just keep swimming...just keep swimming swimming swimming

I am about on total burnout from work. I was never so glad to have a weekend off as I am right now. Yesterday, I slept until 8 pm or so then went out to E's to record a new podcast. My back was killing me from work, so we didn't do any dyeing while I was there.

Came home and finished watching a movie while I worked on Mom's monkey socks. I'm ready to pick up this gusset stitches before I head to bed for the day. This sock is just flying and I'm hoping to have the pair done in plenty of time for Mom's birthday.

I'm also working on designing some patterns, and will be in need of testknitters very very soon. If you'd like to volunteer, keep your eyes on The Daily Chum for an announcement. The turnaround time needs to be quick on this.

drained

I'm just feeling completely wiped out at the moment. I've been downstairs working on my chevron scarf and practically falling asleep in the chair while watching Voyager. Considering I didn't wake up until 7 pm, I don't know what's wrong with me.

Bellatrix sock #1 is completed. I still need to cast on the second one. Maybe I'll do that next.

The mystery stole is sitting on the couch just begging for my attention, but as tired as I feel at he moment, I get the feeling that I'd mess up majorly if I even made an attempt.

I think I'm just going to listen to some podcasts (or maybe the audio book of HP7 that I bought) and weave in the ends of my last 4 Greensburg squares so I can mail those out. Then run downstairs and grab the yarn and needles for Bellatrix. Yeah....that sounds like a plan.

Des Moines yarn crawl...a review

Saturday morning....

Knitted Together
Nice store. Good basic yarn selections. Dale, Dream in Color, a wall of Cascade 220, plenty of sock yarn. The lady working there was really nice, even when the internet (and therefore her credit/debit card scanning ability) went down just as we were checking out. I got some Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn in Dusky Aurora, some Dale Svale and Stork for a co-worker with wool allergies, Opal Rainforest in Peacock, and a Lexie Barnes bag in Baja.

Purls, the Yarn Studio (no link)
Smaller store. Very nice help. Selection of Blue Sky Alpaca yarns (including the cotton), Yarn Love sock yarns, some handspun stuff and I know there was more, but I can't think of it right now. I came away with enough Blue Sky organic cotton in Shrimp to make a hooded pullover sweater (got the pattern too), and a skein of Yarn Love's Joan of Arc (merino/tencel sock yarn) in Bliss. Then I got into a little tug-of-war with Cheryl over a Jordana Paige bag. She conceded and I walked away with it.

Creative Corner
AKA the big pink house. In Valley Junction. A smaller knitting selection, but they also carry needlepoint, embroidery, and cross-stitching stuff. I ended up with Louet Gems (both sport and fingering). The sport is a deep burgundy and the fingering is a lavender-grey.

And that's the end of the damage! If you want to hear more of it, check the Lime & Violet blog in the next couple of days. I just helped record a new podcast tonight, so it should be live in the next day or so.