Promisez. I trai to keepz them.

And here we go!!!

So, first of all, any questions about a shrug, or a cardigan, or a something or other, will receive furtive eye shifting, a lot of umming, and, uh, yeah.
I really couldn't bring myself to knit something white, or something long-sleeved, or, uh, heavy and cotton, here in sunny New Mexico. Also, I'm a flighty bastard.

So, transition into the current projects -- I guess I'll go by chronology.

Project #1: Little Lace Scarf Number 2, Manos Silk -- Juniper colorway. (Oddly region appropriate -- Juniper is a major feature of the flora of New Mexico.)



Lace pattern: Mist Drops from Barbara Walker's Second Pattern Anthology



I love it, even though the colors are not me-appropriate. This will be a gift.



And I have this much to go! We'll see when it's done.

Project #2: Hot Socks! (A.K.A. My introduction to Koigu.)



Koigu, some hot pink/light pink/orange/currant colorway -- also not me-appropriate.



These are destined for the mother-figure, for whom they are appropriate colors!!
You may not be able to detect the tiny cable detail -- blah blah blah, variegated yarn is not good for texture patterns -- but I love it. Knitting the tiny cables is so much fun, and I like the fact that I'll know they're there, even if they're not overtly apparent.
Also regionally appropriate colors -- the saturated warm, nay, hot colors play well with others in the American Southwest.

Project #3 -- Another pair of Koigu socks???



Err, yeah -- in my defense, I needed some airplane knitting, and was positive that I wasn't going to get them through security. So, this knitting is what I completed almost entirely on the plane trip from Baltimore Washington International to the Albuquerque airport.
But come on ... look at those colors!!



And Project #4 -- Koigu Baby Booties???
Nina, are you not telling us something? Are you a Koigu junkie or something?



Don't judge me! I can stop whenever I want!
What I mean is, I always used to scoff at those who seemed to venerate Koigu yarn. Yeah, that's you, PurlSoho!
And it would have been fine, but Kaleidoscope Yarns (best darn yarn shop in Vermont, where I had my knitting reawakening) had a sale on the last remaining bits of Koigu Painters Palette (the fingering weight stuff), and I figured, why not try it.
This yarn is like crack. I'm not going to tell you the price of a skein of new Koigu colors -- if you don't knit, you won't understand, and if you do knit, you will -- but seriously. The combination of the amazing colors, the smooshy goodness texture, and the froggability (this yarn holds its shape after at least a few unravellings) all add up to tasty yarn and tasty tasty socks.

As for the baby booties, no, I am not, to my knowledge, eating for two just yet -- a cousin of mine is expecting, so that yarn plus this book:



equal baby booties up the whazoo. One skein is supposed to make two pairs -- since I've already cocked up the one I'm working on, I'll be ripping it back shortly.

(The book is Knitting for Baby, by Kristin Nicholas and Melanie Falick, and it is AMAZING. I highly recommend it for the instructions at the beginning alone. And if you ever wanted to be hooked into the nefarious underworld of knitting baby sweaters, hats, blankets, whatever, this is your gateway drug ticket.)

What's the problem?
With all of these awesome projects, why am I feeling like a wanton whatever, and browsing the Schoolhouse Press site for scratchy, wholesome, vibrant and natural colored wool?

This:



Wish me luck. I'm going to go sit down for a session with a sock or a scarf, and remember exactly why I love them as much as I do.