Fire On

Fall has arrived! It has finally turned cooler around here, with wind and rains bringing us temps in the mid-50's during the day and low 40's at night...enough to turn the heat on yesterday. Although I hate to have to use the heat (why is that, I wonder?), I do so enjoy our gas-log fireplace (photo, right): fire on, oooh; fire off, aaahh. So, the past couple of mornings have meant hot tea in front of the fire. Ummmmm...such a gentle start to the day ahead.

Then, fortified with my Earl Grey (or, even better, some Lady Grey, which has lemon flavoring instead of the bergamot), I once again take up my knitting. Last weekend, I nearly went blind while working on a sock (one single sock, mind you) of a pair that I am knitting for Mr. T, made out of black Panda Cotton (which is 55% bamboo, 24% cotton, 21% elastic nylon). Sunday night, I had to cast on the second sock just as soon as I had finally finished Sock #1...as I feared I would not want to revisit working on black yarn on tiny US2 needles, ever. This pair of socks sports a sturdy, yet simple K2P2 rib, over 56 stitches, cast on US2's, with a change to US3's for some calf shaping...then back to the 2's for the heel-through-toe portion. It will take most of 4 balls of yarn to complete the size 12's with long, long legs...but that's what he prefers in a sock, so be it. I have a little idea (sounding like H. Poirot, there...:) for a special touch for Sock #2, but I won't give it away here. Tee hee.

Of course, since attending class on Tuesday night, my knitting has been entirely single-minded. We got the directions on how to taper the sleeves on our Design Your Own Top Down Sweater, so I have been knitting, knitting, knitting rounds and rounds and more rounds of cobalt blue stockingette. I finished Sleeve #1, at least to putting the final cuff stitches on waste yarn until I get to the same length on Sleeve #2...just to make sure they match, I hope, I hope, I hope. The sweater is getting sorta heavy and awkward, with all that's been worked flopping around my lap and spilling onto the floor on occasion. Had to do something about that, as it was worrying me to no end...and as I began to feel like I'd wear the sweater out before I had even had a chance to wear it! To the rescue came the Extra Large Hefty Zip Bag, which now contains & protects the completed portion. I just rotate the bag o' sweater a half turn this way and back again, while working on Sleeve #2. Ah.

As I've mentioned before, this sweater project is giving me ample opportunity -- over the miles of stockingette stitching -- to practice my Continental knitting technique, such as it is. Can definitely state, without reservation, that I'm not knitting faster (as promised by all The Knitting Books)...at least, not yet. Must continue to practice. Must practice. Knit. Knit. Knit. Cobalt blue Cash Vero. Beautiful blue. I hope I don't hate my beautiful blue sweater before I finish it. Sigh. Of course, the one thing that will keep me knitting on the Blue is to remember that the alternative is knitting on the Black. Yikes! Blue is good!!

Good weekend ahead: M's coming for a visit. Along with Charley Dog. Woo hoo, all the way around!