Indecisive

Stitches East is this weekend, and I can't make up my mind whether to go or not. My parents live just thirty minutes outside Hartford, making it a relatively easy drive once I'm down in Connecticut. And I know my father and stepmother will be happy to spend the day with Oliver who, in turn, will be happy to spend the day with his "fuzzin" * Carolina, while I'm fondling wool all day. Here's the boy and his "fuzzin":

But then there's the cost: about $10 to get in, plus parking -- which tends to be outrageous in Hartford, and that's saying a lot because I'm used to paying for Boston parking -- and then the temptation of all that yarn. Sigh. I just filed my taxes this weekend and owe a small fortune, plus I'm still paying off medical bills from the summer. On top of this, I can't get my car inspected until I have about $600 worth of repair work done. No need to feel sorry for me, though. In the last month I've gotten enough yarn to knit three sweaters, and I have a nice stockpile of wool for mittens and sock yarn for my beloved handknit socks.

Ok, I've made my decision. No Stitches East for me this year. I will be strong and spend the weekend at my parents' house, happily knitting away and avoiding throngs of people, jostling, overspending ... and All. That. Wool.

Sob.

Anyway, I've been knitting away for Socktoberfest. Here, one half of a finished pair of "plain vanilla socks," knit out of Red Heart sock yarn, which is actually quite nice to knit. (Yeah, so I'm a yarn snob.) The colors kind of remind me of Jamaica thus why I may start calling these my "Rasta Socks." Raveled here.

This next pair I started yesterday, a pair of woodsman's socks from Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Around. KA is the only E. Zimmermann knitting book I don't own, thus why you see that barcode at the top of the book. Libraries rule! I love love LOVE knitting these because the worsted weight wool on #4 needles is quick knitting. I'm used to knitting with fingering yarn on #0 or #1 needles. I added a 1" ribbed cuff in red, and I'm going to knit the toes red, too. By the weekend I should have a cozy pair of heavy wool socks for my winter boots.

*fuzzin = furry + cousin (Carolina is my younger brother's dog)