FO-tastic

My first FO post. Is it strange that I feel like I’m embarking on some crazy journey? I feel like this is the next leg of my trip to complete and total knitting obsession. Not that this is a problem—oh, no. I am totally cool with being a sociopathic knitter. I think it’s quite fun that all my friends, acquaintances, and anyone who has seen me in passing all know me as, “Oh, yeah! The knitting lady!” I actually really enjoy having this identity, this thing that sort of sets me apart as a passionate person. I love talking about wool, bamboo, silk, and what have you; and extolling their many virtues to any ear within hearing distance. As of late, I especially love the reactions from non-fiberheads when I express my intense excitement about Rhinebeck. Yes, I am going to a yarn convention. Yes, yarn people have the same fervor about yarn that anime people have about anime. Yes, there will be knitting celebrities at this con. (Hi, Yarn Harlot!)

Oh, right, did I say this was an FO post? I suppose I should quit my yapping and cut to the chase. I should warn you, though—this one’s a double whammy. All these years as a blogless knitter have left me with too many projects to blog and too little time to do it in. I’m going to try to do proper posts for old FOs, but they may come several at a time in order to “catch up,” if you will. Right! So first up, this

is what has been on my head almost every day (hot or cold) for the past week.

Ysolda’s Gretel
Yarn: Ella Rae Classic, around one ball (I finished what was left of one and started another. So much for using up leftovers.)

Colorway: Can’t remember the number, but if I were to name it, I’d say, “Rustlicious.”

Mods: None, unless we’re counting the two cables I turned the wrong way.

Notes: This yarn is quite nice, if you can get your knitterly paws on some. Very lofty, and just rough enough to take a spit splice effortlessly, but still fine to wear against one’s forehead/neck. For the record, I got mine at Webs.

Basically, I am in love with this pattern. So lovely, so well thought out, so exciting to execute. Ysolda, I want to marry you. I want to try all your patterns, and most likely marvel similarly at the cleverness of them. I want to fly to Scotland and give you a big smootch. I want to buy you a kitten, unless of course you are allergic.

I feel like I probably should have ended this entry with Gretel, rather than these babies

that I knit up for my kind, sweet man-friend. (One is in the wash…hopefully.)

Basic Toe-up Socks

Yarn: Knitpicks Essential Tweed, one and a half balls. The man doesn’t like long socks, damnit. (He’s got enormous feet, so this is no small favor for a sock-knitting girlfriend.)

Colorway: Inca Gold

Mods: None, as I didn’t use a pattern. I really just pulled these out of my arse. They’re so simple, I don’t even know that they deserve a write-up, but I am a blogging noob and probably overexcited.

Notes: I hemmed and hawed about Adam’s big honkin’ feet while making these, and then when I finished, they were a smidge too large for him. Thank you, irony. Oh, and I almost forgot! I entered these guys in the Knit a Second Sock in September forum on Ravelry, and I actually won

a prize! Trekking Superwash, handdyed by Abundant Yarn and Dyeworks. Isn’t she beautiful? Big thanks to Stephania for organizing the forum and supplying the lovely prize.

This ends our scheduled programming for today, and hopefully you’ve enjoyed the ride as much as I. It feels good finally to be here in Blogland, I think I’ll enjoy my stay.