Almost Autumn

Lately, I have just been having the urge to get on with the seasons. As strange as it seems, I'm kind of eager to get back to school. I'm always like this at the end of summer, when I just want to get back to my routine. I never really get into the rhythm of summer, unless we're travelling. I definitely enjoy summer, don't get me wrong, but it's definitely just a break from regular life, not how I really want my life to be. I think part of it might be that I want to get a head start on my Christmas knitting, so I'm lookng through patterns that make me think of that. And I actually ordered a knitting book!!! Handknit Holidays: Knitting Year-Round for Christmas, Hanukkah, and Winter Solstice by Melanie Falick. First of all, that means I'm going to ger MAIL. Which I love. I know most of this excitement about mail will wear off when I start having to pay my own bills, but the possibilities of a letter or package are fanatstic!!! One of my friend's and I sent letters back and forth just because we liked getting mail so much. So getting a package? I'm going to be like the kids on the magazine commercials that go outside and hug the postman. :D I really want to make a souple different patterns from that book, including the Swedish Heart Warmer Shawl by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts:

And the Sugarplum Pullover by Veronik Avery:

However, I think I should finish my first sweater and a couple other projects before I start a big project like either of those. Oh well, I can still dream... And I might do the Over The Knee Socks by Cindy Taylor. Wouldn't they be perfect under a winter skirt?

Some more big news!! Two fo my cousins are having babies!!!! Not together. They're both married to two seperate people. But they're both my cousins. :D so that means I get to start baby knitting!!!!! The first one is due in late January, and the other is due in late Febuary, so I should have time to do baby sweaters if I want. I'm not really sure though, because my school schedule is going to be pretty intense, but I'm going to have a study hall period, which should help. I think I'm going to knit the little Saartje Booties for both babies. I don't know gender yet, so I might just make them in white, or a varieagated colorway like these.

Even while I had a mini blogcation, I was still knitting. Well, I think. I bought a lot of yarn.... I bought a sweater's worth of Jojoland Baritone in a lovely Teal, and I'm making a Febuary Lady sweater. I really love it, I'm about halfway through the lace patterning, and then all I have left is the garter border and sleeves! I'm planning on making the sleeves about elbow length. I also started a helmet liner for the troops in some Cascade 220 superwash. I used the Gusseted Helmet Liner pattern by Ellen M. Silva. The only thing I have left is the face ribbing, but I was having some problems picking up stitches. I also started the secnd Totoro Mitten, but I have gotten all of about 8 rows beyond the ribbing, so that's not done yet. I've just been a bit of a spazz with my knitting lately. I keep on hopping from one projct to another, so nothing's really getting finished. It's a very summer frame of mind. However, I'm going to try and finish my sweater in time to wear it. Also, I want to finish my Totoro mittens and get another scarf under my belt before winter sets in. Or actually around my neck. :D Anyway, that's all I've really been knitting. Happy Almost Autumn!