Toasty today

Today we hit 86º and it was stinking hot in the office. My unofficial thermometer, courtesy of Oakland Community College, registered 84º. This did not elicit any sympathy from Kevin, who said it was 94º at the restaurant. But it's not about him, now, is it?

There's something magical about taking off your shoes and socks when you're overheated. Instant relief! Ahhhhh.

After work today I stopped by EweNique Knits to check out their sale. My friend Eddie actually went on his lunch hour and returned with his purchases for my viewing pleasure. There's no way I'd ever be able to shop on my lunch hour. Maybe my lunch day, but certainly not my lunch hour. Spurred on by his great buys, I plunked 30 minutes worth of coin into the parking meter and headed for the shop.

I picked out practical felting yarn for bags and hats, all at great prices. My one out of character yarn was a skein of Elsebeth Lavold Angora, a blend of angora, wool, and polyamide, in a butter yellow shade. I figured I could make some baby booties out of the 91 yard skein. Turns out, I can actually make 2 pair from one skein.

First you cast on and knit from the toe up, working inside out.

And then you have to split the stitches between two needles, so you can have separate needles for the instep and the balance of the bootie.

Then you have turn your work right side out and continue knitting, round and round, and wind up with finished booties.

It took a mere hour to make this pair of booties. Can't get much better for a quick gift item. The pattern came from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. I think I may need to head back over to the shop tomorrow to pick up a few more colors. I'm learning, slowly, not to dive into something (meaning spending wads of money) until I'm certain that I LOVE it. I'm liking these booties, although I may look for another pattern, and can see a need to make more.

I re-joined the Berkley Fitness Center tonight. The yearly membership was only $125 if you signed up tonight. I couldn't justify paying $30 per month, not with my employment uncertainty. Best bargain on the planet!

Many of my friends from the Black Sheep Knitting Guild have made their way to the guild's annual retreat. I chose not to go due to budget issues but I'm still sad I'm not there with them. I'll find plenty of things to do here this weekend, including the weeding of my front flower beds. I'll be slipping back into EweNique tomorrow sometime after I get home from the gym, to see what colors remain of the angora yarn, and to show Marilyn how the yarn knit up.