Something Old...

This is the oldest FO still in my possession. More correctly, it is the oldest KNITTED FO still in my possession -- for the oldest FO, you'll have to wait until after Thanksgiving: I have ornaments I made when just a wee thing and a cross stitch picture I made when I was about 10. I would guess I made this afghan late middle school/early high school.

Pattern: Wool Winder's Favorite Afghan. This pattern is old and has nothing to do with the Wool Winders knitting "salon" in Rockville, MD. The owners of this Wool Winders retired many, many years ago, leaving this pattern in the care of my mother (or more correctly, her shop). This was knit as a sample for her shop. It's a very simple slip-stitch pattern.
Yarn: The pattern originally called for Brunswick Aspen (a yarn I don't think existed even when Mom got the pattern), but this was knit in Bartlettyarns 3-ply. It's been a while, but I think the colors are light heather, garnet heather, coral heather, charcoal, and blue loch.
Needle: The pattern calls for a #15, and I'm assuming that's what I used.

When Mom closed the shop, I got the afghan back. It has been well loved by a few cats over the years and has a few pulls and one place that needs darning. It spends most of its time these days here:protecting my desk chair from cat hair (it may be wool, but the afghan's still easier to clean than the chair).

Which brings me to....

Something New

Well, it's new to me anyway. Since I've now got a consulting gig which basically requires that I sit at a desk 4 hours a day, I needed a new desk. I've been using an antique library table which I love, but it's small and once the laptop's on it, there's not a lot of room for anything else. So, on a random trip to Goodwill, we found this beauty for $16. I'm guessing (because it has a formica top) that it's 1950s/60s era; in pretty good shape; original hardware; altogether perfect for my needs. Oh, I still have the library table (you can see it to the right there), but it's now free to be just a work surface.

Let's continue the theme with....

Something Borrowed

I mentioned that M's been knitting dishcloths. Here's just a small sampling of the collection that's been growing. Some are states; some are motifs; most are destined to be gifts. Told you she'd gone a little crazy.

Something Blue

These are an odd recent purchase for me because: 1) I'm not fond of blue (M sealed the deal by telling me that they're really periwinkle); and 2) I've never really found a pair of Croc-like things I liked. Real Crocs are way too wide for my feet to feel comfortable in them. These are Bare Traps, and we got them for the princely sum of $5 at Famous Footwear's BOGO 1/2 off sale because M desperately needed this very cute pair of All Stars. They actually fit my foot, and they fill the need for something easy to slip on that I can walk the dog in (can't walk the dog in flip flops). And they also mean that this finally has a home:My SIL bought this for me ages ago, sure that I, like the rest of the civilized world, owned a pair of Crocs to adorn with it. Alas, I didn't, but now the little piece of shoe jewelry has a home.

On the knitting front, I decided to focus on getting a substantial chunk of the Dr. Who scarf done before starting something else. It's about 2/3 done by now. Can't wait to finish and block it then wear it (for a split-second before the Arizona heat makes it unbearable and I start seeking a Dr. Who fan in colder climes to gift it to).

Why Did the Chicken...?

One of the things I will miss about living here in farm country is the occasional unexpected appearance of chickens in the road. Yes, chickens, wandering loose, will normally avoid the road (I don't know why -- Melissa?), but once in a while a single chicken or even a small flock -- as happened today on my way home -- will decide to roam across the road. When this happens, look out.

Anyhoo, I promised M's current projects.
Pattern: Maine and Arizona Knitted Dishcloths from Knitting Knonsense
Yarn: Peaches & Cream #4 Ecru
Needles: WEBS Hard Bamboo 9" #7

Sandra blogged about her New Jersey dishcloth, Stephanie's been collecting them on her tour, and I just HAD to see the patterns for myself. I printed the pattern for the AZ dishcloth thinking I would make one, M found found the pattern, and the rest is history. She has now made the one AZ and two Maines. There are more to come, as they will be holiday gifts. She has also gotten many of the holiday and animal and plant motifs.

This is M's first sock in progress (she's at the toe decreases as I write this). She has been saying for ages that she wishes she could knit socks, but she knows they're too hard. One day she was whining that she wanted a simple small portable project, so I handed her a 2.5mm circular needle and a ball of sock yarn (Regia Stretch Color #82) and instructed her to cast on 64 stitches. She is loving the sock, and she's now (finally!) convinced that sock knitting is not hard.

In fact, she's so enamored of socks that the only yarn we are taking with us on our upcoming cross-country road trip is sock yarn. Makes it easy -- we each only have to pack one needle, and the yarn can be tucked here and there in our luggage.

Smooch is done. Here she is blocking (I loved blocking board shots -- and I love my steamer):

and here is a very bad, very grainy, don't-ask-me-what-happened photo of her done and on:
Pattern: Smooch from Rowan All Seasons Cotton Collection
Yarn: Lang Twin Lame #159, 7 balls or so
Needles: Susan Bates Aluminum 40" #9; Lantern Moon Rosewood 10" #7
Mods: I hated this pattern when I knit the sample for the store, and I hated it when I knit this one for us. I do like the finished project, it's just that the pattern was awful, most especially when it came to the eyelets/decreases for the front neckline. So I just did it in a way that made sense for me, gave it the right shape, and put the eyelets where they belonged.

I probably won't make this one again.

And next up on the needles:
Circus Monkeys! I do love this pattern. Once again, I am doing it sans purls, and I will make the legs 7 pattern repeats rather than the 6 the pattern calls for. I call them Circus Monkeys because the yarn (Sockotta #15) is very colorful and happy and reminds me of a clown.

Red Sock #2 just needs a heel, then it'll be done and smile pretty for the camera with its mate.