Socktastic

Eventually, you just have to try. A practice run is wise, as there's a smaller investment of materials, time, and energy. If you keep an open mind during said test run, you just might realize you'll do better than you think.
I made a baby sock. It's really cute. The whole heel flap thing seems less daunting now. It makes sense, this sock construction. I'm not ready to jump into toe-up socks just yet, but I think I could easily tackle a full-size pair of top-down socks without pulling all of my hair out.

I should probably get back to Square Cake now. I'm still working on the handles. One week left! Socks will have to wait.

Thanks, mom!

I know I posted about my mother's venture to Turkey and Paris, and shamefully, I haven't posted about her return, or the very sweet gift she brought me back. It doesn't mean I'm not appreciative. Given that my mother knows virtually nothing about yarn, she did really well. I can imagine her walking around in the open markets, telling random vendors that she's looking for yarn because her daughter is a knitter. So cute. :)
My mother had a fantastic trip and discovered things she never even knew existed. I'm so proud of her, as this was her first international trip (except a quick trip to Mexico when she was in high school).

Here's a picture of the yarn she brought back for me. I'm thinking I'll make some hats (including one in purple for my mom). Mom, thank you so much for thinking of me on your trip, and always.

It's a sister thing

This morning, Jill came over, and instead of what we were supposed to do, we decided to go buy hair dye instead. We piddled in Target for an hour or so, picked our color(s) (technically, they're different, but they were essentially the same color), and back at my place, Dean dyed our hair.
After:

This is the darkest my hair has ever been. I love it. We had fun, made yummy sandwiches (with avocado!), and I knit while she played Katamari (she's addicted). It's been a good day.
Last night, I found a nice fabric to line Square Cake with.

I wanted something delicate and dainty, since it is such a special occasion. Here's the progress so far:

I've only got about 10 more rows before the handles, so I'm feeling pretty good about my deadline.
Finally, here's some other fabric I've purchased in the last week:

Fat quarters I purchased on etsy (along with two half-yards of fun fabric).

I also bought this gorgeous print, which I plan to use for a dress or shirt. I'm sort of embracing yellow and orange, which I used to think washed me out.