random Wed

Recently, I've stumbled across some new online knit-zines - PostModernKnitting.com and The Inside Loop. Both of them just released their first issue containing free knitting patterns and articles. I haven't had a chance to read the articles yet but some of the patterns look quite interesting.

The spring issue of IK arrived this week. I am just itching to cast on for the Auburn Camp shirt. I love it sooo much. I have some 100% silk in a dark brown that I could use. Or maybe in a crisp white cabled cotton? Hmmm...

The Rivendell sock pattern's going to be released! I first saw this sock on Ravelry several months ago. The pattern was available as part of a sock kit (long discontinued) but you couldn't buy it on its own. The Harlot recently blogged about this sock and the poor designer's probably drowning under a ton of email requests for the pattern.

So what have I been knitting... I finished the first baby bootee. I used the DK cotton and 3mm dpns and it's about the right size for a 3-6 month baby. Phew!

I worked on my Berroco Comfort Sock sock at knit nite. I chose the Ridgeline master pattern (from Cat Bordhi's latest sock book) and I'm working a yo, k4, yo over the center instep sts. I'm trying to decide if I want to have any sort of pattern on the leg or if I should stop at the top of the arch. I'm just starting the heel turn so I've got a bit more knitting before I have to decide what I'm going to do.

I've been doing a little quilting. I'm about a third done on Geoff's quilt. I don't know why but I can only machine quilt for short periods of time. I used to be able to sit at the sewing machine for much longer. Maybe I need to condition myself?

Remember in Nov, when I bought two embroidered quilt tops when my lqs closed? I've been planning out what I'm going to do with them. It looks like a larger quilt top was taken apart and combined with other blocks to form two smaller tops. There are essentially two sets of blocks - ones made of unbleached cotton and ones made of a pale green cotton. During the last week, I've slowly taken off the borders and seperated the 5 green blocks from quilt top A. I started taking the blocks apart but the stitches are so small that I'm going to cut them apart. Before I do that, I've labelled all the blocks and documented their location so that when I put everything back together, I can preserve the original layout. I was able to identify all the flowers embroidered on each block except for 3. I looked in all my gardening books and I just can't figure out what they are. I'm going to have to take it to the garden center for help. I'm sure that I'll be the talk of the lunchroom - "Did see the crazy lady who came in with a bunch of fabric?" LOL!

Well, I'm off to bed! I've been out 2 nights in a row, my quilt group meets tomorrow, and I'm out both Fri and Sat nights. I'll be needing my beauty sleep.