It's been a long time. . . . . . . .

Life often intervenes. If posting to my blog were as easy as I hoped it would be, there'd be an every-day post. However, life and such happens, and I can't always blog at work or get to the library where I have the time to write lengthy missives posts. Since my last post, the following has happened:
I started and finished my Sockapalooza 4 socks. They will be sent out to my Secret Sock pal this week - probably tomorrow. I hope she likes them. I'll try to get decent pictures tonight.
I got some really beautiful Collinette Jitterbug yarn, colorway Alazarine trust me, this picture doesn't even come close to the beauty of this yarn. I bought 2 skeins, which turned out to be enough to knit a pair of socks and a pair of gauntlets, with just a bit of yarn left over. I'll take pics, but you'll be disappointed. The depth and beauty of this yarn is almost unimaginable. I have loved every second of knitting it, and wearing the socks. I still need one gauntlet, and then I'm going to be stylin'!! I love this yarn beyond all reason, and it's probably good that they only had the 2 skeins, or else I'd be making an entire wardrobe out of this stuff. It's that great, really, I'm not obsessed, it's just that the yarn is so beautiful - ok, you win, I'll stop now (but go get some, it's amazing!!)
I've started the State Fair project. I'm calling it Butterfly Argyles. Using Moth Heaven's guidance and suggestions, I created my own Argyle pattern, with butterflies at the intersections. I've never knit argyles before, but I've done lots of color work (or intarsia, whichever is less threatening) and decide this would be perfect for the State Fair.
Here they are (at least my chart):

Not terribly complicated, and they seem to be going kind of quickly. We'll see. If I can finish the first argyle part this weekend, I might have a chance. It's iffy - I have to have them entered no later than Sept 1st. Wish me luck! I'm half-way through the second set of butterflies (working from the top down, so they won't be upside-down). The colors are really close to what I'm knitting - the pink is a deep crimson, but the purple, teal and white are right. I'm using Knit Pick's Palette yarn, and their dpns, size 3.25 - Did I mention that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these needles???? They are magical for knitting socks, etc. I'm seriously considering pitching the rest of my dpns and replacing with these. They're just the right weight, the points are perfect, and they knit like a dream. Try them, you won't regret it!
OK, time's up - gotta go home.
Laters, dudes!