A Bit of Enhancement

1. Enhancement for the feets - check!

Yarn: Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop in the Crazy Love colorway
Needles: Ever trusty #1 KP 32" circulars
Pattern: Your basic top down 68 stitch sock

These were the epitome of a simple knit. The yarn is a work of beauty, I felt that the best way to show it off was just to let the yarn do the work and not do any stitch work to interfere. (Plus, my pooling and striping fear!) It did stripe a little, but in a Trekking kind of way. Not very offensive. They are squishy soft and cozy.

2. Enhancement for the stash - check!

Last weekend, Sarah and I headed to Webs. She had never been, and for some strange reason I was looking to buy a sweaters worth of yarn. I had my list of things I wanted to look at, and printed out my Ravelry Queue so I'd have the information on any patterns I may want to knit. Off we went. It always entertains me to watch people go into Webs for the first time. The shop up front it pretty normal. Packed full of stuff, it's a big place and we spent the first hour or so there browsing, touching and squeezing many a skein. Then I asked her if she was ready to venture out back. That is when the dropped jaw/look of astonishment happens. It is overwhelming, even to me - and I have been there quite a few times! Needless to say, she did very well. We policed each others purchases to make sure we weren't going overboard. I came this close to buying yarn for the Bias Fair Isle pullover, but some of the colors just weren't perfect. Sarah luckily talked me out of making a bad decision. Instead, I managed to get three sweaters worth of yarn - all on clearance.

Di Ve Zenith in a pretty pink. Very soft, superwash, worsted weight. This stuff will work for almost any pattern out there, but I was thinking maybe for Demi or Gathering Intentions or Marseilles. Any stitch pattern or cables will really pop with this yarn. (notice how I found pink examples...)

I also got the irresistible Kathmandu Aran in a gorgeous orange. This is yarn I have been reading about and seeing all over blogland and Ravelry for a while now. Good reason why. It's super soft, tweedy and a nice weight (did I mention tweedy?).

Not quite sure what this will turn into, but it would also work for the previously mentioned Demi, along with Cobblestone (with shaping of course), or Fifi (but a long sleeve with ease version). Many options....and, I haven't really even looked through some of my older books yet!

The other yarn I picked up was the 2/4 Highland Tweed. Thanks to Ravelry I never would have known about this bargain. Two pounds of yarn (just over actually) for $24!

It's in a nice, neutral oatmeal tweed color. Great as is or for overdying! (I'm thinking maybe reddish?) This is slated for maybe Salina or maybe Nordic Memories with another color. Many, many possibilities!

3. Hair enhancement - check!
I got a little bored last night and was ready to do something to my hair. Armed with scissors, my sister cut about 1.5" off (nothing major I know) then out came the dye.

Now I match the couch! It is a little RED, but it's growing on me....

We got more snow last night, and the forecast for this weekend is showing highs in the single digits with a nice wind thrown in for good New England winter measure. Tucker and I have an indoor agility trial on Sunday. We won't be venturing out much!

Afflicted

Seems like after doing the Single Sock Swap, and seeing many other very happy single sockkers, I seem to have been infected. After making my single sock for the swap, it felt a little liberating. While waiting for my single sock to come, I started a simple top down stockinette sock from the much coveted Sock Hop Yarn. The colorway is Crazy Love and I fell Crazy in Love with it for sure. Soft, springy and the colors....

It made perfect plane knitting and I got the entire leg done on the flight out to Arizona. I should also mention that this ENTIRE sock was knit Continental style!! I am normally an English knitter - I carry the yarn in my right hand, but when I do stranded colorwork, I knit with both hands. A plain stockinette sock I thought was a great place to practice some left handed carrying. Now, I am much more comfortable with it and my gauge is a bit looser as well. I am kind of disappointed I didn't do it toe up. There is quite a bit of yarn left - I bet I could have made them knee socks! I do have something in mind for the leftovers though....

I did make good progress on it this weekend. (I'm getting much better at juggling the puppy/knitting balance...)

So, with my single sock received, and my first sock hop sock done, what is a girl to do? So, in a leap to the dark side I cast on for the second New England sock. Leaving the Sock Hop Sock alone for now. Yes, a single sock resides with me now. And I don't feel a lick of angst or guilt.

While I was taking up Continental knitting and watching hundreds of dogs do agility, hubby was quite busy as well. My van is now a fully fashioned doggie mobile.

The pups now ride in style! There is plenty of room for my big ol' zero gravity chair as well as water and anything else I may need for a weekend of trialing. He did such a great job. The platform is really sturdy, and it is in two pieces so I can remove it easily if I want. Otis especially likes traveling in a crate much more so than riding loose. He has so far willingly jumped into the crate in the van versus me chasing him around the house to get him into it! Much less stressful!

That wasn't the end of it. Hubby has a great love of doing projects or getting things to surprise me while I'm gone. One year he built me a garden, one year he put in a brick front walkway. He not only built the platform for the van, but we got this!

A new kitchen table! It's huge! A large, square, maple barstool height with eight different color microsuede seats on the stools. Love it. We had looked at this one eons ago, but it just wasn't a good fit at the time. I still can't believe we have it! I spent quite a bit of time at it this weekend. The stools are super comfy and perfect for doing some knitting while sipping my new favorite weekend morning brew.

Mount Hagen Instant Organic Decaf Coffee! I found this while wandering around the Sprouts store that was down the street from the hotel in Scottsdale. I got it then as we had no coffee maker. Before we left I went and got another jar so I could take it home. It makes quite a great cuppa joe.

Since I haven't put any puppy pictures up in a while, I figured I was due - Ace turned 12 weeks old on Sunday and is growing like crazy.

He can now jump into the van by himself and is doing very well with his training. We started puppy kindergarten class last week and will also be doing breed handling to practice when he goes into the show ring. Tucker and Otis seem to have adjusted - Otis has even started playing with him! A little rough, but they seem to have become buddies.

We are all headed down to Maryland later this week for our annual "Faux Thanksgiving". Since nobody likes to drive on Thanksgiving weekend, we celebrate it the weekend before! Plus, it coincides with the Sugarloaf Craft Festival and I've also entered Tucker in one day of agility trials in the area. Busy Busy!