Hanging around knitting in the round

First off, my apologies, there will be no pictures on the blog today, even though there's been good progress made on my current sock projects. Soon. Soon.

But in the meantime, I was hanging out at the Lettuce Knit SnB last night (such a fun time, what a terrific group to hang out with), and hearing about all the work Kelly's been doing for the whole 'Team Canada' thing for the 2006 Knitting Olympics, and listening to everyone tell Laura that her chosen Olympic challenge is insane (they're right, but I think it's insane in a good way - I am totally on her side and I think she should go for it). And someone said that those people who aren't participating but are still watching all their friends go nuts about this thing should have 'spectator' buttons on their blogs. :) What a good idea, I thought. So, here for you to download and use if you want, is a 2006 Knitting Olympics spectator button:

Self-patterning socks for moi

I finished sock #1 last night (I had to borrow a 3mm DPN from Megan at Lettuce to do the castoff, since I brilliantly left my bigger DPNs at home) and it looks great. It just so happens that the yarn started into a different colour right as I began the castoff row, so I've got this cool orange rim at the top of the sock. Love it. Pictures forthcoming.

I then proceeded to start sock #2, and am making good headway up the foot. I had to adjust the yarn a little bit a few times on the toe to make sure the patterning was identical to sock #1 - I think it looks great so far.

Self-patterning socks for DH

Foot of sock #2 is done - I've placed the insteps on a spare piece of yarn and am ready to begin the heel shaping. Woo. Again, pictures forthcoming.

Minnesota Mitts for DH

There were 5mm DPNs at Lettuce last night, and I snatched myself a set! So this morning I set to work on the pinky finger of mitten #1. Man, it's fiddly as all hell, especially with the two-stranding of the Tsvaandsstickning. But I'm getting there. My only concern is that I really don't know how tall to make the fingers. I'll have to surreptitiously measure DH's current gloves tonight when he's not looking.