Now we're reallllly into it!

(Head's up...spoiler ahead...I'm posting a picture of my Soctoberfest Mystery Socks at the first clue stage later in this post. If you're doing them too and don't want to see, scroll ahead really fast when you get to that part!)

Fall, that is. The definite drop in temperatures, especially at night, is a sure sign that we are fully entrenched in fall. And I LOVE IT!!! It actually went down into the high 30s the other night. Awesome! :)

The daytime can still get a little warm, if the sun is out and cooperating, but I've worn a sweater nearly every day this week, so that says something because I usually run warm. I was very happy to finish this sweater the other day (please bypass the rain-frizzed hair and jump on down to the knitted yumminess)...

This is my finished random cardigan (I really need to think of a better name for it now that it's done). I'm really pleased with it. It fits well, and it is very soft and squishy. I know I'm going to get a ton of wear from this sweater. All those colors go with so many things! And I had the most PERFECT buttons for it in my stash! Seriously, it's like they were made specifically to go with this yarn.

I love when things happen like that. :)

In other knitting news, yesterday ushered in SOCKTOBERFEST! Woohoo!! This is my third year of celebrating Socktoberfest, and I'm very much looking forward to a month full of sock knitting (though there will be some other items worked on too, I'm sure...but mostly socks!) I'm almost done with the first Ampersand sock that I showed you in the last post. I'm planning to cast on #2 right away instead of one of any number of other sock patterns I'd really like to start. Must stay focused on these gift socks for now!

I did, however, cast on for the 2010 Socktoberfest Mystery Sock KAL. This is also a Kirsten Kapur pattern, as she graciously has designed a mystery sock pattern for several years now to celebrate Socktoberfest. I'm using some Needle Food sock yarn, the Berry Fruits colorway. Needle Food is no longer in business, which makes the two skeins of their yarn that I have in my stash very special to me because they are just awesome colors. Kirsten recommended using a solid or semi-solid for the mystery sock. Berry Fruits is more of a variegated yarn, but I'm hoping it will work out because I really like the colors. The first clue was the cuff. I cast on and knit both cuffs for the pair the other night as soon as the clue was released...I was excited to get started!

Picture...

coming...

now...

The color variegation definitely hides the stitch pattern a bit, but I'm going to continue on and see how it goes.

The other celebration coming up is, of course, Halloween! I'm not usually one to go all out to decorate for Halloween, but this year I just got the bug to do it up. I made the mistake of going into Pat Catan's yesterday looking for just the cobwebby stuff and a new scarecrow, and I came out with a buttload of other fun Halloweeny things. :}Even as teens, the kids are quite excited that I decorated. Heck, my oldest who is in his mid-20s still loves Halloween, so I guess you're never really too old, eh?

Not sure if I've complained about the stink bug problem we've had this year -- they've been everywhere! And now it's pesky fall gnat season too. But those are NOTHING compared to the spider problem that has developed...yeesh!!

BAHAHAhahaha!!! Ahem. ;)

And just for the record? That cobwebby stuff is WAY FUN to play with and put up on the bushes because it clings and sticks to everything and really does look like cobwebs. However, in a month, when I'm ready to undecorate, it will be a major pain in the arse because it clings and sticks to everything.

And as a side note...those orange twinkle lights that you can't see very well? I forgot we had them from a past year until AFTER I put up the cobwebs. So today, I decided to retrofit them under the already in-place cobwebs. Heh. Yeah, that worked great. Oh well. They may not be on the bushes as nicely as I'd like, but they add color nonetheless!