Hello faithful readers of Purling Swine! I’m writing today’s post as my dear friend Ann appears to be suffering from writer’s block. I can read the signs as I myself suffer from periodic knitter’s block and the symptoms are similar. For instance, writer’s block = posting your chore list on your blog (this whispers end-stage block, don’t you think?). Knitter’s block= starting a baby log cabin from your leftover Sugar-n-Cream dishrag-frenzy stash because you can’t go any further with your “real” project.

As you may have guessed, I am currently in block mode. This is the result of taking on the task of my first pair of Jaywalkers, a bit over my head, although Ann might disagree. And not knitting said Jaywalkers non-stop and without lengthy interruption. If I put them down for a time, it takes me a bit to get my groove back …and by the time I pick them up again, well spin me around, I’m lost! I’ve forgotten the pattern, get stitch brain-freeze (“wait, is a DD slip two together, or am I mixing it up with an ssk)?”, rip back and fix stupid mistakes, etc. Frustration sets in, and I’m blocked. Can’t knit another stitch on my poor Jaywalkers. So I’ll start some amusing little nothing project, like the log cabin eyeglass case, until I can face the music and pick up the socks again. I will say, I am almost done – am working toward the toe of the second sock and they are awfully cute. I am tempted, however, to turn the unfinished thing over to Ann and tell her if she finishes them she can keep them, too! It would be very Zen if this came to pass, as she is the woman who bestowed upon me the skein of STR and the lovely (but dreaded) pattern. It would be so right for her to take the socks to their next and final next level.

As a guest blogger, I don’t have my own pigs to post in Ann’s place, but here is a picture of pig I gave to Ann that I bought right out of the display case in Iavarone Brothers, sort of our local Satriale’s Pork Store without the Tony’s and Paulie’s hanging around. I believe it sits in her living room, or maybe her front porch? Who knows, the pigs are endless in that house. They might even move themselves around in the middle of the night, only the dogs would know…