Six shades of blue

I finished the frogging fixing! Hooray! Of course, when I went to stitch with the second color, I wasn't quite satisfied with how it went with the variegated thread. So began a long period of experimentation, and a close association with the DMC color card. What color thread was the appropriate darkness, appropriate contrasting blue, and yet did not clash with the alread stitched thread? We don't need to go into how much time has already been spent stitching, frogging and restitching the base color of this design. And to complicate factors, this thread needs to go with other colors in an all-solid version of the design (not yet stitched) and with beads that go in the design (already picked). This is one of the difficult parts of designing - working with a limited color palette. After probably two hours of test stitching, comparing colors in different light, I found one that I was satisfied with. Luckily, the stitching itself didn't take very long. Now I am onto the beading. Usually, I'd wait to do this at the end, but I wanted to make sure I liked how the colors went together; I do like the colors.

I have a confession to make. I went to a knitting conference market and bought stash:

Ok, I wasn't too bad. Just a travel bag for yarn, some fun stitch markers, a present for my sister (not pictured), dpns (I have none) and two skeins of sock yarn. Not just any sock yarn, though - sock yarn specially dyed in Texas A&M Maroon and White. Please note that I don't yet know how to knit socks, but the A&M yarn was not to be resisted. Keen observers may see the blue project partially obsuscured by the knitting stash, and so my have their interest peaked by the design teaser. Note that I continued to stitch, even though I bought new knitting supplies. I think this shows great fortitude on my part.

Also this weekend, I *gasp* worked on new designs! I actually put drafts of them in the computer! This is a major step in the right direction. We won't mention that the October online show is, well, in October and that September is starting to peek around the corner. We also won't mention that Nashville is just over five short months away. Make that five good months.

Finally, special kudos to my DH for completing this years Hotter N' Hell Hundred. He was one of several thousand bicyclers crazy enough to brave the heat in Wichita Falls, TX. It was in fact, the second HHH on record, getting up to 104F. What an amazing accomplishment! Remember to share the road!