Year of Projects 5: Week 20

KNIT. SOCK. LOVE. : BFF • Clandestine • Cusp • German Stockings • Gothic Spire • Hedera • In and Out • Lissajous • Marilinda • Mona • Monkey • Pointelle • Rhombus • Sake • Stalagmite • Stricken • Thelonious • Twisted Flower • Wedge

COOKIE A SOCK CLUB: June #1 • June #2 • August #1 • August #2 • October #1 • October #2 • December #1 • December #2

VANILLA SOCKS FOR CHARITY: July • August • September • October • November • December • January • February • March • April • May • June

This blog post is actually mislabelled. Absolutely nothing has been done about my Year of Projects list in the last two weeks; not more than a handful of stitches. Oh well.

Gavin and I spent most of last week in Cocoa Beach, Florida. It was unseasonably warm with hot sunny days in the eighties and nineties - which suited Gavin just fine - and we stayed at a Motel that was right at the ocean - which suited both of us just fine. It was a great week!

The highlight of the week was meeting Dee of Tangled Up in Sticks and Strings on Wednesday. Dee's mascot Flo had some influence in choosing my gifts, I'd guess! There's a beautiful skein of Lorna's Laces in a "Flamingo Stripe" colourway along with a Florida flamingo-themed mini Starbucks cup ornament. Too cute! And so appropriate too, because if you follow Dee's blog you'll know about Flo the Flamingo and you'll know that Dee likes her 'Bucks!

While visiting with Dee we visited Knit N Stitch in Cocoa Village - where I came away with more yarny goodness - and lunched at Pub Americana. It was all fantastic. As a vegetarian I'm very appreciative of a pub where you can pick your own protein! I had a Portobello burger, if you were wondering. Gavin and I also each enjoyed a pint of Oatmeal Stout craft beer from the Cocoa Beach Brewing Company. That was fantastic too... so good in fact that it prompted a visit to the Cocoa Beach Brewing Company tasting room later in the week for more!

If you had asked me yesterday I'd have told you that I was considering the Vanilla Latte pattern for that skein of Lorna's Laces. But today I'm feeling more inclined towards Mystik Spirals. I love the last pair of Mystik Spirals that I knit from scraps, but I think I'd love the pattern even more in self-striping yarn. Fun!

While at Knit N Stitch the staff directed me to a selection of locally dyed yarn by The Fiber Seed. I picked out a short-striping "Hollyhock" colourway. No pattern in mind yet, but suggestions are welcome!

I had another skein from The Fiber Seed in my hands, but when Gavin pointed out this ball of Fame Trend I went with that. It doesn't look or feel like sock yarn - it's very soft, seems underspun and has a very fuzzy halo - but it's very similar to Katia Darling from which I knit one of my very favourite pairs of sock ever, so I'm optimistic. I picked up a set of bamboo needles - which made it through airport security screening without any trouble - and cast on a pair of simple ribbed socks. I can't wait to get these socks on my feet!!!

Looks like there won't be any progress on my Year of Projects list this week either!