Pink Sock, Knitting From the Stash, and a Loom Move

These are for M. She LOVES pink, especially hot pink.

Pattern: Cascade Yarns, Two-Toed Sock
Yarn: Cascade Fixation #9298 (2 balls) and #6185 (1 ball)
Needle: Inox 32" #4 circular, magic loop method
Mods: Used magic loop method rather than 4 DPs. Made foot longer to accomodate M's preternaturally long and skinny feet.

I had never knit with Fixation before, and I do have to say it was a bit challenging at first until I learned to just knit and not think so much about stretching or not stretching the yarn. M loves the finished sock -- says it fits perfectly and feels very comfy. I fear I may suffer from sock envy when I am finished with these and see M wearing them around. Oh well, does a need for purple socks to match M's pink ones qualify as enough of a need to count towards Knit From Your Stash?

Yes, I am planning on knitting from my stash this year. There are plenty of planned projects and plenty of undedicated yarn up there to keep me busy for the next year at least. I am allowing myself no "get out of jail free" cards, but I am allowed to buy yarn I really need for projects that can't wait. Though I think I'd be hard-pressed to find a project I can't accommodate from the stash. And M is allowed to buy all the yarn she wants (see how easy it can be to get around this when you live with another fiber addict?).

Of course, I will be knitting (and probably crocheting) from the stash for the year. I said nothing about weaving. With the project I have in mind for M, I will need to buy weaving yarn in the next few months. But first I must finish my mother's placemats before she disowns me.

Problem with the placemats is the Pupper. The loom is in my workroom upstairs, which is great 'cuz it fits and it's got a great view, and it's close to the yarn, BUT Pupper can't get up there. He doesn't like stairs anyway, and right now the only staircase in the house which he can navigate is closed off for the winter. This wouldn't be so bad if Pupper weren't a) deaf; and b) a "velcro dog". In other words, my going upstairs to weave is tantamount to my leaving the house in Pupper's world. And if I do that without putting him in the crate, well....

So this morning we walked the office downstairs (it is a large room) and realized that now that we only have laptop computers, the largest of our desks is redundant, and removing it would allow room to put the loom in the office. Problem solved, and I can finish those darn placemats (why, oh why, did I give her log cabin as an option?).