One More Sleep!

...and I'll be on my way to Europe

Very sleepy boy!

(that's my grandson, asleep on the loveseat...look how BIG he's grown! He stretches all the way from one end to the other now)

I am all packed, with the exception of my in-flight knitting and my laptop. Early tomorrow morning we will head for the airport. I will fly from Detroit to Dallas, with a short layover there, then non-stop to Frankfort, Germany!
My first weekend, we will visit Paris. I've been warned that I should get as much sleep as I can on the plane, as we have a very busy first four days planned. : ) 

I have to say here once again how very lucky and how very grateful I am to have such a kind and loving and generous friend...Michelle, I can never, ever repay you for this wonderful trip!

There has been a flurry of knitting. I've completed two pair of socks for myself, and a pair of hats, one for me and one for Michelle.



Blathnat (blaw-nit) socks for me...It means 'little flower

 These socks were knit from a pattern that I found in the Sock Knitters Anonymous group on Ravelry. The pattern was a Mystery Pattern, with one part of the pattern released each week. They're very pretty in person! I used Louet Gems Opal yarn in black. One knitter in the group described the beautiful lace pattern on the heel as "dead sexy" !  I agree.  

Ogiku hats top


These hats were knit from the "Ogiku" pattern at Knitty.  Instead of using multiple yarns in many colors, I used Kroy Socks FX, which is a long-striping yarn.  The colors change slowly, giving the look of traditional stranded colorwork without all the loose ends to work in.  "Ogiku" means chrysanthemum, and the top of the hat is supposed to look like a giant mum in bloom, with budding blooms on the sides.


Ogiku hats, bottom





Pretty striped Opal socks

 Lots of yarn companies create self-striping yarns, but there is no yarn company that does it as well as Opal.  These are from the old "Elements" collection, and the colors are just lovely!  I am SO excited to be visiting the Opal yarn factory next week.
Plain vanilla socks, no pattern except the one in my head.  6x3 ribbing, eye-of-partridge heel flap, and Dutch heel.

The next time I blog will probably be from across the big pond.