I worked on the Mermaid Socks while I homeschooled the kids today. These seem to get tighter as you knit. I had made it too small and ripped. Then I did it again, too big and ripped. This is the size and the middle and it's hard to get over my heel. Mathematically speaking, I don't get it. One of those three sizes should have been right. 

These are the flowers from the kit I bought Sat. I'll post how they look after they felt. 

It's a bit longer. If you see any mistakes, please don't tell me! 

I've returned some attention to Branching Out. There was the usual ripping after things didn't quite work out. It's always good to not take breaks from knitting lace. I guess the other option would be to take legible notes on where the heck you are in the pattern. On the bright side, it sharpens my "reading knitting" skills. How many stitches can you read? I have a hard time distinguishing the ssk stitches. Sometimes I can't even tell they are decreases in lace knitting. 

Two visits to the knitshop later, I had these. I was able to resist these in catalogs, but when I saw them I had to have them. 

I had this... 

and then I had this. It's always good if you can get the sock over your heel. I'll cast-on a bit larger and try again 

Here a sock 

There a sock 

Another shot of Jessie's, uh, my scarf. 

Well, this was supposed to be Jessie's Scarf for her birthday in October. It turned out too short and it's mine. I'm keeping it. It has one wavy edge and I love it!

I've been knitting up a storm

Although I haven't been able to blog lately, I've been knitting a lot. My youngest is on steroids for Bells Palsy and we've spent a lot of time in waiting rooms. I spent 5 hours at the hospital while he had an MRI under general anesthesia. I've got socks, sweater and scarves happening. I finished a scarf (Jenny's scarf) and I'm finishing up the first sock for the little fellow. Anybody who has 15 IV sticks deserves a pair of socks made by mommy. If the little fellow lets me, I'll take more pictures this afternoon. He's a bit labor intensive with the steroids. He doesn't sleep and he eats a lot. He still mostly nurses, so I'm an integral part of his daily activities.
We're all counting how many days of steroids left so that we can get back to our normal routine.

A close-up of Jenny's scarf. 

Jenny's Scarf - Noro Aurora (color 3) and Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino (black). My friend Matthew is planning on writing this up and putting it on the Needleworks website (see sidebar). I'll post a link and put it up when it's ready.  

There has been some cursing...

I knew better than to try a pattern from Stitch n B**ch Nation. I just knew from helping a friend there would be a problem. But, I had the right yarn and I couldn't stop myself. Don't we always pay for our impulses? Well, with some numerous adjustments and praying to the knitting gods, hopefully my sweater will turn out and lay flat. I'm doing the Fairly Easy Fair Isle Sweater and no, I don't recommend this pattern. It could be totally frogged yet. I've already frogged the fair isle numerous times.
I'm also working on a scarf for my cousin Jenny's birthday. It's made out of some new Noro stuff that has shiny stuff wrapped around it. I'm knitting it long ways and then I'm putting a strip of baby cashmerino on each side. It's an experiment. I could end up the week with another knitting deficit. If the scarf turns out, I'll post the pattern. It's all scrunched up on 24" size 9 needles so I don't really know what I have yet, or how long it's going to be. Well, I'd better get back to it. Maybe I'll have pictures tomorrow.