My second Friendship shawl is blocking. It’s going to be a pretty good size after it’s relaxed, me thinks. Right now, all pinned out, it’s about 75 inches wide, and 39 inches long at the point.

That means that I really am done. It’ll be big enough. I won’t have to rip it back to the lifeline, and knit another repeat of the hearts motif. Yea!

You know what this means, don’t you? Yup. I need to choose yarn and stitches for my next project. But I am also one step closer to being really ready to work on that lace dress. Starting tomorrow. Today I’m working on the Algernon socks.

Interweave Knits’ Fall 2008 issue arrived in my mailbox yesterday. Overall I think it’s a good variety of patterns. There are two sweaters that I particularly like: Windowpane Coat by Deborah Newton and Braided Pullover by Alina Khasanova. The Dumpling Bags by Sharon Dreifuss are really cute, too. I think they’d make awesome sock-in-progress bags. I love the texture of Teva Durham’ New Pea Coat, but I hate the collar, and I’m not fond of the double-breasted bit. Too trendy for me. Or… something.