It's good to pay attention to things.

If I had been, I wouldn't be knitting the short row heel on my second Opal lollipop sock for a second time.

I knew something didn't look right the first time around. Mainly, the stripe pattern, which had matched perfectly up until the heel, was suddenly waaay off. Instead of stopping to think what of what might be causing it, I spent my time pulling out lengths of yarn to "skip" and sew in later to keep the color pattern (mostly) correct. I probably had a yard and a half of loops inside the sock when I finished the heel and stopped to really look at it. Hmm... D'oh!


I then remembered that the first sock heel was done with 60% of the total stitches, instead of 50%. Brilliant.

So I ripped it out and tried again. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that the stripes are matching now.

In the mail, out of my hands.

What a relief. I mailed my wedding invitations yesterday morning and they are finally off my mind! They turned out well I believe, simple but effective. Here is a sample of one:





Now I can't wait to receive the RSVP cards. It will mean something in the mail besides credit card offer!


I finished the first Opal Lollipop sock last weekend as Steve and I were driving home from Chicago. (Got the marriage license!) Ya know, I never realized how freakishly long and narrow my feet were until I started knitting socks! ;-)







In other knitting news, I read on Libby's blog that Lion Brand Cotton Ease is being discontinued. Double Dang. I need to go buy myself some to make this sweater before my color selection becomes limited.

It's very slowly becoming a sweater

I have only worked a few rows at a time, every other day or so. I really am starting to miss my knitting time, but feel there are just so many other things that need to come first right now.

On the plus side, I finished printing my wedding invitations and all of the assorted paraphernalia that accompany them. They are going to be stuffed this weekend and mailed (cross your fingers) on Monday. I will definitely try to photograph one to post here before they are all mailed out.

For the record: while I did have fun wandering around scrapbook and craft stores picking out all the perfect pieces for the invitations, the writing/printing/cutting/gluing process was waaay more stressful than I anticipated. Mostly because I never (and still don't) felt like they were "good" enough.

Ouch.

My right hand has been bothering me the last few days. Not from knitting (although it has kept me from knitting), but from overuse of my trusty adjustable pipettor at work. Part of the problem stems from a graceful incident six years ago in which I closed my thumb in a heavy metal door. (I'll leave out the gruesome explanation of my injury.) It still bothers me on an almost daily basis and since it is my "pipetting thumb", it doesn't get much rest. I think I might go buy a heating pad to wrap my hand up in. That sounds like it would feel fantastic right about now.

Enough whining. I have photos to show you!



Cashmerino raglan sweater; at the end of the increases.



Opal lollipop sock #1