Hi, Stephanie!

*waves*

I'm not ignoring you. Your visits and comments are very much appreciated. You don't have to stand out there. Come on in. Have a seat. How 'bout some coffee? High test iced tea? Diet Coke? (we're big on caffeine around here) Ooh, it's after 5 (one minute after counts, right?) Baileys? I think there's still a bit of the mint chocolate left. *shakes bottle* Yep, just a drop.

Comfy? Good. I thought I'd answer your questions and give some updates, if that's OK?

First, those fish? Once I make another 80-some of them, they'll be sewn (somehow, haven't quite worked that part out yet) together something like this

into a warm, colorful, fun throw for my couch. I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for that FO to be posted here. I was a little thrown off when I realized I've only finished half the number of fishies I'll need. So, I started this

Oops, that's the back (see all those nasty yarn tails *sigh*)

See some of the fishy colors in there? I hope I'm not cutting too far into my wool-for-fish stash. I'm not really sure if I'm going to keep this one, or gift it. I'll have to wait and see once it's finished. If it's ever finished. I don't seem to be big on finishing anything these days.

OK, moving on to the recycled sweaters.

That (sort of, I cleaned up the HUGE mess and only saved the most together part to get a pic) was what was left after I gave it a shot and then Em begged to "help destroy the sweater." Uh huh. That whole experiment was a miserable failure. I think we were supposed to get sweaters with heavier yarn. Well, it seemed like a good idea. When someone else was doing it.

On to my bad sock knitting juju. My lovely friend Boo (who's been--and is still going--through all kinds of hell...but came through some of it with an absolutely gorgeous baby boy ) heard that I wanted to learn how to spin and offered me her unused drop spindle kit. It seems she's just a little busy with that cute hunka boy (and his equally cute older siblings) to teach herself to spin anytime soon. I offered to make her some socks in return. After trying 78 different patterns and yarn (OK, so maybe it was more like 3-4), I settled on Sock Bug's Lacy Scallops in some bright colored sock yarn from Elann (at least I think it's from Elann and the color might be Cancun but I'm not sure because I can't find the band).

Are you thinking "Gee, those are some seriously oogly socks!"? Because that's what I'm thinking. Even if I liked the yarn with the pattern--the yarn needed to do one thing or the other...but not both. Wugh. I actually like Boo. A lot. These socks are definitely not going to work. I need another pattern. Or another yarn. Another combination anyway.

I also need to let Boo know she can hang on to her spindle kit until baby boykins grows a little more independent. Because I couldn't resist buying my loverly spindle at the fiber fest. In case you missed it...

It's right here in my pencil cup (I just had an YIM converstion with Trek--can you believe I was talking with Trek??--about a spindle bag). See that...I'm making YARN!! OK, maybe not quite yarn. Something that sort of resembles yarn? That little, sorta looks like a ball of yarn, ball nestled in there? Watch out for that screwdriver (there's rarely ever any actual working writing utensils in my pencil cup, the kids take them all), you'll put your eye out!That's my very first attempt at yarn.

Um...you need a refill, don't you? (some distraction to keep you from looking too closely).

Oh, hey, here's Graham! He was so jealous of Em and I with our drop spindles, we had to try making one for him

I swear, we are going to turn this boy into a knitter or spinner or...

He kind of looks like he might hurt somebody with that, doesn't he?

Oooh, look what just came in the mail--a package from my Secret Pal! Hey, back away from the package...

It's mine, I wanna open it!

Whoa.

That's a lot of stuffs!

Hey, Stephanie? Do you feel like someone's watching us? A hidden camera or something. How else would my pal know I was just drooling over these exact colors

(I freakin' LOVE s'mores! We should make some right now, huh Steph?) of KnitPicks Memories? I never mentioned it here. Not even in my SP questionnaire...I hadn't drooled over them yet.

*cue Twilight Zone music*

Did I ever even post about Abi's Sweettart sock meeting Mr Hoover vac? Hang on while I check...

Wow. I never even posted Abi's sweettart socks, much less about the mishap that ruined one irreparably. So. How did you, my SP, know I couldn't make her a replacement because I didn't have more yarn...the exact yarn that you sent???

Uh, Stephanie? Do you mind if I cut our visit short ("short"? ha!)? I think I need to lie down for awhile. Here. Puppet would be glad to show you out.