
Yarn: Jojoland Cashmere (2 ply)
How much? 1 skeins = 400.0 yards (365.8m)



AMBROSIA SOCKS
Designer: Ann Budd for Knitting Daily
Needle: US 1 / 2.25 mm & US 2 / 2.75 mm
Yarn: Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino (I think)
How much? approx. 350.0 yards (320.0m)



BABY BERET
Designer: Debby Ware
Needle: US 3 / 3.25 mm
Yarn: Tahki Cotton Classic


So now I have a very manageable list of unfinished objects (UFO's), I started a new pair of socks while watching the Republican Convention (sock it to 'em Sarah!), and found out today that a friend who has been trying to get pregnant for years finally did it. Sunday I'm off to Yarns 2 Ewe to look for baby yarn. I already have a project picked out - an adorable romper from an old Pengouin pattern booklet. I started it once before, but my fair isle skills have improved significantly since then and I want to change the colors up a bit.