Better late than never

In honor of "Socktoberfest" I have decided to finish The Gaming One's socks. I had the dreaded SSS (second sock syndrome) since the first was finished. I guess the planets aligned or something and I finally sat down and cast on for the second two days ago. I am half finished with the sole and hubby is amazed how quickly they are "coming to life". He lends encouragement when I put them down, saying things like "Woman, those socks aren't going to knit themselves!" and "My poor feet are so cold, and since I only have one sock, I guess I will have to decide which one gets to be warm!" all the while looking pitiful! I told him there will be no more hand knit socks in his future until he wears holes in this pair!
In other knitting news, I frogged my entire Somewhat Cowl. I had the body and both sleeves finished, but just could not knit a neckline I liked. I was trying to modify the pattern, since I am not too fond of what would have been a heavy cotton cowl. It was actually easier (emotionally) to frog all the progress than I thought it would be. Besides, with winter quickly approaching here in NC I would not have been able to wear it anyway. A warm, wooly cardigan for myself will replace the Somewhat Cowl in my knitting basket and keep my Lovely Lacy Shawl company. I am thinking I will buy the pattern book the shawl was published in so I can knit from a chart instead of those long line by line instructions. Oh yeah, and some size 2 circs. I am hoping then it will fly off my needles! That is all the time I have for now, as The Boy Wonder really needs someone to play army with! Is it bad that a 5yo talks about snipers, flame throwers, grenades, securing the area, holding back enemy forces and the ins and outs of winning a war? I am hoping it is just a boy thing, although he assures me he is practicing for when he is in the army so he will be really good and be able to defeat the enemy. I guess I need to prepare my pacifist heart!

My celebrity look-alikes

I have been seeing this everywhere and thought I would give it a go...

Swallowtail Shawl from IK fall '06

Yarn: Knit Picks Memories (100% Merino Wool; color Redwood Forest), 2 Skeins.
Needles: size 4 circs
This was a super simple knit, and my first complete lace project! I did not use lifelines for this as the pattern was very easy to memorize and mistakes were easy to see. I did forget a few yarnovers, but could easily pick them up on the next row with a crochet hook making this a fun, stress-free knit! I probably could have stretched this a bit more while blocking if I had blocking wires, but alas I have none and had to use pins. All told it took 2 and a half weeks to knit, and an hour to pin for blocking!
The nupps did not present a problem, although they did slow me down a bit (purl 5 together is quite a fiddley stitch!)This is actually a gift for a very understanding secret pal. I hope she likes it along with her other gifts.