I admit I’m quite a stationery fiend. Some of my most prized possessions include a lamy fountain pen and a giant Lego man with a sharpener for a head, and a tape measure for a back pack. Sometimes it takes all my might not to go completely bezerk during back to school time, and buy enough highlighters to satisfy the needs of many generations of future Pransells.

While scooting around the internets recently, I’ve come across some stationery (and vaguely stationery related) gems that have made my pupils dilate and my heart go all a-flutter.

Birch in Eucalyptus cards – These cards are so pretty that even though I am possibly the world’s worst correspondent and rarely send cards, I am looking for an excuse to send someone one of these.

Modofly Ruby Moleskine – I bought a Modofly notebook for my partner earlier this year and they are very nicely done. Ruby is a new design that caught my eye.

Exclamation fabric – I’m quite drawn to this fabric, although I have no idea what I’d do with it, and I still feel a bit shaky when it comes to sewing.

Circus Print – This one is possibly the least related to stationery, but I think it’s my favourite. It’s part of a monthly print subscription service, Wilkintie. Luckily, you can also buy them individually. Also luckily, it’s pay week this week, so I might just have to get one for myself. Found via Frankie.

A little bit of dissatisfaction has crept into my life of late, and it seems to have affected my enthusiasm for finishing off the projects I’m working on at the moment. Today I decided that it was time to get on with it so I could move onto things that I have more enthusiasm for.

I finally got round to dyeing some yarn destined for a grocery bag or bags, depending on how much yarn is needed. My fingers are only slightly green tinged, so all in all I’d call it a success.

I’m also nearly at the cast off stage for this sock. This really shouldn’t have taken as long as it has, particularly given it’s the only knitting project that I’m working on at the moment. It really is a tribute to the powers of procrastination!

If I keep my head down and keep chipping away at things for the next few weeks, I’ll have all the current projects out of the way, and I’ll be able to start working on the projects that have been swirling around in my head.

There hasn’t been a shortage of things to write about lately, but I’ve struggle to actually get on with writing a blog post. This is mostly due to having to get a pair of socks finished by this weekend, so every time I thought about writing a post, thoughts of not finishing the socks in time were enough to stop me from sitting down and writing.

I’m glad I did refrain, because I’m giving these to my Mum today, and I only finished blocking them yesterday.

Snicket (rav link)
0.75 skein of The Knittery Merino Cashmere sock, in Chocolate
3.75 dpns
Start: October 2008
Finish: October 2008

These are the first pair of socks I’ve knit in over a year, and the first pair of patterned socks. It was also the first time I had to worry if I had enough yarn to finish the job. I needn’t have worried, there is plenty left.

The colour pooled a bit, but it looks a lot more severe in photos than in real life. I think the cables draw enough attention away from it to be ok, but to be honest, I just didn’t have time to do anything about it, once I started to notice it on the first sock.

If I had more time to modify the pattern, I would have tried to continue the pattern, in some form, down the back of the heel, as I find the transition from the leg to the heel a bit abrupt. Apart from that, I quite enjoyed knitting them. The knittery yarn, as always, was lovely to knit with.

I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to knit next, as a few of the projects I have lined up will be unbloggable. I guess I can always try to write about something else instead!