News of my abduction has been greatly exagerrated...

*coughs*

More than one person has kinly pointed out that I have not posted in - yikes! - over a month. And there are reasons. I have noticed that most knitting blogs always include a picture or two, and I have not had pictures to post because...

Well, I have been torturing those Hufflepuff socks to death, and that has been my main knitting occupation. The second one is down to the heel and has been for several days now - I forgot which set of needles I knitted it on and am currently on my fourth size trying to get the same guage as the first sock. Note to self - TAKE NOTES NEXT TIME!!!!

I'm also working on a little purse from a book by family got me, also in Hufflepuff colors, and figured out a way to make really cool point protectors for Double points.
I haven't wanted to post those because I want people to see them when my pal gets her package and hopefully be wowed...

There are several other little items I am working on, but I don't know if they will be done in time to get them into the package and don't want to disappoint anyone.

I am also mentally torturing myself trying to design a sock or two for next round. This is my first swap ever and I think it has been a really good one by and large - everyone who has posted a package has had really nice things to show, and many people seem really really excited and creative about what they are doing. There are one or two others I have looked at and decided to pass on, for various reasons.

The ones with particular dollar amounts, for example, make me nervous. I understand the idea behind the state amounts of course - it is only fair that people have an idea of what is expected. The thing is that all my life my family had taken gift budgets as creative starting points, and therefore I am very accustomed to putting together something that if I bought each part would be worth a lot more, but I was able to do it because I shopped really carefully and made things. I could easily see myself having sleepless nights over questions like "If I make a pair of earrings and I know identical earrings sell for ten dollars, can I figure that is ten dollars, or do I have to add up what the beads cost me five years ago and use that figure..." Ridiculous, of course, because no one would even know I made them unless I told, but I can have attacks of scrupulosity that get in my way.

Which reminds me, I should make a pair of earrings to throw in...

I hope to have a picture of the finished socks very soon, and maybe some of the other things. I just noticed people putting postcards in their packages, and slapped my forehead - yes, there are things around here people would want postcards of!

Off to knit so there will be something to show you...

And yes, there is another installment of that Dumbledore knitting fic coming. It is a little dark, though, and I am not sure how people will take it. Well, at least it is not the kind of fan fic that makes people cover their children's eyes in horror, saying "Dobby would NEVER do that!!!!!!!!!!!"

Oh, and there will be photos of knitterly birthday swag as soon as a certain mule gets here. I don't think my friend paid extra for the arthritic one - I think that was just luck of the draw!!!!!