My visit with my parents over the weekend was so nice. I really didn’t want them to leave. I’m fairly certain they weren’t keen on leaving either, as they’ll be returning to single-digit temperatures and lake effect snow. We didn’t do much sight-seeing or anything while they were here, as they’ve both seen most of the sights the last few visits. My mom and I spent a lot of time chatting and knitting, and I played a lot of Wii-bowling with my dad.

I took my parents up to my LYS on Friday so that my mom could pick out some yarn. I think she got an idea of why I love going there so much. My poor dad was probably bored stiff, but then again, my mom has dragged him to so many fabric and quilting stores over the years he’s probably not phased by it. (I’ve seen him help her pick out some excellent, unexpected color-combinations for quilts before actually.)

Anyway.

My mom picked out some Brown Sheep Wildfoote sock yarn and some Wool in the Woods Cherub to try out for her first socks. I managed to not walk out with any yarn myself (this time… *ahem*), though a few things were calling my name and I may have to return for them later in the week…

When we got home, I helped my mom get started knitting up the Heather Strips and Stripes pattern by Chris Carroll, using the Cherub yarn. I cast on the same pattern using some Chewy Spaghetti yarn from my stash, but abandoned it fairly fast. I’ll probably frog it and start over later, I just have too many other socks (and other projects) on the needles right now.

Mom did a great job with her sock knitting. As expected, she didn’t need much help. I did get to teach her a few things though. For instance, she’d never done an SSK so I showed her how. By the time they left this morning, I believe she was almost done doing the gusset decreases on the first sock. I’m anxious to see how her socks turn out (and if she finds herself suffering from second-sock syndrome). I told her I demand she e-mail photos as soon as she finishes it!

I finished the simple ruffled/ribbed scarf I was knitting out of Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande. It turned out a bit shorter than what I’d prefer. I think about a skein and a half would have done better. But it’s so soft and pretty that I’m sure I’ll wear it anyway. I knit a bit on it in the waiting room at my doctor’s office on Friday and then finished it on Saturday. (Yay for another item to add to my 2008 FO list!)

After the scarf was done, I wound up working on my Monkey socks. Once again, I’m doing these two at a time on two circular needles a’la Antje Gillingham’s method. It’s going SO well! I’m really starting to think I may never knit another single sock again. (Well, unless it’s an especially complex pattern.) This time I managed to not screw up the heel turn, and I’m going merrily along doing my gusset decreases. I’m hoping I can finish these by the end of the week and send them to their intended recipient over the weekend.

And speaking of Antje Gillingham! She’s going to be giving a workshop at my LYS on the 23rd and I’m lucky enough to be attending. I’m so excited! I believe the class is either full, or darn close to it. I’m going to be there helping out and absorbing all the information I possibly can. The workshop is the day before my 26th birthday, so it’s kind of like a birthday present for me — spending the whole day at a knitting workshop!