One of July's design (over) commitments is a piece for the new 60 More Quick Baby Knits , coming out next year.  True to form when working with Vogue, the design changed radically from what I initially envisioned.  Most notably, in the color.  I pitched stripes, they came back with solid.  Cantaloupe solid, no less.  I begged to add just one more color.  They said okay, but it has to be more of the same: Coral.  Done, said I, feeling like I had reclaimed a bit of lost intellectual ground.

And you know what?  It's not bad:

This is all I can show you, but I think you'll like it when the book comes out. 

And let's face it:  You can put just about anything on a baby (they have trouble getting away) and it will look adorable: "Aaawwwww...look at the widdle crumpled lettuce wrapper dress! Soooo cuuuute!"

The book goes (mercifully) to a different burner this week, while I cover myself in socks.  That's right:  We're at T-3 days to Sock Summit, which here in Portland, translates to the stoppage of all other meaningful activity, if you play with string.  And that's pretty much everybody (everybody interesting, anyway).  All the knitters ask each other the same questions: What are you taking?  What are you teaching?  Are you READY?  Here are my answers:  Estonian socks with Nancy Bush, Knitted Tessellations with Franklin Habit, Kilt Hose, Stranded Colorwork for Socks, Yes, and No. 

I am beginning to feel that this is the July that went on until February.  I have so many things to do that time has begun to stand still; like when they shoot the bullets in slow motion at Keanu Reeves in the Matrix.  They're not really hitting him, but they're sure coming close.

I can't complain though.  How many people get to say that their job this week is to celebrate the handknit sock with a few thousand like-minded geniuses?

Love. My. Job.