A cool bug, a warshrag, and colors

So, last night my husband and I are standing by the dryer folding laundry, and he says to me very matter-of-factly, "Is that a praying mantis on the screen behind you?" I look around, go over to investigate, and sure enough! This was on our screen (click for SUPER BIG BUG):



(Yes, it was on the outside of the screen...DH went outside to take a photo.) I thought that was pretty cool. The praying mantis was huge, about 3 inches long I'd say. Fun, huh?

And now back to our regularly scheduled, bug-free knitting blog.

Yesterday I dragged the abovementioned dear sweet husband of mine to three (yes, 3) craft stores on what I thought was going to be an easy search for some Lion Brand Magic Stripes yarn, with which I want to make a baby sweater for my sister-in-law. More on that below, but first this: since I couldn't find the Magic Stripes yarn (though let's be honest here, folks, chances are I'd have gotten this anyway) my consolation prize to myself was some cotton yarn to make my first Mason-Dixon Knitting Ball Band "Warshrag" from their book. So I got some colors that will go with our kitchen and started this:



This is a highly satisfying pattern to knit! I never thought I would be the dishrag type (more of a sponge person, myself) but I figured, what the hey, at the very least it'll be fun to make and it'll match the kitchen. Plus, there are those times when one person's using the sponge and it would be nice to have something to wipe down the counter with. (yes, yes, I know I could just go get another sponge...that's not the point here...) Anywho...as I say, fun pattern, and I thought for sure that slip stitch was going to pull up the bottom but it really doesn't.



So, back to the baby sweater thing.

My sister-in-law is expecting a baby boy in December, and there's a shower next month. I know what I want to make, this cute little sweater from Knitty, called Devan. Thing is, I just found out the exact date for the shower which is a mere month away. So now I have got to get cracking. I know I can knit the little thing in no time, but I don't have the yarn yet. Which brings us back to yesterday's wild goose chase for yarn.

I knew exactly what I wanted and needed, which was the Lion Brand stuff, and was feeling pretty confident with myself. Well, that's what I get. Couldn't find a scrap of the stuff anywhere. Not A.C. Moore, not Michael's, not JoAnn's. sigh. So I am going to have to order some stuff online, which is fine with me (now I plan to get some Sockotta) but time is of the essence here. In all honesty, I wanted to get Sockotta anyway, but I figured the Lion Brand stuff would be more accessible, and I could have it in my hand and start on it right away. HA. Not so much. So back to the Sockotta.

Anyway, I am looking at the colors of Sockotta, which are great but the only problem is that whole thing of, that's how it looks on the computer but what about real life? I got some advice from a friend who suggested getting a color that's good for a boy but could be used for a girl somewhere down the line too. Great idea, but that limits my choices in a way. There are plenty of cute boyish colors, likewise girly ones too. But in between? That's tougher, and also somewhat a matter of opinion.

So right now I'm looking at these colors: #605 (blues, green and brown striping) or #5618 (big stripes of blue, green and purple?), as boyish colors. Now, I liked the look of this turquoise-y blues and greens one, but that got vetoed by two friends as being too girly: #14. (That particular color does look a lot different in the swatch on this site though.) Then there's this colorful one #15 that looks fun, but only if I can somehow confirm that that's actually red and not pink. Any suggestions? Anyone happen to be familiar with any of these colors?

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I leave you now with a funny picture of Moose, who was napping with his tongue sticking out a bit. (Of course he woke up when I got the camera.) He was looking quite silly and undignified!