Etsy Will Be The Death Of Me (Or My Bank Account)

Site Meter is now the funnest thing ever. I got a hit tracker for my blog (see it way down there at the bottom of the sidebar?) and I've been checking it somewhat obsessively to see where people are in the world that have visited the blog. So far it's mostly Canada and the US though there was one from Britain, and one from Portugal. It also tells you where people have come from, including what the search terms were if they used a google search. So far, no bizarre searches to report.

If you stop by, drop me a comment and say hello, especially if you have a knitting blog of your own! I don't bite, really.

Confession time: I bought sock yarn off of Etsy. Sunshine Yarns was updating this morning and I couldn't resist. I snagged a skein of Stormwatch and Cliffhanger, adding two more pairs of socks to the list of socks to be knit. This is also the first time I've bought yarn that I wasn't able to fondle beforehand, so we'll see how this turns out. Consdering the positive feedback the seller has and the overall glowing things I've heard about sellers on Etsy, I have no worries.

Did I mention I still have the three pairs' worth of yarn that I got in October when I went to Toronto that I haven't even touched yet?

But things are looking up: the Times Squared Socks are nearly finished. After having to rip back three rounds' worth last night on one of them, I'm ready to start the ribbing at the cuff. I even have recent photos!


Two nearly-done socks!


Closeup of the texture pattern

Dad's socks are still very much in progress, as you can see by the photographic evidence here. The longer one is probably just about ready for the cuff, though I still have a fair bit of the charcoal yarn left, so I may just keep going for a couple more inches. I did maybe another couple inches on the shorter one yesterday between commuting to the library branch across town and Spike showing some newer episodes of CSI, but there's still a looooong way to go. Men need to have smaller feet.


One of these things is not like the other...

Though the charcoal rib is kind of pretty in its plainness (even if you can't really see the ribs from here).

But of course the purchasing doesn't stop there. I'm itching to get a couple sets of DPNs and a set of circs from KnitPicks--not the full Options set, as I don't have that kind of disposable income, but just a couple of the tips and cords. I do kind of need the circs as I've heard from many people that a) Addi Turbos are rather blunt for lacework, though I didn't have a problem with my lace sampler shawl, and b) the pointier tips make it easier (but not necessarily easy!) when doing the nupps on the Swallowtail Shawl, which I would like to finish in the next couple months. It would be great ot have Swallowtail to wear when friends and I go to see Phantom of the Opera in Toronto in March, but I'm by no means counting on it. Particularly when I have so much sock yarn, either in my stash or on the way. ;)

So yes, say goodbye to more of my Christmas money. Though I know I'll certainly get a lot of use and enjoyment out of it!