Secret Pal 10 Contest

This is easy...I just have to mention what I'm working on now, who it is for and why I love it.

Here it is, the fav UFO...
This is the Easy Ripple Shawl from LionBrand. I'm even using LionBrand MircoSpun yarn in Blush and Coffee. I love this combination of colors even though my favorite color is BLUE. Of course, the red chair does nothing to help the shawl...I should really find somewhere else to take my pics!

I've used this pattern and yarn before-I made it for my sister-in-law in black a few years ago for a Christmas gift. I don't typically make the exact same thing twice. That's not fun for me. But I was having a tough time deciding what pattern to use. I thought about using a pattern from Arctic Lace (there's a whole other post just waiting to be created about why I LOVE Alaska), but using the double strand just wasn't working out well.

The shawl is so soft and will definitely be warm when it's finished-hopefully very soon!

I also finished my MadCow Socks (first pattern in SockMadness). They turned out better than I expected. I used up a bit of the stash (KnitPicks Essential in navy) left over from another pair of socks. They feel great-warm and snuggly! They even ended up being jogless-Wooo Hooo!!! That never happens for me... I guess I got lucky!!!

I'm not a lunatic anymore...

Well, I have officially been knocked out of Sock Madness. I was trying to make that second sock as fast as my fingers would move, but at 9:30pm, I cried "Uncle!" I'm not sure my fingers will even move in the morning, so I may be popping some Aleve or Advil to aide in my mobility issues. (Good thing I'm giving quizzes tomorrow!)

The good thing about being out of Sock Madness is that I can concentrate on my Grad school work and hopefully catch up on the 2 big projects that are due right after Spring Break (started today). There is one other nice perk to Sock Madness...even though I didn't advance to the second round, I will still get all the patterns. The patterns are all original, so it will be nice to have some different patterns to work with as well as try out some new techniques.

The Madness has BEGUN!

"THE MADNESS" can be many things...

• Sock Madness (started yesterday...many have finished, I sadly have not)
• Grad School (worked all day on projects and STILL have yet to finish all the assignments plus have 2 PROJECTS to work on...UGH!)
• Work...(but that's just insanity no matter how you look at it...)

Plus, we went to see SPAMALOT tonight...that also has a bit to do with "madness." It was fun to see, but it definitely was lacking in parts. (Still wasn't going to see WICKED...oh, wait. DID NOT get to see that one due to the @%$&^*weather here) Oh well...

Getting ready for Sock Madness!

I went to my LYS this afternoon after work to find a suitable yarn to make my first pair of socks for SoCk MaDnEsS! I did much searching for just the right yarn and just the right color. I purchased Colinette's Jitterbug in CopperBeach. It's a dark brown with navy blue, maize, red and some other colors thrown in. It's perfect for me! The first pattern in SM calls for a variegated and a solid yarn. I have some navy sock yarn leftovers in my stash that will go nicely with the CopperBeach. Here's what they look like together. I really like the combination.

Yesterday was another SNOW day here (it was a joke...you could still see the grass poking out of the snow). We'll be going to school until July this year. All the seniors are laughing and saying,"we don't have to make up these days!" I wouldn't mind if the superintendent just decided that since we've missed 5 whole instructional days, that EVERYONE had to make them up. Wishful thinking on my part, that's for sure!

Since it was a snow day yesterday, I got some more work done on the shawl for myself. It's coming along nicely. I would like to get it finished soon so that I can wear it before the weather turns too warm! (You just need to wait 5 minutes here in MD.)

I still haven't finished those socks for my mom. I'm procrastinating there as well...