Busy, But Not Knitting

So, I'm working on a project as a gift for my husband, and it hasn't been going well. I think I need a new stitch pattern other than 1x1 rib.

I got a new knitting book this weekend. Reversible Knitting: 50 Brand-New, Groundbreaking Stitch Patterns by Lynne Barr. There are some truly bizarre stitch patterns in there, many of them making use of three needles, sometimes in different sizes. The first set of patterns are meant to be used in place of, or with, 1x1 rib. Many of the stitch patterns are also meant to emulate crochet. Since the project I am making for my husband is a knitted version of something that was originally done in crochet, I am thinking maybe I can experiment with some of the stitch patterns in my new book to see if I can come up with something that works.

The only problem is, if it gets too complicated to do, will I stick with it?

Well, I'll have fun trying, anyway.

On a different note, my Swap-Moderator-in-Chief, Amy, is going to be starting a new swap. This will be a one-time swap of sock yarn and kitchen items, with three recipes thrown in the mix. It's going to be called the "Sole Food Swap". Previously, the swaps I've done with Amy have been three-month swaps, with blogging being a requirement (a requirement that seemed to turn a lot of people away). This time, no blogging will be required.

Speaking of swaps, I've finished the hand-knit item to send to my current swap partner. I should be putting that package together and sending it off soon. I'll take photos before it goes, so that I can at least post them after I know my partner has received her final swap package.

So that pretty much leaves me with a photoless post, that's also pretty short on information about what I'm knitting.

I know I didn't blog last week. My husband was away on a business trip, and Fedora Boy had a big presentation project for school, so I was busy. (Yes, when the boy has a project, it's me who is busy -- driving to the library, helping put together the bibliography, and suggesting ways to organize the huge amount of information the boy is able to acquire and keep in his brain.) So, I had my fill of Pink Floyd for the week. But the good news is that Fedora Boy did well on his presentation and got the highest mark in the class. (His teacher, who is a lovely woman, emailed me with that information.)

He also had his first concert on Friday. This is concert season right now, and between dress rehearsals and performances, with a growing boy, I've been frantically shopping for black pants and shirts. Unfortunately, Fedora Boy is a very awkward size. In most stores, the boys' pants only go to 16 (though size 18 does technically exist). And the men's pants start with a 30 waist. Well, size 16 is now ridiculously small on the boy, and he needs a 29 waist (28 would be better, but I don't think I've ever seen it). So I've been combing all the stores looking for black dress pants or black jeans in either a boys' 18 or a man's 29. Luckily, Sears has a decent selection of dress stuff for boys that goes up to size 18. But any of the stores that carry men's 29 charge an arm and a leg. So we will go with size 18 where we can. Next year we may have to pay for tailoring to get pants that fit him.

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.