I finished the socks...and started a new pair. The net number of projects has not decreased, but neither has it increased--I even refrained from buying ANOTHER ball of sock yarn yesterday. The pictures of the finished socks got hijacked onto John's computer, but I will post them later. In the meantime, my new socks are a tweedy blend of black, brown, and grey. Kind of like my cat. Turns out I vastly prefer knitting self-striping socks to tweedy socks, so I'll be careful to research future sock yarn purchases.

I've decided to skip the purple sweater for now-- what's the point of making something I can't even wear? It will be great for next winter. And the baby sweater is simmering on the back burner. I'm sure it will come to a boil soon. Really!

I was browsing the magazine rack yesterday, and came across a pattern for making argyle socks in the Fall/Winter issue of Cast On, the educational magazine of The Knitting Guild Association. I have to mention this, because not only did my grandmother and her sister recently disclose that they each used to knit argyle socks (despite the fact that I have never seen either of them knit during my lifetime*), but also because the pattern was followed by information about becoming a certified Master Hand Knitter. I had no idea this program existed! I can never resist a skill test (John likened the program to black belts for knitters), so I immediately did some research, joined TKGA and ordered a correspondence course called Hand Knitting Basics, Basics, Basics. This is supposed to cover all the techniques required to earn the Level I designation, and then some. I feel confident I can make it through Level I and II, but Level III is more than a technical challenge. The major requirement is to design and execute an original Aran sweater using a minimum of three cable/stitch patterns. Not to mention the required book and article reviews and reports on knitting and blocking techniques. I love it! All swatches, reports, and completed designs are reviewed by the master knitter judges to determine whether you pass. I can't wait for the first course to arrive.

*Then last week, my grandmother bought a skein of Colinette Tagliatelli yarn and giant plastic needles to make herself a scarf. Will wonders never cease!

Alison (of blue blog fame--see Sept. 16 entry) has inspired me to make a list of the unfinished projects I have lying around and FINISH them! The curtains gave me a confidence boost, so I'm feeling ready. Here's my list:

• Self-patterning socks (for me!)
• Blue baby sweater (begun for a baby who is already here!)
• Purple cabled sweater (for pre-pregnant me... will it fit anyway?? I'm not going to go nuts on this one, since it might not fit until next winter)

I finished and hung the second curtain on Wednesday. I am very proud of the quick completion of this project, since many other projects have been languishing in storage for months without even making onto the schedule.... We're going to order a new (slightly longer) curtain rod with better support so that my handstitched hem hangs as straight as I made it. Next, painting the walls yellow and ordering a crib. On Nov. 17th I'm having an ultrasound, and we might be able to tell if it's a boy or a girl!

John and I are thrilled to know that not only will we be first-time parents next spring, we will also be first-time aunt and uncle! It will be great to have little cousins so close in age. I always felt very close to my cousin Brian, who is just 6 weeks my elder. My mom occasionally pushed us in the same stroller and people always said, "OOoooooh!! Twins!" And mom would say, "No, he's six weeks older than she is." And they would stare at her until she realized she had to clarify further:"They're COUSINS." Phew!!

I've made basic curtains before, but this is the first time I inserted drapery liner and slipstitched the hem by hand. I tried to use the blind hemstitch on my machine, but the directions in the manual do not match how my machine actually works... Some other time, I'll have to take the machine to the dealer and ask for a demo.

Now, I'm off to cut drapery liner 2 and attach it to curtain panel 2. A second photo will follow once the whole window is curtained!

Happily, this led to a weekend adventure with John on Philadelphia's Fabric Row! I find South 4th Street a little overwhelming, since there are narrow shops overfilled with stacks and stacks of long bolts of fabrics-- how do you find anything?? But the prices are great, and I figured it would be fun to browse around. In the fourth store we entered-- a really really overfilled one-- a bright pink, Lilly Pulitzer style fabric caught my eye. I was playing with it for a second when suddenly I realized my monkeys were 2 bolts away! It was like finding buried treasure with only half a map. The happy ending is that there was exactly enough yardage for my project and I got first quality fabric for half price. Yay South 4th Street!

Curtains to follow as soon as I gather the courage to cut.

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