Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Lagniappe!

lagniappe :: (Creole) an unexpected gift



Sweet Sarah knocked my socks off with this unexpected and thoroughly yummy gift - Malabrigo!!! 2 skeins, in Marron Oscuro. I don't yet know what I'll make with it, but that has been part of the fun - thinking through all the possibilities. I have never received non-planned-for yarn before (i.e., every other yarn gift to this point has been something My Old Man got me for a pattern I already had in mind, and I directed him to the exact yarn, exact color, exact number of skeins, exact shop)**, so this is quite a treat!


I was utterly disappointed with an early Christmas present from a family member who clearly knows me not (hint: when in doubt, see Sarah's gift, above). I wasted no time in returning the gift (yes, I'm one of those people) and getting something I really wanted instead. A Bea Ellis Hat Kit (traditional). Ordered on Friday, it arrived on Monday. I couldn't be happier. This will be my first fair isle project.

Though my knitting lately has been mostly unappreciated , fraught with mistakes , or completely behind deadline, I have done one little Christmas project that I am super-proud of - and that has been truly appreciated. The uber-precious soft trees from little birds handmade. I just love them, and - unbelievably - so do my boys (especially Little Buddha, who sometimes takes two or three to bed with him). The three solid color ones are done in felt and the other three were made with cotton fat quarters. I see more of these in my future, though perhaps not this year.

The final bit of lagniappe this week was cooking-related. We had some good friends over for dinner on Monday, something we almost never do anymore (i.e., since the boys were born). I somehow managed to pull the whole thing off, including a rather gourmet meal, but the real coup was the salad, which I came up with myself (and, though I love to cook and bake, I am not known for experimentation in the kitchen; just as I like a pattern for knitting and sewing, I like a recipe for cooking and baking).

Anyway, I was thoroughly pleased with myself for this little number, which was a big hit. In addition to being light and tasty, it had a very Christmas-y look to it. And since I've received so much lagniappe this week, I'm passing some lagniappe on to you.

earthchick's Christmas Candy Salad*
vinaigrette:
3 T blood orange vinegar (I use Cuisine Perel)
2 t honey
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
- mix the vinegar and honey, whisk in the olive oil, add salt and pepper

salad:
7 oz. mesclun mix (with plenty of red greens)
1/2 cup-ish of blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup-ish of walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup-ish pomegranate seeds**
optional: 1 bosc pear, peeled and sliced (I didn't have a pear, but as I ate the salad, I thought it would've been a great addition)
- put all ingredients in a large bowl, add dressing, and toss.

*I call this "Candy" Salad because my sons believe that pomegranate seeds are candy. They are soooo good just for snacking, that I sort of feel like they're candy, too!
** to get the seeds, submerge a pomegranate in a large bowl of water. While the pomegranate is under the water, use a sharp knife to cut the fruit into 6 or 8 pieces. Use a spoon (I still keep the fruit underwater for this) to dig out the seeds. Remove whatever pulp and fruit you can with your hands, then pour the rest of the bowl through a strainer. You may need to pick some more pulp off the seeds.

The salad make a lovely Christmas presentation, with its red, green, and white colors, and is super-simple to make. Happy lagniappe to you! (if you make it, I'd love to know what you think of it, esp. if you make any changes or additions that you find tasty)

*Gah! I totally forgot about the AWESOME yarn gift My Old Man's Son C gave me for Christmas when he visited earlier this month. I had been waiting to post about it till I got a good pic - it's a sweet Shetland yarn, undyed, in yummy natural colors, from a farm in England near where C lives. Pics to come....



Saturday, December 16, 2006

Making a List. Checking it Twice.

  • Anywhere near done with the boys' Christmas stockings? No.
  • Paying attention so that I don't screw up the very simple heel and frog back four times in a row? No.
  • Going to finish My Old Man's Zippered Raglan in time for Christmas? Not likely.
  • Going to finish the other two Christmas gift knits on my list? Maybe.
  • Going to become a sewing convert because of how quickly a machine can crank out FOs? Possibly.
  • Going to stay up late on Christmas Eve sewing sock monkeys and wrapping gifts? Definitely.
  • Going to have the house clean in time for MIL's visit on Thursday? No.
  • Laughing inside, while trying to act stern, every time Little Buddha asks Tiny Dancer, "Do you want a time-out?" Yes.
  • Crying inside, while trying to act merry, every time I have to go out and shop in an actual brick-and-mortar store? Yes.
  • Developing a painful knot in my shoulder from too much online Christmas shopping? Yes.
  • Ordered my gift yarn from My Old Man for Tubey? Yes!
  • Ordered my Bea Ellis Hat Kit (the traditional one) as a replacement gift for something a family member gave me that I've already returned? Yes.
  • Obsessed with every little child's Christmas craft idea, even though the craftiest my boys have gotten so far is to scribble on the windowsills, walls, stove, and wood floor? Yes.
  • Going to knock myself out with four night-time commitments in the next week, including one I'm hosting, and including two while company is here? Yes.
  • Going to try to bake, cook, play hostess, and get ready to leave town at one of my busiest work times of year? Yes.
  • Going to have everything packed and loaded in time to hit the road after lunch on Christmas day? Not likely.
  • Going to enjoy many, many hours of road time happily knitting? Definitely.
  • Loving watching my kids enjoy the holidays, even though for me it seems to mean an awful lot of work? Yes, yes, yes.
  • Enjoying wearing my Simply Lovely Lace Socks with my new $9 Christmas jammies? Oh yes.....

Saturday, December 09, 2006

FO: The One-Day Hat and other wasted knitting

So. With at least three things on my Christmas gift to-knit list to go, I have spent the entire week making no forward progress.

Remember this beanie? (basic stockinette hemmed hat, no pattern, just done based on gauge calculations)
Despite the fact that it was both too big (loose around the ears) and too small (not long enough to even cover the ears), Little Buddha did enjoy wearing it around the house for a few days.

Then he suddenly and thoroughly abandoned it for this:

Isn't that totally adorable? And not remotely mama-made. In fact, I'm not even sure it's handmade. This was a baby gift when the boys were born (there's another one, red with black and white stripes, with basketball, baseball, football, and soccer ball buttons sewn on it, equally cute). Last year, Tiny Dancer wore this one a little bit but mostly the boys refused to keep anything on their heads. Now Little Buddha has fallen completely in love with this one. Wears it around the house. Takes it to bed with him. Demands to know where his hat is if someone dares to put it away. It looks so cute on him. And it fits. And I have to admit I'm a smidgeon jealous.

Still, I pressed on, in the vain hope that I could create a hat that was both stylish and warm, that the boys would love, and that would fit. Enter the London beanie. It has a ribbed brim instead of hemmed, which is easier and quicker than hemmed but not quite the look I had originally had in mind. I did it any way. The good news: it only took a day to knit. Oh, and it fits. The bad news: no one will wear it. Both boys completely and utterly refuse.

A rare moment - Tiny Dancer agrees to wear the thing for one minute while I snap an out-of-focus shot. See the hand creeping up the neck? He's on the verge of ripping it off.

I'm done with making hats this season. At least for the boys. Tiny Dancer doesn't love hats the way Little Buddha does; he prefers the hood of his coat. And I don't think anything I could make could merit Little Buddha's affections as much as the cute little traffic hat. So. Done.

Next up in the parade of useless knitting: toddler socks. Not just any ol' socks, either. Lorna's Laces. This was the chocolate semi-solid left over from the two pairs of adult socks I recently made. There looked like just enough for a small pair of child's socks, and Tiny Dancer had asked for some. So, here's the first sock.

Pretty cute, eh? Will either of my boys deign to even try it on? Absolutely not. No idea why. It is soft, warm, and it fits. I LOVE it. But not them. *sniff* There's plenty of yarn left for the mate, but I won't bother, at least till after Christmas.

So, that's two beanies and a sock that will join the two pairs of felted clogs they also won't wear, and the mateless ugly orange sock (which I have a sneaking suspicion Little Buddha would wear, even without a mate, if I would rip out the toe and knit it long enough for his foot). Bah.

You'd think that would be enough wasted knitting for one week, but no. Nevermind that I have actual Christmas gifts to finish knitting. Nevermind I could buy the boys stockings at the store, or even quite quickly whip some up with the sewing machine. I decided I really must knit them.

The yarn came last week (KP Shamrock for the body, KP Twirl for the cuff), and I downloaded the free Twirl Top Stocking pattern from KnitPicks. Only when I got ready to cast on a couple of nights ago, my size 9 dpns were nowhere to be found. So did I move on to my Christmas gift WIPs? Of course not. I decided to learn Magic Loop. I like it, and it seems pretty intuitive, but I still miss the dpns. I know some people hate dpns, but I dig 'em.

At any rate, I learned Magic Loop (I bought the little Magic Loop booklet a couple of years ago, long before I had a true knitting obsession, when there was much I still didn't "get" about the craft; one look at the book and I was thoroughly daunted). Things have gone smoothly, except I've made three major mistakes that may cause me to rip the whole thing back:
1) I thought I dropped a stitch, tried to pick it up where I thought it dropped, and eight rounds later realized how completely wonky the pick-up looked; I kept going, but the wonky area still looks awful to me [and I don't know if I had actually dropped a stitch anywhere; perhaps I merely miscounted when I cast on]
2) when it came time for the heel flap, I was completely absorbed in a Sopranos DVD and I misread the directions; round 3 I did sl1, K1 again (just like round 1), instead of K1, sl1; I didn't rip back but did correct myself for the next 5 repeats of those 4 rounds; to me the mistake is glaring and awful, and enough in itself to make me want to frog
3) I failed to place any markers for the instep gusset rounds and am now completely disoriented about where to do what (since I'm not really following a pattern at this point, but rather trying to adapt Magic Loop principles to my general sock-making knowledge).

So here's the stocking. On the one hand, it seems ridiculous to frog and restart when a) I have another one to do after this one's done, and b) I have three Christmas knits still ahead of me (on top of all other Christmas preparations, including hand-sewing two sock monkeys and getting ready for a visit from my MIL). On the other hand, if I do this right the first time, it could be something the boys enjoy for many years to come. Plus, I hate to give one child the good stocking and the other the wonky one. Of course, I could just wonk up the other one. And knowing me, I probably will.

Saturday, December 02, 2006

FO revisited: My First Adult Hat

For the last several days, My Old Man's older son, C, has been visiting us from England, where he is working on a PhD at Exeter in Social Psychology. We have all had a great time with him.

This time last year, I made my very first adult hat, a simple roll brim stockinette cap (from LMKG), as a Christmas present for C. Last year, I failed to get a pic of him in it. So, here it is:


(I made him do that J. Crew pose).


The boys have especially enjoyed having C here.
It is great fun to watch the three of them play together.
Plus, he thoroughly wears them out.


Thursday, November 30, 2006

FO: Voodoo Wrist Warmers

Oh my, I seriously love these little things.

Saturday was writing day, which meant I was shut in my icebox of a study all day. My little hands were freezing! But gloves were not an option, because I had to write. As I sat at my keyboard, I was suddenly overcome with the urge to knit wrist warmers right now. I managed to wait till I was through with my writing work to start the project in earnest (i.e., I did cast on, and knit a couple of inches, between writing spurts, but I ended up frogging when I realized the first wrist warmer was turning out too loose, then I waited till I was done writing before casting on again). By the next afternoon, I had a wrist warmer! Other things kept me from banging out the second one quite as quickly, but by last night, I was done with the pair.

a cup of coffee, a cuddly cat, and a couple of happy hands


It makes me ridiculously happy to cradle my favorite mug in my toasty mitts.


yarn: Malabrigo, Polar Morn, less than 1 skein
needles: size 4 dpns, Clover
pattern: Voodoo Wrist Warmers, size small
modifications: after the thumb hole, I knit a little more than the inch indicated, b/c I wanted the top of the mitt to come over my knuckles a bit
started: November 25
finished: November 29
[if I hadn't been simultaneously working on other knit projects, these could've easily been done in two nights]
verdict: one of the simplest things I've ever knit. I love, love, love them. And I love, love, love the yarn (of course!). I especially love, love, love this colorway. I see some thick ribbed house socks in this colorway in my future.
I know some people don't see the point of fingerless mitts. But I feel certain I will be using these a *lot* at my keyboard.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

FO: The Too Big, Too Little Hat

Little Buddha has this new habit of running around in circles, calling out, "I'm getting busy, Mama!" By "busy" what he really means is "dizzy" (I know this because it all started with me asking him if he was getting dizzy). But it has certainly made me think of the things that "busy" and "dizzy" and running around in circles have in common. I feel a little the same way lately.

In the midst of busyness, it's nice to have some little projects to do - they go so quickly! It's not so nice when they don't turn out right.

I knit this little beanie for LB (with plans to make Tiny Dancer one next). I wanted to make beanies like the ones that seem so popular lately - all stockinette, tight over the ears. After studying multiple hem options and several beanie patterns, and doing some gauge-based calculations, I cast on for my very first hemmed project.

Who knew that something could be both too big and too small at the same time?

from the side, it looks all right
sort of


from this angle, though, you can see it's too big
see the gap at the ear?
I cast on too many stitches

and from this angle, you can see that it's also too small
see how it only covers the left ear if it's not remotely covering the right ear?
I decreased too early. I think the hat needed at least another inch.

Still, you can see how pleased he is. Little Buddha is a guy who loves accessories. But this will have to be a do-over. He really does need his ears covered for winter. The trick will be getting the hat away from him long enough to frog it and reknit.

yarn: KnitPicks Swish Superwash, in Dark Navy with Fired Brick stripes
needles: Addi Turbos, size 6, 16" (plus dpns for the top)
pattern: a mishmash
goal: a stockinette beanie with hem
verdict: do over! will probably cast on about 20% fewer stitches this time, and may try doing the hem differently

In my comments, yesterday, Meredith mentioned that when she does toe-up socks, she has trouble binding off loosely enough to get the socks on. I had the same problem!! The first sock I only got on through much finagling. The second one, I thought I had learned my lesson, so I bound off with needles one size bigger. It is still tough to get on, though not quite as tight
as the first one. I guess next time I'll try going up another needle size or two. Or does anyone else have suggestions? Is this a common problem with toe-up socks?


FO: Toe-Up Tuscaknit Socks


My first pair of toe-up socks.



yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted,
in Chocolate (for toes, heels, and cuffs) and Tuscany

pattern: universal toe-up sock formula

needles: size 3, Clover dpns

story: I started these on a train out of Siena, Tuscany, November 7.
Knit them in Rome, Subiaco, Spoleto, and Nursia.
And a little bit in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

inspiration and variation: I liked the socks I knit for T so much, I had to have some for myself. I did these toe-up instead of top-down, knit them on one size smaller needles, and did a 2x2 cuff instead of 1x1. I didn't like the variegation of this Tuscany yarn as much as I did the other. T's seemed to have more blue, and these also have weird very light gold flecks here and there that I don't remember the other having.

verdict: I really like toe-up. I still really like Lorna's Laces.
I still really suck at short rows.



Perfect socks for sitting around drinking coffee, remembering Italy,
and watching fall fade away.

Monday, November 27, 2006

My Life. My Blog.

Clearly I'm having trouble getting back into the swing of blogging. Blame it partly on my computer (theoretically fixed - the guy at Apple's Genius Bar decided I had a corrupt OS and reinstalled for me; still, my computer gets sluggish and cranky at times). Or blame it on the fact that I'm trying to deal with work, holidays, company (My Old Man's son arrives for an 8-day visit today), and re-entry. Or blame it on my complete lack of organization and self-discipline. Or, pretend that I actually discovered some self-discipline in Italy, and am now channeling my energies into actual work rather than this here blog.

At any rate, I've not gotten back into my blogging rhythm. Even though I have *actual FOs* to show. Not to mention all those hundreds of pictures from my trip (which I am still sorting).

Maybe a meme will get me back in my groove. And this one (based on those American Express ads) I saw over at Cara's place was just too fun to pass up. Though I have to admit I always feel like such a narcissist when I post a meme (hence the early demise of my participation in Friday Feasts).

self-portrait in the kitchen of the B&B in Florence


can you read it? I know the quality sucks.
(I don't have a scanner, so I had to snap a pic of it.)
click for bigger

Wanna do it too? Here's the form. Don't forget to do the self-portrait.

Now. I really better get back to real life. Company's a-coming and the house is a mess.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

I'm back

So I'm home. The trip was amazing. I fell completely in love with Italy - but am also thoroughly happy to be back home, with my three guys. I had intended to blog more than once while away, but slow connections, limited access, and too many sights to see kept me from it. I hope to get back in the swing of blogging now that I'm back (though a sick computer at home may interfere).

I have some pictures to share, some stories to tell, and even some knitting updates to show, but for now I just wanted to say hello. Here's one little picture, from Florence (the only one I have loaded to my computer, because I emailed it to my family from Italy and copied it to my gmail account; my other 700+ photos are not yet accessible to me!).


my last night in Florence, at the church of San Miniato at sunset, overlooking the city

Buona sera! More soon....

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Buon giorno!

Indeed, it has been a very buon giorno. Several very buon giornos.

I had hoped to upload some photos today, but the internet train where I am is closing in just a few minutes. So I just wanted to give a quick shout-out to my peeps in the homeland. I got here safely, with no major snafus except for the small inconvenience of missing my stop on the bus from the train station in Florence and then proceeding to walk 30 minutes through town with my luggage to my B&B. (I was so happy to be able to ask the woman on the bus next to me "Dov'e siamo?" - "Where are we?" while pointing at the map. When I told her where I needed to be, she explained in Italian that we were well past that and that I should get off immediately. Then she added in English, "Quick! Quick!" So I did.) Good think I packed so lightly.

Everything here is fantastico. There are not adequate words to capture the experience. Put it this way: no knitting has been going on since I left home, and I've been totally okay with that. Who'da thunk it?

More soon. Ciao!

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Arrivederci!

Done:
Bag packed.
Novel chosen.
GSM cellphone charged.
Camera battery charged.
Boarding pass printed.
Recorded self singing for boys (thanks, GarageBand).
Scarf finished.



Scrunchable Scarf in Malabrigo, Azul Profundo, 1 skein

Undone:
Figure out itinerary for Florence and Siena.
Purchase tickets for the train and for the Uffizi.
Finish learning Italian.(hahahahahaha)
Decide what knitting stuff I'm taking (why am I letting this stress me out?).
Let everything else go and just get on the freakin' plane.

Arrivederci, i miei amiche! I hope to write from bella Italia!

Homemade Halloween

When it comes to sewing (and knitting, too), I'm no Grumperina. I just do not have her attention to detail or her commitment to perfection. Still, I got the job done - my first ever homemade Halloween costumes.


Two Little Pigs

The best part of making them was how Little Buddha kept coming into my study while I was sewing and saying, "Good job, Mama."

And even though the ears turned out to be cartoonish and bizarre (I had no pattern, just my own twisted imagination), I was pleased enough with the ensemble: pink hooded sweatsuits (the first time I've gotten to purchase little pink things for my kids!), ears stuffed and sewn, hooves made like little mitts and sewn to the cuffs (but not all the way around, so the boys could pull their hands out if they wanted), and little corkscrew tails (I sewed a tube and then put a pipecleaner in it).


Here you can see Tiny Dancer's tail.
My Old Man and I wore the pig noses for trick-or-treating,
because the boys refused.
Even though for a month they've asked me nearly every day
to let them wear their pig noses.

Little Buddha


Tiny Dancer



Ready for candy.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Packing for (Kn)Italy

So my big quandary about packing for (Kn)Italy is how I'm going to manage all my knitting supplies. In July, when I traveled to Georgia to see family, I packed a whole suitcase just for knitting.



It makes me happy just looking at it.

But clearly, that would be stupid for a trip to Italy. Especially because I am trying really, really hard not to check any luggage. Which means one carry-on sized suitcase and a big tote bag. (And only whatever hair products I can fit into tiny containers and stuff into a quart-sized bag). To be honest, I am not the low-maintenance sort. So this will be quite the challenge.

But I'm pretty determined. Since I'm traveling by myself for the first part of the trip and will be carting my luggage on and off trains, in and out of taxis, and up and down streets, I want to make things as easy on myself as possible. I also don't want to have to deal with waiting to claim checked luggage. (The last time I flew internationally, my checked luggage did not arrive for two days, and then some stuff had been stolen out of it.) Plus, I plan to bring a small duffel bag inside my suitcase to put gifts in along the way; I'll check that bag on the way home.

All-in-all, it sounds like a pretty good plan, eh?



Here's the suitcase.
Hand shown for scale.
Play-Doh shown for lack of cleaning.


Here's the suitcase open.
Cat shown for scale.
And because she's cute.

So what do you think? Am I nuts?

I have worked really hard to minimalize my wardrobe. Here's my big coup.


The perfect pair of shoes.

That's right, I am going to attempt a feat I have never, ever tried before. One pair of shoes, for a whole trip, to go with everything. These are Earth Shoes and they are super-comfortable. I've tried them on with the three pairs of pants and the one skirt I'm packing, and they work with all of it. In the past, shoe-packing has probably been my biggest packing issue.

Now the two big issues will be my knitting and my books. Prioritizing is very difficult for me. Bookwise, I will for sure bring one novel, a travel journal, and my Italian-English dictionary. Beyond that, I also want to bring my Idiot's Guide to Italian and at least one of my travel guide books. I realize this may be too much.

Knitwise, I think I'm screwed. As you can see from the first picture, I tend to pack everything I might possibly be able to use, including every possible needle and pattern. How much knitting can I get done in 16 days, including two long plane trips and some train travel? I will definitely pack two balls of Lorna's Laces for my toe-up socks, plus the necessary dpns. Maybe that should be all I take. But it would kill me to only have one project option, especially if I were to finish it.

I thought I might take one pair of circs and maybe two or three skeins of Malabrigo to make some more scrunchable scarves. The TSA website recommends bamboo or plastic needles, but my circs are metal. Have any of you had any trouble flying with metal needles? I would appreciate any tips about how to prioritize knit needs for travel, as well as any anecdotes about traveling with knitting.

Oh, but here is one beautiful thing about what promises to be a very beautiful trip. There is an awesome LYS about a block-and-a-half from where I'm staying in Florence! Che bella!

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Socktoberfest Socks!

I finished my first pair of Socktoberfest Socks yesterday. I'm sure it is self-delusional to call them my "first" pair because, let's face it, I leave for Italy in a week and there is so much to do that I'm thinking it would be mighty unrealistic - even for me - to think that I'm going to knit another pair before I go.

I did, however, order some more Lorna's Laces in Tuscany so that I can make a pair of socks just like this, for myself, on my trip. Knitting with a yarn called "Tuscany" while I'm in Tuscany! - that is either a very fun idea, or a very geeky one.


Here they are.
The heels, toes, and cuff are done in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted, in Chocolate.
The rest is in Tuscany.
I think this colorway and color combination is even more lovely in person.
Can you tell I'm quite pleased?


A note to my neighbors:
Yes, that was socks I was taking picture of on the front lawn.
Yes, I realize that it was ridiculously cold for an October afternoon.
And that I forgot my jacket.
And that I looked like a freak.
Dude.
It's Socktoberfest.

An action shot.

My friend T, for whom I made these, wears a size 10. I wear a size 7, so I didn't make an adequate sock model. Becky, however, wears the same size as T, and she graciously agreed to a little photo shoot. (For the record, that is NOT my couch in the background. We took this picture at church. Yeah, I realize it was a strange thing to be doing at church.)

I really want to try toe-up for the pair I make for myself, but I'm not sure I'm up for the challenge. For one thing, whenever I try something new, I need to have ready internet access to get whatever help, tutorials, pictures, or videos I need. And I'm not sure what kind of access I'll have while in Italy. Not to mention the issue of whether or not I really want to be chasing down internet tutorials when instead I could be roaming around the Uffizi, or sipping coffee in an Italian cafe, or simply sitting in a plaza watching people.

But you never know. The lure of the knit is strong!

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Scenes from the Puntin Patch

"Puntin" is how Tiny Dancer says "pumpkin."

On Saturday, we took the boys to a local apple orchard that has a big pumpkin patch and a petting zoo. Their favorites animals? Definitely a toss-up between the sheep and the pigs.


Tiny Dancer studies the sheep.
I think that boy will be a knitter someday.


Rounding the bend on the wagon ride, Little Buddha spots the pumpkin patch.


Once in the patch, though, he's not so sure what to do.
Tiny Dancer, however, knows exactly what this situation calls for.


Running hurdles, of course.


He just took off, jumping over every pumpkin in his path.


No clue where he got that idea.

But he did it with flare.


Contemplating his next round of hurdles.



Taking two at once.


Enjoying every minute of it.


Mission accomplished.

Maybe next year.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

The Blue Period

Not because I'm depressed. Just because I like the color.


My Scrunchable Scarf, in Malabrigo Azul Profundo,
is coming along nicely.
It would've been done by now, except that I keep working on
many, many other things.


Like this Men's Zippered Raglan Cardigan from LMKG.
I'm really excited about this.
Which is why I'm working on it even though
many, many other knit deadlines loom.


The handspun from Julie.
Sooooo yummy.

And in the non-blue, non-knitting category, I have these.
Stitchettes from Wee Wonderfuls.
I am so excited to embroider these adorable creatures.
You know, in my extra time.