Moderne Log Cabin Afghan (Bates College Afghan)

I've started the afghan for my son (mentioned here). Since I took this photo I've finished the second rectangle and started the third one. Pretty soon this won't be a portable project.

Bode my Portuguese Water Dog is always willing to liven up my photos.

The World's Largest Coaster

When I need something truly brainless to knit I turn to my multicolor rug. My husband calls it the world's largest coaster. Here's Bode, the world's cutest Portuguese Water Dog posing by the work in progress.

It's made with a three-stitch strip of garter stitch, then sewed around. I slip the first stitch, knit the second, and knit into the back of the third. This makes great TV knitting because it requires no thought at all.

I'm using two kinds of cotton. Top choice is Mission Falls cotton because the colors are great. But I do use a lot of Sugar and Cream, which is way less expensive, for a few of the colors like white, black, and some of the greens and blues. And I used up a little bit of stash yarn, like the hot pink in the center.

It's going to require some major blocking when it's done because the edges are curling up. When will it be done? Who knows? I guess I'll keep going until it drives me crazy.

"Real" Socks - Knitted Toe-Up

So now that I've cut my teeth making these funky socks, I'm ready for some real ones.

I actually bought this yarn a year or two ago along with a pattern from Knit Purl in Sudbury, MA. They were doing a sock workshop while I was there. I figured I can't be too much dumber than all the women around the table, so why not give it a try. It's taken me this long to actually get started.

The sock pattern, which is toe-up, is from Art Yarns, but I don't see it on their website. The yarn is their Handpaint Stripes and this is the color. It's a heavier yarn that most sock yarns, and the needles are #5, making this a less painful sock-knitting foray than it might be otherwise.