Knitting... with pencils?

This morning, I came down the stairs to see this:
Say it with me: Uh oh. I wasn't sure yet that this was a piece of yarn connected to a project yet, until I turned the corner to the left:
Luckily for the cat, he was not there the first time, but when I went to take the picture, there he was.. no doubts about at least one of the culprits of this.. and as you can see, the yarn comes right out of the project bag before wrapping around the table leg:


Then it moved around the corner:
And around another corner:
And around yet another corner:
Before finally I found the end in my friend's newest knitting project:

This is the second time the cat(s) (we're not sure who are the culprits) have gotten into her knitting. They have yet to get into mine. Is that because they know that I'm not good enough friends with them that they are safe from harm if they get into mine? Because they are used to playing with her and therefore think her yarn is fair game? Whatever it is, this is my friend the NEW KNITTER and I want them to leave her yarn alone before she gets discouraged!

Sigh.

I've got a pair of crazy socks! Not sure how much I'll be able to wear them with, but they were fun to make! I used the garter rib stitch pattern and followed the instructions in Sensational Knitted Socks (well worth having, if you don't already!) and had a great time. In fact, I've already cast-on my next pair. I wanted to wait until my new sock yarn came, but I still have yarn in the stash and I just couldn't wait... could I be addicted to sock knitting??

 

When you're trying to FINISH as many of your WIPs, starting new ones is not effective. That's why I told myself when I cast off my last washrag that there would be no more until I was satisfied that I had made enough UFOs into FOs.

I do have an excuse, though. I went to visit my mother-cousin (my mom's cousin, get it?), and I wanted to give her a little something for all the times she's taken me in (even though she insists I'm part of the family), even on short notice. So I whipped up this dishrag lickety split to give her... but I didn't have any needles for weaving in ends.

So, the washrag is finished, all ends weaved in, but not with my mother-cousin. What's the cheapest way to send a dishrag? 

... I need people to give you perspective on the project I've been working on.

Here's He-Who-Had-Better-Be-Grateful holding up the scarf... notice how his knuckles are scraping the ceiling? (He's standing on his tiptoes.)


And here's me, lying next to the scarf. I'm 5' 6", and we had to do this from an angle to make it work, so the top is a bit foreshortened, but you get the idea. Also, Jimmy couldn't be outdone and decided to get in on the fun by standing ON the scarf.


So that's what I've been up to lately. I have to roll the crazy thing up so it doesn't get horribly twisted as I have to turn for each new row. I'm going to be SO happy when this is finished! 

It's a sock!

Finished and everything!



Furthermore, I have already cast-on for the second sock! I don't seem to have second sock syndrome, yet. As soon as I finish the first, I usually am on such a high that I want to finish the second so that I can wear them both! (And sometimes I wear one while knitting the other.. silly, isn't it?)

So yes, life is good. Of course, I really need to get finished with this sock and also the Doctor Who scarf (agh!) in order to be able to cast-on my next project. Ugh. But, I refuse to cast-on another project just yet. I refuse! I'm showing restraint, and self-discipline, and all that jazz. Do you hear me?

(Would it bad to just, say, knit a gauge swatch? You know, just to see if the yarn even gets the right gauge?) 

Please excuse the random water bottle in the background. And my white legs/feet. But, as you can see, I'm making progress on the sock! In fact, I finished the green stripe and most of a purple stripe tonight (took this picture late last night) so I'm even further than it looks in the picture.

I have to go to the dentist tomorrow.. I have a TMD (Temperomandibular joint Dysfunction) problem that a dentist back in California has been treating long distance while I've been living in New Jersey. Now that I'm in Maryland, I need to get braces (which I obviously couldn't do long distance). Which means a new dentist.

Oh well, at least maybe I can get more of the sock done. Hopefully this appointment tomorrow won't be too bad. And at least I know what day of the week it is! 

Remember that washrag from the previous long post? Well, even if you don't, here it is, finished, and in situ:

I just had to take a picture of a piece of the kitchen that I was matching. Just to show off:


And then there's the confession.. I might have bought more yarn. Maybe. But really, it wasn't ENTIRELY my idea to go to the yarn store! And, well, I have an idea about what pattern I'm going to use it for. BUT, I have decided that I may not even so much as knit a gauge swatch until I have finished at least two more projects, and not cast on any more washrags. So, no more washrags for me! (Or at least, not unless I want to put myself back even further...)