Knit One, Purr Too

Shocking

Yes, it's an entry with actual pictures! First up, the very cute pumpkin basket, which turned out much larger than I was expecting, but which was actually just the right size for holding all the Halloween candy (and also, far more manageable than our usual method, which involves trying to balance a heavy, slippery bowl in one hand while opening the door and passing out goodies to the little kids.

Next up, my Socktoberfest accomplishments - three pairs of socks (note - only three socks shown here because we only have four feet between us).

From left to right:

• Beaded ribbing (from Sensational Socks) in Trekking XXL. The picture doesn't give complete justice to how the colors move from blues to turqouise and back. I love this yarn.
  
• Simple stockinette socks for Richard, in some kind of Lana Grossa Meilenweit (I lost the ball band). These have black heels and toes and as it turns out, I would have had plenty of yarn to do the socks all in the same color. Oh well.
  
• Jaywalkers, done in Opal Doktorfish colorway. Love this pattern, love the way this color works with the pattern.

Hello again

One of these days I will get around to uploading pictures from my camera and actually posting them here. No, really. I swear it.

In the meantime, however, just so you all don't think the stash swallowed me in my sleep, here's the latest, in no particular order.

• Finished - one pair of socks for Richard (in some kind of Lana Grossa Meilenweit something or other that's green and blue).
  
• On the needles - one pair of Jaywalkers in the Opal Dokterfish color (shamelessly copying Frances because hers turned out so pretty).
  
• Assimilated - my younger sister and my six-year-old niece. I taught them both how to knit while we were up visiting them the other weekend. My niece cheered for each stitch and was easily distracted by other things. My little sister picked it up immediately and I had her doing basketweave in no time. Ha ha, our plan to take over the world one knitter at a time continues apace.
  
• Arrived - the dragon shawl pattern. Yarns have been pondered, but I am going to take my time figuring out what to use.
  
• Purchased - alpaca yarn, and lots of it. While visiting my sister, we went to a farm where they had alpaca, and some laceweight just happened to wrestle me to the ground and force me to buy it. Some soft, chunky yarn also came home with me, but that is because my little sister bought it and asked me to make her a scarf (this was before I taught her to knit, by the way).
  Not yet felted - the hedgehog, which, despite being made of extremely feltable wool, refuses to reduce in size at all, despite having been run repeatedly through the washer and dryer on hot. The hedgehog is currently on time out until such time as it decides to behave.
  
• Updated - the sidebar on my main page (Hint - check under the My Patterns section)

Pardon the giddy

Richard and I are big fans of gargoyles and dragons. So much so, in fact, that we have a stone dragon on our roof (yes I am serious).

I am telling you this to explain why it is that I practically levitated out of my seat with excitement when I saw this.

Designer has already been contacted. Pattern will hopefully come soon. Yarn will shortly thereafter be purchased. Yes, yes, I know, Christmas is coming and there's a little matter of Socktoberfest and red scarves and already promised lace projects, but people, we are talking about a dragon here. A dragon made of lace. I think I can find a way to squeeze in time for one little (highly complicated lace) dragon. Right?

Edited to add how to get the pattern, since I know I'm not the only one who thinks this is awesome.

The pattern is not yet available off their website, but the designer is Sharon from Aurora-Alpacas and you can order the pattern by sending an email to the following address: web at aurora-alpacas dot com

In addition, there's a knit-along on yahoo groups (go here) which I've joined mainly to see if anyone's run into any errors / modifications needed for the pattern.