a public service announcement from the zodiac

Sometimes when the universe wants to get your attention, it taps you on the shoulder. Pay attention to what you might initially dismiss as a series of meaningless coincidences, or the next time, it'll use a baseball bat.


that was the ol' horoscope for today, which really, applies always. More often than not, you've heard me make reference to someone receiving a "giant cosmic brick to the face"

let's all try and avoid that, shall we?

Trek-a-long, knit-a-long

I've gone and done it.

Eliza (moderngypsy) conned me into it. Its in keeping with my desire to make those thigh highs I mentioned before- a great commitment considering I have never before constructed a sock. But I figure, if I'm going to do it, then damnit its going to at least be some socks I will wear and flaunt. I mean, I have these wicked long legs, I might as well use 'em.

The idea is that you combine yarn and the outdoors, getting off your couch with your needles. In a shared blog format, we take the the great outdoors (hiking is recommended, but you can do it urban style) and at some point throughout this knitting adventure you are to take a photo or two of you and your sticks in the wild. Sounds like a perfect opportunity for someone who fancies the outdoors like I do. Of course, the trick would be for me to put *down* my field notebook and stop looking at rocks.

This knit-a-long commences June 1 and runs through August 31. The super awesome part here for me, is that in addition to my regular outdoor adventures, I'll be camping in Montana and Wyoming over the course of this, but it will be sorta city camping (in a cabin, with electricity and running water) because I will be with the girl-child, so no back country adventures for me.

As an added bonus, no sooner did I begin to exhibit interest in this knit-a-long, the yarn fairy went forth and purchased not only the needles for this project, but the three skeins of trekking xxl its going to take. (actually, due to the thigh high nature of my project, I am going to need to acquire my needles in a 7" in lieu of the 5", but still.. fabulous).

I wasn't able to get my first choice of colourway due to availability, however the colourway I got swatched up awesomely (I'd post a pic but it was ripped out when put on the ball winder to get it ready). I should also mention, that in keeping with the theme, I swatched yesterday afternoon while sitting on a bench in the sunshine at the park.

I'll post a pic later of the skeins, and of a swatch. I plan on making another just to help me get used to the idea of double pointed needles, because well, I'd never touched them before my swatch of yesterday afternoon.

Typical Amanda, I'm likely in over my head, and yet lunging forward anyway.