This week has been all about EPS, that is, what little time I've had to knit. Life has been too busy to sit with Aspen Grove (or much of anything else) and so, when there is a minute to spare, the sleeve has been the perfect companion. The last three busy nights have been all about meetings and sleevage and so the sleeve grows. It's been good. Happily, tonight is my "catch up on relaxing" night, which goes hand in hand with my "catching up on TV" night (Survivor). I'll be (finally) knitting lace, happily knitting lace, the lace I've been longing for, wishing for, dreaming of all week long.
Monday, before the busy week began, I put in a little time on the Rattlesnake Sock. Don't you just love the way the cables look like rattler rattles? Very cool, Anne! The yarn is Mountain Colors Bearfoot and it's knitting up so nicely. What doesn't show in the picture are the varied shades of red. Ruby River has every red from deep maroon to fiery orange and together they conspire to create a warm and vibrant colorway. That makes it the perfect yarn for PS III. Bearfoot is a soft, sturdy fluffy yarn and it should wear well. There are two more colorways marinating in the stash and I think they'll be used soon (so much good sock yarn, so little time!).
If there has been little time to knit, you can bet there has been little spinning going on. (Next week will be for spinning!) There is only a little fluff left to spin and then two bobbins will be full. Maybe I can finish the spinning tonight and get some time to ply this weekend. Cheryl just finished spinning a Crosspatch batt and oh my, she did a beautiful job. My hope is to have more time to spin in the next week and into March, too!
Yesterday afternoon, while taking Moxie for a walk, I heard the song of a house finch...he was singing his heart out! Spring MUST be just around the corner.
I hope you have time for lace this weekend! I am ready to ply my Cross Patch batt but wont' get to it until next week.
Posted by: Carole | February 22, 2008 at 03:54 AM
the first sign of spring here? walmart was putting up their green house yesterday (even though it was only 18 degrees)
Posted by: minnie | February 22, 2008 at 05:10 AM
Love the sock. Finch song? Spring is coming. Have a wonderful weekend!
Posted by: CindyCindy | February 22, 2008 at 05:27 AM
Even when you have no time to knit, your projects still grow!
Posted by: Carol | February 22, 2008 at 05:56 AM
I love all the bright socks you're doing for Project Spectrum!
Posted by: Zarah | February 22, 2008 at 06:06 AM
Signs of spring are everywhere! Followed by the snow storm we are getting this afternoon. Heh. I'd better get going, I have a drive to Maine.
Posted by: Teresa C | February 22, 2008 at 06:17 AM
I heard birds singing this morning, too!!! I had to stop for a minute to listen... and smile.
Posted by: Vicki | February 22, 2008 at 06:40 AM
The cable detail really pops in the Bearfoot. I love the colors your spinning. Have a relaxing evening - I'm looking forward to one myself. :)
Posted by: Chris | February 22, 2008 at 07:15 AM
Ooh, I love that sock pattern! I haven't seen it before, but it just hopped into my queue.
Posted by: Danielle | February 22, 2008 at 07:30 AM
I was looking for a nice cable sock pattern. Rattlesnake is gorgeous.
Posted by: Wool Winder | February 22, 2008 at 07:43 AM
Sleevage! Sleevage! Now we're getting to the good part! I can't wait to see it once it's joined and you start the yoke. The Rattlesnake Socks have been on my "short list" since I first saw Anne knitting them.
Posted by: Cheryl S. | February 22, 2008 at 08:08 AM
Hah, I love it when the boy finches all line up and hollar "Hey, Baybee! Hey, Baybeee!" to the girl finches. I want to tell the girls, "Don't give in too easily. This is the only time they will ever pay this sort of attention to you." Same for the teens on campus. The sap is rising!
Posted by: Roxie | February 22, 2008 at 08:30 AM
You wouldn't know it to look out the window today, but I'm with you--spring is coming! It's the increased sunlight; once it's no longer pitch-black out when I leave the office, I know the end is near. :-)
The EPS sure is getting big! It looks like you will be ready to start the colorwork soon. :-)
Posted by: Beth S. | February 22, 2008 at 08:45 AM
Bearfoot is indeed a long-wearing yarn with all that mohair. I made a pair in Ruby River, too, but can't find them! I suspect that I might have given them to one of the DIL's. Anyway, yours are looking fine, although I've never been close enough to a rattlesnake rattle to know how close the pattern is! As for spring, we're getting socked with our first snowstorm of the winter. Well, there was the one in December, but we were in Utah: if I don't have to shovel it, it didn't happen!
Posted by: Marcia Cooke | February 22, 2008 at 08:53 AM
I have a pair of socks in Ruby River, too. Be sure to wash them by themselves, because the color does run. I love Mountain Colors Bearfoot, but I found out from experience that it has to be hand washed. If you put them in the washing machine, even though they are washable wool, they will felt. I had a beautiful pair of Conwy socks in Bearfoot that got washed in the washing machine, and all the definition of the design was lost.
Posted by: Sallie | February 22, 2008 at 09:23 AM
The colors of the new sock are lovely. And there are times when you just need to focus on one project to finish it. I can't wait to see the finished sweater.
Posted by: Mia | February 22, 2008 at 09:28 AM
You knit lace while watching tv? You're amazing!
Posted by: elizabeth | February 22, 2008 at 09:30 AM
Spring IS coming...less than a month to the equinox. We have robins around here...the weirdest winter sight I've seen yet.
This snow we're getting as I speak? Pshaw. Just a mere bump in the winter road. (Of course I haven't tried the evening commute yet.)
Posted by: Laurie | February 22, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Here I see no spring today, just snow. Have a great weekend!
Posted by: claudia | February 22, 2008 at 10:50 AM
i love how that batt is turning out. Fun colors and nifty texture. Sitting here in my office as the world outside is slowly encased in ice, I sincerely hope that you're right about Spring being around the corner. Snow is pretty but ice is no fun at all. I'm over it.
Posted by: Hillary | February 22, 2008 at 10:54 AM
eps looks terrific. wish I had mine started!
Posted by: kathleen | February 22, 2008 at 11:29 AM
Holy COW, that's a big jump in the EPS sweater! I love it, even though I'm in a big funk at the moment.
Posted by: Norma | February 22, 2008 at 01:43 PM
Thanks to you, I've actually started spinning again. You're an inspiration. Never doubt it. :)
Posted by: Opal | February 22, 2008 at 02:53 PM
That sock is looking gorgeous! I would never have thought of cables as resembling rattlesnake rattles (which, fortunately, I have never seen live). I love the Ruby River colorway, and also Evergreen and Mountain Twilight. What are your favorites?
Posted by: Lucia | February 22, 2008 at 04:19 PM
Sometimes sleeves can be a chore, but it sounds like they have been comfort knitting!
I can't wait for spring. We've been listening to the birds' songs too.
Posted by: Jennifer | February 22, 2008 at 07:19 PM