Jessie!: I may have developed a problem

First, let me just tell you how good it feels to sleep in and have a day in which there is absolutely nothing I have to do. It's pretty great. By the end of the workweek I was pretty much sleep walking and my brain felt completely fried. So this weekend I'm just takin' it easy and watching movies and knitting up a storm.

Next, I think I might have a problem. With sock yarn. I keep buying it. I can't stop. Here is a quick tour of my next few projects, with another on the way....

Yes, this is the sock yarn that was just a short time ago the mystery socks for whom I had no recipient. I now have a recipient, but I ripped out the sock because I wasn't thrilled with the pattern and I discovered the complete ridiculousness of knitting a pattern I didn't like on a part of a sock that was going to end up covered by a shoe. so I am going to start over and do something cool with the cuff. Fear not, Andrea, you'll still get your socks. :)

Next, this is the yarn I found in a cute little shop in Arlington that I happened to walk past one day. I took one look and thought my mom would love it (it was only when I got home later that I realized it's almost exactly the same color as the last pair of socks I knit for her so I will definitely have to come up with some sort of cool stitch pattern for this one)

These three I bought online from a place called the Sheep's Tale (which was super on the ball about getting their stuff here quickly... I can't exactly remember where I found them, but I'm pretty sure they have an ebay store). Some solid colors, always good - I don't think I've ever knit a solid colored pair of socks. And I accidentally bought beige (I thought I was getting dark grey) but that's ok because now I feel confident that I have a color for sock yarn that a man would consent to wear (possibly my older brother who lives in northern Michigan. I'm sure his feet get very cold). I'm also confident that at some point I'll think of people who like pink and purple. :)

Next is yarn I just received in the mail today from Blue Moon Fiber Arts, in a colorway called "Olive Garden". I have to tell you that I didn't really expect it to be this sort of flecky coloring, no other Socks that Rock I've ever knitted have been like this. But I'm reserving judgment until I actually start working on them. Anyway, my sister-in-law absolutely loves the Olive Garden restaurant, so when I saw this I thought I'd make her some Olive Garden socks. I know, it's pretty cheesy, but I have a problem and I will justify it any way I can.

Soon to arrive is another Socks that Rock colorway called "Little Bunny Foo Foo". These will be for Toni, and she specifically requested the color from her perusal of their website. She claims that she picked it based on the colors and not the name, but I know better. That girl is crazy about bunnies.

The pink sweater is currently sitting in timeout because I don't want to actually deal with the sleeve situation. I'll finish it one of these days....

In non-sock related knitting, I'm working on this baby blanket for a friend from high school and his wife who are expecting their first child in December (can you guess if they're having a girl or a boy?). It's knitting up quickly and I'm mentally blocking the fact that each strip will have to be sewn together at the end, and just thinking about how cute it will be. It's the pattern for the circle of friends garter stitch blanket in Last Minute Knitted Gifts, only I've changed the colors. I'm having anxiety about whether or not I have enough yarn, but I told myself when I was ordering that it was only going to require one skein of each yarn, and that two of each would be wasteful and obviously double the price. Won't it just serve me right if, in the end, I have to order each color again and then not only will I have doubled the price, but chances are the dye lots won't match either. Alas. Also, because I am unable to properly follow directions, I accidentally started in the middle of the blanket. The white blocks will go through the middle. I know, this isn't a big issue, but please keep in mind that my major in college was accounting (which means chances are good I have a little bit of an OCD problem) and when things go out of order it makes me a little crazy. I've been trying to work on that, and apparently my subconscious is doing its part to help me out.

And, lastly, look at these super cute shiny red shoes my boss gave me yesterday! She bought them a year ago but despite the fact that the size is what she wears, they're too tight for her. She brought them in for me to try and I fell in love with them at first sight and was more than happy to take them off her hands. You know what's better that supercute new shoes? FREE supercute new shoes. I have to think of a good occasion for them to make their debut.