Actual Knitting Content!

I came back from Utah in a knitting funk (trip log to start later today, promise). I had high hopes for knitting on the trip, and I excitedly cast-on for the Ruffled Tuxedo Tank in the car somewhere in the middle of southeastern Oregon. I had decided to knit it in the round, so I cast on something like 240 stitches, and carefully joined them into the round. And I knit away, for about 1.5 inches or so before getting bored with the car knitting and just observing the scenery. The next night, whilst staying at an air-conditioned condo in Moab, I got the top back out, and low and behold I was knitting a mobius. Eek. I'll have you know that I've never twisted something in the round on circular needles. On DPNs maybe, years ago, but we can agree that DPNs are a tad more difficult to control and have quite the mind of their own. I was demoralized by this, and didn't have the heart to rip it out and do that evil casting-on again, so it's still sitting around, making a lovely gauge swatch (silver lining!). That same night, after saying "to hell with you" to the tank top, I started a simple toe-up stockinette sock, but I didn't get past the toe increases before we left the condo, and after that there really wasn't much time for such fiddly knitting. If I'd have been charging up the foot, or at any other point in the sock, I think I'd have made some headway...So, that is also taking up space on the coffee table. No photos. It's all too painful.

So, I returned to Seattle beaten and bruised, with my knitting mojo all but vanished. All that was on the needles was complicated or tragic, and something had to be done. Wednesday I cast on for a Purl scarf in red Manos: This has become my new work project, and progress is fast and rewarding. Thursday I cast on some felted clogs for my grandmother's Christmas present, and tonight I finished them aside from the felting:

Talk about instant gratification! That's two Christmas projects finished already, and it's only mid-August. Full project report to follow post-felting, but here's a quick summary. These are the Fibertrends Felted Clogs, and I used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Amethyst Heather (dark) and Iris Heather (light). This is my fifth pair of these and I love making them. Great pattern and very quick to knit.
I promise to post some pretty Utah photos tomorrow, and soon I'll disclose the results of the natural dyeing experiment that Anne-Marie and I conducted yesterday...much to share, much to share! Stay tuned!