"Is that a sock, or a sleeve?"

I've been spending more time than usual with Trish, which is probably not good for her because I am a Bad Influence, but good for me because Trish is Observant.  Like, yesterday? After knitting Bob's sock all day? I dropped by her place for more knitting and when she saw what I was making she mistook it for a sweater.  And looked confused because I hadn't mentioned starting a sweater.

Recapping the sock so far, we've had a 80 stitch version with cables that is getting frogged, and then a 72 stitch stitch version that is plain and got frogged, and last night I got a fair way into a 64 stitch version that still fits my arm which means I just don't know any more.

Bob reminded me I took all his foot measurements two summers ago and wrote them down somewhere.  I'll let you know if I find them.

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Trish and I had talked about meeting up for the Knitter's Frolic on Saturday but in the end it was just too complicated so we settled for swapping mobile phone numbers and hoping for the best.  This turned out to be unnecessary since, as I was leaving the Frolic with just insane amounts of baggage, I met Trish who was just coming in.  And Trish, being Observant and also Smart, Generous, and Short-Sighted, suggested I put all that stuff in her car (I was doing public transit that day) before heading back inside.

So... after my original nearly-two hours at the Frolic, I spent another two with Trish, mostly not buying anything myself but not in the least harried by quantities of Stuff in my arms and therefore quite prepared to advise her to buy a ton more yarn.  (see what I mean about short-sighted?)

* * * * *

I had bought a present for Trish so when we got to her car I showed it to her to make sure she liked it, which she did, which is why I don't have a picture of it.  It was sock yarn from Stoddart Family Farm.  She liked it enough to want to beeline back there to check out the rest of Silvia's stuff, and when we got there she investigated yarn for a Mansock, which is when I realized I could not make the Bobsocks with the heavier weight I'd bought at the Gathering.  So I had to buy more yarn, which was embarrassing because when I was shopping at Stoddart pre-Trish I had so much in my arms my chin had to help contain it all and I was still trying to pick up more stuff. 

In my defense, I had not only Trish's present in there but also some romney/mohair fiber for Karen, who couldn't make it to the Frolic and asked me to pick some up for her.  I didn't know what colour she'd like, so I got these choices:

Karen likes the purple.  It would seem I have my work cut out for me with the other two.

My point:  if the Bobsocks work out, it's going to be because Trish was paying attention.

(I'll show you the Stoddart haul on Monday; there's a lot and it needs its own post.)

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Even though I can't seem to get Trish over the line into spinning we did spend some time at Wellington Fibres, easily identified at every show by adorable little brown card boxes spilling over with the Most Luscious Stuff for spinning.  I love Wellington, and it was super hard to resist buying some of that fiber but my arm still isn't 100% better from the cookie baking incident last December and - hello, the Stoddart haul? 

Instead I just encouraged Trish in the direction of their really fab yarn and recommended the advantages of square needles, having as you may recall bought out Wellington's supply of 2.5mm squares at the Gathering.

Digression:

I am so in love with the squares now, I bought more from Wellington in the morning at the Frolic in sizes 2.75mm and 3mm - two sets of each size.  Again with the excessiveness! but I put a double set to work the next day on the Bobsocks so maybe what I really mean is again with the vision?

And back to the story:

So there's Trish, totally sold on squares, asking me what size I use because we seem to have the same sock gauge, heading over to the needle stand to pick up a set of 2.5mm dpns, and I suddenly realize:

I've just praised to the heavens the needles I bought the entire stock of two weeks ago.  (and I really had, they have to order more now.)

Sorry Trish!  Fortunately she knows somebody she can borrow some from, if they are not all tangled up in socks when she needs them.

* * * * *

While we were at Wellington I suddenly noticed we were each following our own conversational line (me: should I buy the carroty fiber that feels like heaven? Trish: which of these colours go best together for that shawl?) while fully comprehending the other's.  And we were pretty tired by then too.  What is it about knitters?  It's like there's a collective consciousness.

* * * * *

There was one other thing I picked up at the Frolic that doesn't have much to do with Trish at all, unless you count her laughing at me:

I was really excited about what's in this bag but after reading some of Kathi's recent posts, especially this one, I am scared of it now.  I'll, um, come back to this story later, when the fear subsides 'kay?

Meanwhile: have a fabulous weekend!  I'm going to spend some of mine tidying up the ol' yarn and fiber storage and getting some skeins wound into cakes because if I don't start knitting more soon I will have to insulate the house with the stash. 

(and we wouldn't want that!!)