Countdown to SS09

There is still, thank heaven, another weekend between now and Sock Summit, but I'm feeling the pressure to get things finished! Not just knitting either. Because when I return, there will be bags to make for the National Capital Cat Show and it will surely feel as if there's very little time left for that! So this weekend has been all about doing laundry and cutting and sewing bags, mixed in with running errands (I feel like the Eveready Bunny - I rarely stop!)

While I'm still hurting, I am better, and hopeful that the dry heat that is Portland's summer will be helpful to ease some of it (we can hope, as they're saying the temps this week out there will be in the 100s. (oy!)

When I get a minute, I work on these:

The Trekking XXL 322 Feather and Fan socks (hope I don't regret the cuff choice - as this yarn isn't the tweedy I thought it was, it's a muted stripey!

Still so far, so good...and aren't those colors familiar?

Yes, here they are again:

Shawl That Jazz is finished! I'm not happy with it, but then are we ever totally happy with a knit? This wonderful squishy yarn had some interesting pooling going on (no, I'm not thrilled with it in a couple of places, but I'll live), and in addition, I don't think I did an acceptable job of attaching the ruffling (with the M2 in the pattern, I think I goofed on how to do the second one - much later, but not quite at the end, I suddenly read the part that said, "both will be twisted stitches," and I can promise you I didn't twist that second stitch. It doesn't ruffle nearly as much as I'd like, and there are holes. I have three options: rip and reknit; rip and reknit with the option of the rufflier edging; sew up the holes (which I certainly am capable of doing!). Oh, I guess there's a fourth option - Leave it and call it a design feature!

It's blocking now:

This is width-wise of my queen bed, and it's hanging off the edges...

Here you can see the holes along the edging - but they're not regular (like lace) because you increase at different intervals along the side of the shawl...(sigh)

I loved the pattern, and it was a pleasant knit (even tho' it began to feel like a slog towards the end). I still have a lot of yarn left, probably half a skein, or perhaps a bit less than that. I think I'd have enough to reknit it with more ruffle.

The CC thinks I should relax and enjoy life.

Doesn't she look good here? She seems to be hanging in just fine, going on 19 and all...