Sockapalooza'd!

I'm rather late in showing off my great new Sockapalooza socks, but I really, really love them, so I figured better late than never!


These beauties were made by my sock pal, Julia of Moon Tea from a shade of Koigu that suits me absolutely perfectly. And they're Roza's socks! Yay! I love this pattern, and it was literally the next one on my list of socks to knit... excellent choice, Julia! (Though, now that I have one pair, I feel the need to have many, many more so they remain as the next on my list of socks to knit).


And look at all the goodies she included in my package! On the left are some super-crafty sock blockers made specifically for my sized feet that Julia cut from IKEA placemats. So cool! And some delicious, natural bee hand balm! Yum, yum! Thanks for the great package, Julia!


And I feel especially lucky to have gotten these socks because they are Julia's first pair of knitted socks. Yes, the first pair ever. I can imagine that these babies were difficult for her to give away... I am sort of nostalgic over my first pair of socks. And she did a terrific job on them, being her very first pair! Great job on the learning to knit socks in the name of Sockapalooza, Julia!


The computer remains incapacitated and I have only a mere two weeks left to finish my exhibition (opening September 25), so blogging time continues to be nearly nil. I have been knitting when time permits, and I'll have some pre-fall sweaters to show off soon, I hope. I can already tell that my summer sock knitting is falling by the wayside, and I am gearing up for fall sweater knitting.

I'll check back in soon with a WIP report on the nearly finished sweaters...

Til then, happy Sunday everyone!

Secret swap-tastic.

Since I don't have the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival to look forward to this weekend (ack! too, too much work to do! MDSW treats and yarn donations will, however, be accepted), I'm looking forward to other summery events. Like Sockapalooza4. It's my first time doing a Sockapalooza, so I'm excited. I started my blog at the end of last July (oh yes, there will be a contest come July), and I distinctly remember reading a million different knitblogs about Sockapalooza, and then of course I had to suffer through everyone's grand reveals during August. Well, this time I won't feel out of the loop because I am in it to win it! Oh, wait... it's not a contest... we all win! Yay mystery socks!


So, I have my sock pal, the yarn, and the pattern. The yarn is that baby above--some STR lightweight in Star Sapphire. I've been saving it for a special occasion, and, well, since I am having such fantastic luck with STR these days, I figured it would make the sock pal knitting a breeze. I'm thinking Lombard Street Socks for the pattern. Free pattern, which I'm all about these days, interesting lace, and some great details like the picot cuff and the eye-of-partridge heel. Fun and interesting to knit AND my sock pal will appreciate a little bit of schmancy, I think. What do you think? Would *you* like to get these socks? I was also sort of considering the Lacy Quill Socks, too, but these might be a bit too holey for my taste.


And at the very last moment, I joined the Knitting Gnome Swap, because I'm a big sucker for a sweet roaming garden gnome. This gnome is a sweet knit gnome (like this one) who is sent to each person in the swap, and each person, upon receipt of the gnome, takes it for a tour of their hometown and then packs it up with some yarny treats for the next recipient, and sends it on. So at some point this summer, I will have a gnomey visitor. Should be entertaining.

Now, if only I would hear something from my Sockapalooza4 pal. I haven't yet been contacted, which makes me a little sad... do I have a secret pal? Is someone getting advice about what to knit me?? Please contact me, secret pal! Please? Woot! My shout out worked! My sock pal sent me an email! I have a sock pal! Yay sock pal!

I have heard from my Gnome Swap pal... yay!! (Hi, Gnome Swap pal, if you're reading this! Thanks for the email!)

And if you want to know where my awesome Etsuko squirrel family is from, go visit Maritza's Etsy shop, soto softies! (My Etsuko squirrel family just got a little bigger tonight, too! I can't wait for this little guy to arrive at his new home!)

Have a great rest of the week, everyone!