OK, so I've been a tad lost in ripple-world

The new blog, it's been gobbling up a lot more time than I had ever thought. It's really, really fun though. People keep popping out of the ether, crochet hooks or knitting needles in hand, ripples at the ready. There are even some newbies inspired to try it out. Ah, the power of the ripple. Here's what I have to this point:

A several times ripped back to this stage large blanket:

A star lovey for the babe which grew out of my obsession to figure out how to make a soft wave ripple work in the round:

(pattern here, thanks to Beth Parsons, whomever she may be!)

Click the button to get the way too long to repeat stories on those, and you should definitely check out the other ripplers. Creativity runs wild with the traditional crochet! It's funny,but I really don't think I've ever, ever done a ripple before. Never ever. Though I have some recollection of making those kitchen towels with the crocheted tops that hook around the fridge handle with my Grandma Allaria, and those tops may just have been a ripple. I can't remember for sure though, and I know they no longer exist, I've checked all my mom's drawers and hidey holes for them. Not that I really want them, they were awful. Cheap, cutesy hand towels replete with little animals and florid holiday prints. I do however, want to remember how to make them. I think there's huge update potential there...must remember to work on that. Done right, what a great hostess gift that would be!

And while you're at it, be sure to pop by the Granny-Along, hosted by the fabulous Kim Werker of CrochetMe fame and now crochet cheiftess at Interweave. Once she put the granny bug in my ear, these popped out of some languishing Plymouth Wildflower DK:

Gorgeous stuff on the blog, and yet another trip down memory lane for me. It's still hiding in the basement, that giant granny gone wild I took on at some point after my grandmother taught me to crochet oh so many eons ago. I wish I remembered more about working with her or what she made herself. I do remember how her hands looked holding the hook and the yarn, her filed to a lethal point nails picking out strands of yarn, pointing out where I went awry. Trips to I don't even know where to pick out sherbet toned scratchy acrylic. A g-hook of my very own. Hmmmm, those towel tops just may have been a granny-type pyramid...really must make a point to play with that a bit.

On the knitting front, am almost needing to figure out how to graft the toe of my very first ever sock. Thank the crochet goddesss for keeping me too busy to reach that point! Have also started knitting a coat out of my regrettably too small and now frogged cinnabar coat. Eco Wool knits BEAUTIFULLY btw. It's a pattern out of Classic Knit for Real Women that #1 caught my eye and #2 has instructions I can understand with one read through. Score for them. The book came home from the library with me this week, and while I am most definitely NOT in love with it as a whole, very little instruction/explanation, even of their sizing, and over all what I consider fairly frumpy patterns, there are a few like this coat that caught my eye. There's a super simple (or at least seemingly super simple) cable scarf that's clean and linear. And a knitted ripple scarf with a 2 row repeat that seems too goodly easy to be true. And a crochet motif they work into a bag and scarf that I will definitely play with. The sweaters I'm not in love with at all, just not my thing, and the pictures, while flatteringly posed, just don't give you a good clear look at the designs. In my opinion, worth a look, but not a buy.

It's all provided some much needed stress relief in some very trying mommy times. We had #1's 6th birthday which sent #2 into a tizzy of middle-child angst. We found out our classical school plans for the fall may just well be totally crumbling out from under us. And #3 has managed to fall just so and put his bottom teeth through the skin under his lip. At this point, am just hoping to make it through the week without anything else wonky. TGIFT my dears. TGIFT.

Happy dance, hap-happy dance!

The song goes something like this "I haaaave a paaaaaaal, I haaaaaaaave a paaaaaaaal, and it's gonna be fuuuuuuuun, and it's gonna be fuuuuuuuuun."

Lame but true.

Why all the jubilation? The Official L&V pRon Exchange is up and running. I'm stalking my pal and my pal is stalking me and soon packages will be flying. Whee!

And pal of mine, if you're out there, here be the survey-age:

1.What kind of fibers do you prefer? Naturalish ones. Buttery soft wools or cottons.

2. What kind of weight do you prefer (sock, worsted, bulky)? Sock or worsted, though come on now, it’s yarn and I love it all!

3. Do you spin? Lusting to.

4. Do you crochet? Compulsively.

5. Are there any books, patterns, magazines would you like to own that you don't? Am a beginning knitter, and Sally Melville’s respective knit and purl books are my ones and onlys.

6. Are you participating in any themed a-longs like the Project Spectrum? Violet’s Pink Ribbon and the No-End-In-Sight Ripple-Along. Project Spectrum was just too much purchasing temptation for me!

7. Do you have a wishlist on Amazon.com or Half.com? (provide a link)
Yep. Here.

8. Any Etsy stores that you would love to get something from? Oh baby, I’ve only heard rumors (and you know which ones…), but I’ve thus far kept myself from browsing and busting the budget wide open. I LOVE the idea of supporting individual artistic efforts though. Surprise me.

9. What other crafty things are you involved in (quilting, drawing, painting)? Some beading, scrapbooking (self-confessed Creative Memories snob though…), and then there a ton of wanna-be-but-don’t-have-the-time-and-resources-now-to-bes.

10. What is your favorite sort of scent? Soft and spicy. Earthy.

11. Do you have a sweet tooth and what kind of sweets do you like best? Bring on the chocolate! Mmmmmm, and icecream…mmmmmm…spumoni…which takes me to mmmm….cannoli….mmmmm.

12. What kind of music do you like? I’m fairly eclectic. Some days it’s rock, some days punk, some days world, some days classical…it just has to be good!

13. What do you like to knit? And for whom? I tend to knit/crochet for everyone but myself, though I’d like to start being a bit more selfish! I can crochet just about anything I set my sights on, but to date have only knit a scarf, hat and ¾ of one sock. Loved them all.

14. What sort of things do you like to collect? Rocks and stones…polished, plain, colored or not…love them. Rocks rock.

15. Do you want needles? And what kind do you prefer? I’m a beginning knitter, so have VERY few needles and would LOVE additions of any sort, though to date DPNs and I don’t get along so well…

sock, sock, sock, sock

Obsess, obsess, obsess....ripple, sock, ripple, sock, ripple, sock...

What am I doing to myself?!?!? This is NOT good. I've made a deal with myself...sock during my naptime break, ripple while I catch up with Oprah, Lost, Grey's and Studio 60. OK, Iron Chef America and Ace of Cakes too, but that's where I draw teh line! The laundry MUST get done! Damn yarn!

Clap for me please, figured out how to turn the heel today...all by my lonesome. BEAM!

This is like magic. It's so cool.

Secret Pal 10 Questionaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I tend to go for yarns with a goodly amount of natural to them. They just feel so gooooooooood in my hands. Cotton is more my choice, but lovely buttery wool/blends are growing on me. I also had the unfortunate experience of having way too hot soup melt polyester into my skin when I was just a wee one…yeah, so 100% poly/acryl not so much on my list. SHIVER.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? A pocket in my project bag or the vase on the mantle…depends on how purty they are!

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Knitting approx. 2 months. Took a mini class and ran with it. I am told I’m an advanced beginner, limited primarily by my lack of sticks. However, have been crocheting forever, and it’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a pattern I couldn’t tackle.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yup, Amazon knows the depths of my desires.

5. What's your favorite scent? Hmmm, lean toward spicy and soft…like sandalwood. Though when the weather turns warm, cool citrus, cucumber, tea scents are nice.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? All of them be sweet my dearies, and chocolate is their fix o’ choice. Want to send me over the moon? Godiva chocolate cherries. SWOON!

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I do some jewelry and scrapbooking (Creative Memories SNOB here). I mentioned the crochet. And am INFATUATED with the idea of spinning…someday when money falls from the skies…SIGH! Same goes for hairpin lace. And weaving.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) MP3s all okie-dokie. Also have an iPod. My musical tastes are hugely varied, just try me. (OK, though I run from metal and easy listening…faith-based not my forte either.)

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Color = all good. Though not so much pink, though there are exceptions. Or pastel. Or wildly neon. OK, maybe I’m more of an earth mother/jewel tone girl.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? 3 sproglets under 6, 2 bulldogs, 1 husband.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Living in the great White North, the first three are bare necessities 9 months out of the year. Ponchos not so much…they make me look like a whale.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? So far I’ve only knit scarves, a hat and thanks to the magic loop, have started a pair of socks. Liked them all. I tackle anything in crochet, but I really wanted to start knitting for the socks, the cables and the sweaters. Oh, how fast can I push my skills forward?

13. What are you knitting right now? Knitting a basic 4 stitch rib sock from Sensational Knitted Socks, magic loop style (loooooove it, but now need to acquire long teeny circs…) and the Misty Garden Scarf from IK Holiday Gifts. Crocheting the Sour Grapes Scarf from CrochetMe and have started the ripple afghan that may never end.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes, oh yes, bring on the handmade goodness!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Beginning knitter, not many preferences, but please, no DPNs. Simply can’t face the DPNs. I haven’t used plastic knitting needles, but I really don’t like the crochet hooks as they tend to have a ridge where the plastic comes together and it really bothers me. I like more weight to what I’m working with too, so metal and wood I find loverly.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Nope. Once again, am waiting for the money storm to begin.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Less than a year, but not by much…but it’s frogged now so does that count?

18. What is your favorite holiday? You know, holidays are nice and all, but I’m really an every day gal.

19. Is there anything that you collect? I know this is odd, but I looooooove rocks. Polished, unpolished, pretty or plain, I’m a rock hound.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Now that I’ve made socks possible for me, I spend oodles of time ogling sock patterns and oh my oh the yarns you can find online. Pippi Kneesocks, Socks That Rock, Scout’s Swag, oh there are so very many…you know the stuff I’m talking about. And then there’s Koigu that I have never even laid eyes on. And the Malabrigo. And Bonker’s Handmade Originals has some GORGEOUS cotton that I imagine sweaters coming from. I have no knitting mag subscriptions and VERY few books…surprise me.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Hairpin lace and Tunisian crochet high on the list. Want, want, want to spin. Need, need, need to learn oh so many knitterly things. At the time of writing I can knit, purl, yo and k2tog. Addendum: and slip and whatever it’s called to make the baby cables in the sock book work. Think basics, that’s me.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Burgeoning. I have chubby feet. 91/2 inch circumference at the instep, 9 inch ankle, 9” toe to heel, very chunky, muscly calves…14 inches thickest…GASP!

23. When is your birthday? September 2.

ripple, ripple, ripple....

It's actually not so much of a ripple as a chevron. A lattice chevron. The one from Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet. One row of lattice, offset with one working even, so it does switch up a bit.

Oh, how I am very much loving this. It's so nice to have something working up easily, smoothly, mindlessly. I can just go and go and go and let my mind coast. Nothing to count, nothing to check on, nothing to screw up. (in other words, it's not my knitting!) Loverly.

Then there's the making something for myself part. I'm realizing that I don't often do that. Something that's just for fun and for myself. It's like one big treat. It almost feels extravagant, which is sad, but hey, it's where my life is at right now. The kids are little and they NEED all the time.

...and speaking of, I need to dash off for stories and bedtime and ignoring the dinner dishes so I can ripple some more!

On Stash Diving

Remember this?

Yep, it's the sad, sad now frogged remains of my sweet yarn that I had imagined making into a lovely Doris Chan creation that let's be real I would never wear even though I think the pattern rocks and it would be stellar worked up. Just. Not. Me. And the more I've been thinking about this yarn, the more I'm convinced it's just not meant to be a garment. While the tonal differences are lovely and that's what I love so much about hand dyed stuff, the end result all together drives me batty. Even worked alternating rows, which may I strongly opine is a pain in the you know where.

So, when this ripple thing took hold, I went stash diving. Strangely I thought I had little to nothing to work with. Guess I was wrong:

Yep, that's a goodly pile of various leftovers that coordinate roughly with the languishing sweet yarn I found at the bottom of the pile. The fates be smiling on me today.

LET THE RIPPLING BEGIN!

(and go here to ripple along...hehe...)

Oh the magic of the magic loop!

I've had so much to talk about and so little time to write it down...hopefully it will all come spiraling out eventually...

But here's what's currently filling up my mind:

Yep, I've decided that it's time to try some socks. This all was spurred on by the Knit Out and Crochet Too event at the Mall of America last weekend. (though I missed the Tunisian demo I was targeting...some day!) Very fun to see and hear so many "big" names in fiber, and talk to reps from the "scene". Also ran into the owner of a local LYS that is literally 5 minutes from my house that I had no idea was there. It's really not my fault though...see, it's "over the river". Yep, deep in the heart of Minneapolis. GASP!

Anyway, chat, chat, chat reveals that they have an active crochet community, whoo hoo, and also a sock club. Sign up and the first Monday of the month you go in early morning before opening, get a free pattern and 1 hour technical class and 20% off materials...all for $25 for the ENTIRE YEAR! Is that not the perfect way to learn socks? Motivation to keep working on them, all the help you could need, and discounts on the yarn you drool over. Had to have it.

So, I signed up and they set me up with all I needed to practice with until the next meeting.

Little did I know I would be cursing them backward and forward for the next3 days. See those long pointy sticks? Lovely aren't they? Yes they're Addi's. Size 1. And I hate them, hate them, hate them. Want to throw them in the Mississippi River so I never see them again hate them.

Turns out they are far from the optimal first sock-knitting DPN. Am guessing they "forgot" that when it was the only one they had left...sell her the looooooong slick sticks or sell her nothing...hmmmmm, what to do?

Trying to get cast on was like trying to tame live eels. Seriously. Horrible. Gritting my teeth, tension headache horrible. And the sad part is it took me 3 whole days to give up...though before I did, I went googling online to see what I could see. And I found out about the Addi's. And then I found out about the 2 circular thing...and THEN I found out about the magic loop.

Cha Ching! The loverly folk at Clover that very weekend has put some size 4 long circs in my hot little hands...and I had some thicker sock yarn in the stash...and KnittingHelp has a great tutorial...and about 5 minutes later I was cast on and cruising. Seriously. Magic. Epiphany. Orchestra playing in the background. Sun breaking from behind the clouds. Miracle.

Now, the Clover bamboo cirs, while loverly and free...not so great for this...lots of pulling and futsing. HOWEVER, some other loverly folk had handed me at 50% coupon for another LYS...and today, here I be:

I HAVE SOCK! ALMOST 1 1/2 INCH OF SOCK! THAT I MADE! MYSELF! ALL ALONE!

And yep, those are NEW Addis. 40" size 3s since I have a bunch of sportish sockish stuff in my stash, like the Crazy in the pic. And I got them for $8. And the book was the result of possibly the best Valentine's gift this mom could ask for ...$25 and 2 hours ALONE at Barnes and Noble. SIGH, he's so sweet!

Socks aside, there's been much cleaning, disinfecting and general mojo-working in hopes we can finally slip out of plague season soon. It really needs to stop. NOW. Can't go there again, just can't.

Your crochet link of the day...the ripple afghan that ate the world. (thanks again to Kim at CrochetMe)

Off to plot how to acquire enough odd balls to make a go of the same...if you've got some send some...oh, oh, oh, we could do it progressive...oh, oh, oh, or we could "ripple-along"...oh, oh, oh this could be so FUN! Oh, oh, oh, must plan!

Odd jobs

I just vacuumed out my washing machine.

Why?

Apparently, unbeknownst to me, I washed a pine cone.

Not highly recommended.

Oh yeah, and we have the stomach flu again.

Have I told you how much I love my stay-at-home-mom life?

Really?

Refresh my memory.

Please?

Childhood Nightmares, revisited

Oh, I am not going to be able to sleep for a long, long, long time.

I've read Tolkein through start to finish just about every year, with very, very few exceptions. Long before I ever saw the original animated version of The Hobbit, I was haunted by Gollum. The slime, the hisssssssssssss, the lake. The sneaky following. AHHHHHHHH! And now there's this:

Gollum Hat

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

It's 1 of the 2 new patterns up at CrochetMe. The other is a cool Georgia O'Keefe inspired scarf pattern that has tons of promise and creative spark:

Georgia on My Mind

Off to clean carpets...yes my lovelies, the GI virus persists.

Calgon, take me away!

Baby with the stomach flu = very, very, very bad.

Scented candles when the whole house smells like milk yak = very, very, very good.

And despite frantic efforts to pleasantly "layer" scents, I still have your link for the day:

This is funny. Spit milk through your nose funny. OK, shouldn't have thought of the milk, it's so very, very, very smelly yucky here...

Knit Rant

Imagine a little cartoon me, waving it's little cartoon fist whilst jumping up and down in frustration, perhaps tossing things about, cursing the day the knitting came. Cursing the good hearted folk that push it so underhandedly in podcast land.

It is simply driving me crazy. My brain is in overdrive, trying in vain to plan 10 projects I don't really understand at once, railing against the fact that I'm very supply short. It is maddening to need about 5 million different sizes and shapes of needles to do this! Straights, circulars, DPNs, yarn holders. DAMN YOU KNITTING GODS! I want them all and I want them NOW!

On the plus side, it's quite fun to have new things to learn again. It's even giving me some ideas to try in crochet...bwahahahahaha!

So, here's where I am so far (minus the 10 things I've started on the wrong sized needles for the yarn I have because I can neither wait to try every new thing I come across nor can max out the credit card buying a complete set of Options and every bamboo straight and DPN my LYS carries. Lots of frogging. Lots and lots and lots of frogging.)

FO#1, the Orange You Glad scarf. Lambs Pride worsted saved from failed felted slipper purgatory.

And a close-up as I'm quite proud of my stitches. VAIN be my name.

Yet more rescued Lamb's Pride. Hopefully a hat to keep my ears from freezing off this week. It's the Oh LaLa Loopy Hat from Interweave Holiday Gifts 2006. Now I just have to get with the Knit coach to learn the DPN magic to finish it off and make the I-cord loopies.

And there's LACE. Or quasi-lace anyway. Go see it here, posted today, February 6. There's some crochet goodness along with it.

Links o' the Day:

Repeat after me. MELISSA IS A GODDESS. This is going to be sooooo cool, this is going to be soooooo fun. Love the Inner Child Crochet! I l.o.v.e that so many designers are starting to put it all in place for us. The gaps are starting to be filled in, and it's all good. This would be a great place to send newbies, and those hooked should RUN to check out the beginnings of her How to Design Tutorial. Very different and very promising. Can't wait to see how it develops.

SO has nothing to do with the yarnishness, but DID YOU KNOW DANSKO HAS AN OUTLET!?!?!

MOM ALERT! Go listen to this NOW!

Episode 8 of the Knitting Cook. Mandatory listening for the knitting mama. Bring kleenex. Buy yarn. Make stuff for yourself.

Longer post about my last few weeks to come, I promise!

I'm here, I'm here!

...and newly bi-craftical!

Yup, I'm up with the knitting, and that's the proof. Actually, that exact piece is no longer in existence as I frogged it and began afresh.

Why you might ask, not at least keep it as testament to my early efforts?

Do you really want to know? It's kind of a train wreck, so if you want to skip ahead, I will most certainly understand. Scroll down to the cute baby and you can get blissfully on with your day.

If, on the other hand, you're up for the horrifying details, by all means read on.

If you remember, the plan was to take the how-to class at my fave LYS (Borealis Yarns), then blissfully go off to jury duty for a week of sitting on my duff and practicing my new skills. Instead I was picked in the first group of jurors called first thing Monday morning and instead landed my duff in the jury box for a week and a half of medical malpractice hell. Did I ever mention that I'm a physical therapist? Or that my MIL is a nurse? Or that my sister is an oral surgeon? Or that that (sorry, too fried to get out of that) means that her first iteration was a dentist, as was the plaintiff in this case? Or that I live 2 houses down from a Ramsey County judge, the county I was serving in? Or that I've had 3 spinals, one with each of my c-sections, at the very hospital at which said dental plaintiff had said problem with a spinal, by an anesthesiologist that for all I know could have been mine because I was so darn happy to be having babies safely leaving my body (I have a problem that mandates scheduled c-sections...about 3 months into #1, a bonehead specialist linked the words "labor" and "blood bath". yep, VERY happy with my c-sections thank you!) I really didn't care who they were as long as they gave me good drugs? I ask you ladies and gentlemen, how the !#@#! did I land on this jury?

DO I sound wound up, because it's been over a week since it was over and I'm feeling all wound up again. Let me take a minute.

...
...
...

OK, still wound, but let's plow on.

Those that know me understand. Medical malpractice torques my tit. Sorry, but it does. I understand that there are cases of gross negligence out there, and they deserve redress, but this...this was definitely not one of those. Took us about 30 seconds in the jury room to ascertain that all of us had spent 10 days waiting for the plaintiff's lawyer to prove anything, to do anything but throw innuendo, be manipulative and downright sleezy. Pretty bad when your chief witness is totally discredited by the defense based on ethical guidelines for professional testimony put forth by their own national professional organization, and then ends up saying that they think there was nothing the doctor could have done to avoid the injury...that HE DID EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO AVOID A COMPLICATION OF THIS SORT FROM OCCURRING.

OK, break for deep breathing.

...
...
...

So, we 7 members of the jury were left wondering why we were there in the first place.

Then we got the instructions from the judge and all was made clear.

The malpractice charges and the "compensation for damages" were to be considered totally separately. Independent of each other. That means that even if there was not a spot of proof that the doctor did anything wrong, even if what happened was a disclosed and accepted complication of the procedure, even if informed consent of said possible complications of said procedure was obtained, the issue of whether or not Mr Plaintiff was deserving of monetary compensation for his past and future pain and suffering, lost wages and medical expenses was to be considered on it's own merits.

Seriously. (sorry Lime and Violet, gotts to do it)

Can I tell you that my head almost exploded when Mr. Plays 18 Holes 3 Times A Week At His $25,000 a Year Country Club's attorney "suggested" in his closing argument that something in the range of 1.4 to 2.5 MILLION DOLLARS might be considered adequate compensation for poor Mr. Still Works A Relatively Normal Schedule For Someone that Has Time To Golf 54 Holes of Golf a Week at the Practice He Can Sell For $800,000 When He Retires?

SERIOUSLY.

Enough about the case. It made me mad, let's leave it there.

In the midst of all that, I'm stressed to the max because my hubby is taking time away from work at a very, very bad time, and asks me every other sentence when I'll be done...and my mom, a resident of the land of passive agressiva, is doing the same. The baby was sick the whole week before with respiratory gunk, then we had a jolly weekend of GI flu to build up to it, he got an infected blister on his little toe which caused all the skin to slough off and me to think they were going to have to amputate. By the time I was done, everyone in my family besides myself was sick and I had an emotional breakdown one evening. It took until mid-week last week to get everyone back on track, at which point I started breaking down again, I think because coming up on B-day #1 for baby #3 was just too much. The past year has just been too much. 4 more years until Kindergarten, just too much. Returning to a social life revolving around music and early childhood classes, just too much. Lots of crying, just too much. (More on all that to come, I'm sure. Can't go there now, just too, too much!)

I never, ever, ever want to go through that again. At least I can't serve again for at least 2 years. I may be recovered by then.

To change the mood here's the birthday boy:

Yes, dear reader, it's safe to go back in the water. For today's exciting bit of linkage, I have a few new podcasts to share:

Crochet Unraveled by the ladies of Crochetville
Great fun to hear their voices, and have someone to point out things of interest on this VERY active forum....not to mention having something crochet-specific going on!

CraftBorg
If you don't get the reference, this might not be for you, but if you can get past a bit of sci-fi/harry potter banter, this is a very inspirational podcast by two very bi-craftical friends. Their format is fresh and the craft missions are fun.

PodcasterNews: Art of Gracious Living
Who doesn't want more of that? I L.O.V.E this. It makes my heart happy.

And a couple of books I'm lusting after: (linked to Amazon because I can't get the Loop-d-Loop website to work in Mozilla)

Loop-d-Loop: More Than 40 Novel Designs for Knitters

and COMING IN MAY:

Loop-d-Loop CROCHET: More Than 40 Novel Designs for Crocheters (or Knitters Taking up the Hook)

Pictures of my REAL first finished FO and my many, many WIP sooooooooon, I promise!

And already with the slacking!

"Link o' the Day" sort of gives you the idea that there will be one daily, eh? Here we are 5 days in and that has just not been the case...at least yesterday it wasn't. So, for your clicking pleasure, here's a double whammy:

Yes the rumors are true, Clay Aiken has been spotted on Craftster. (not to mention his gang of amigurumi fans)

And I believe this is going in the line-up, cause it's just too yummy not to be. Cozy, cozy cozy.

Sorry for the brevity, but this whole knitting lesson thing has taken over my brain. The anxiety is building and I'm obsessing about finding resources. Must...google...

I hope it's a go, because now I'm thinking the baby's b-day blanket could be a bunch of knit strips that I crochet together...is that possible...to crochet into a knit edge? Help me out people, enquiring minds want to know.

What's hookin' up this year

Yes, there are already plans. In fact there are new WIP...just for me...all for ME!

It all started with the new episode of Unwound. Kelly's new listener poll has to do with 2007 fiber resolutions. Got me thinking about what's in my line-up this year:

This is already in progress: (the pic is linked to what is today's crochet du jour: the pattern on CrochetMe which has neat pics of how it can be worn as a shrug, scarf, etc)

But made with this:

Which is the Lisa Souza Superwash Sport Merino in the Violet's Pink Ribbon colorway. YUMMY! Since the pattern is originally for worsted worked with an I hook, and I'm using a D, I'm planning to make several linked into a meditation/healing shawl. (my Kundalini Yoga jones is a whole 'nother matter entirely...) I was just starting the heavy middle ring, but have figured out I mis-read something and will have to rip back. No bother, it's working up very fast and is very fun. In fact, am liking it so much I may make a second for a friend. The vibes off this yarn are GREAT.

And I think I've figured out what to do with the newly ripped, used to be the body of a Sweet sweater yarn:

To recap, it's handpainted cotton and the skeins are very diverse in their shading, making it tough to work in sweater form.

This is the Leaf Cocoon from the Spring 2006 Interweave Crochet:

I wish they had a pic of the back, it's worked in the round and very cool. I think the openwork will suit the variation nicely and I plan to use the darker/more intense skeins for the darker blue bits. FUN!

Then I have 2 major WIPs left from last year...the flower motif blanket for my daughter and my Cinnabar coat. There's the baby blanket for #3's 1st b-day coming up in Febrary too. OYE! That's already 5 projects and we're only 2 days in to the year, and I haven't even gotten around to my other fibery news:

Sit down.

I'm taking beginning knitting with my mom on Sunday...then have a lovely week of jury duty in which to practice. YIPPEE! Sweaters and socks will be mine, oh yes, they will be mine.

And I have a drop spindle and fiber on their way from The Fold. YIPPEE SKIPPEE! There's just something so great about the words "hand spun", isn't there?

So wish me luck my lovelies, I'm off and running...as usual in 5 million different directions.

Link o' the Day

That title is really, really boring.

I'm ashamed.

I really, really can't think of anything better at the moment though. I promise to try. Really, really I do. It's an idea worthy of better, and I vow to make it so....someday.

It is however, descriptive. This year, I am going to try to attempt to stuff a link a day here...something crochet-ish....a pattern, an essay, a website, a really, really neat bit of gear. You get the idea.

So, here's our beginning...read this quite interesting bit of news that I think I can say will to some extent rock the crochet world this year. I'm not going to ruin the surprise, but have started hoarding my pennies...subscription stash building.

Friggin' Froggin"

SIGH!

Today's theme is ripping.

Yesterday I started what I thought I had figured out for the second monster hat, and while it sort of worked, though was eating up WAY too much yarn, it needed tweeking, so RIP, out it came today. (whoa, what a sentence...grammar gods forgive, but I just don't have correct English in me today it seems...)

And with a houseful of friends knitting this morning I didn't have the brain power to dedicate to re-figuring, so I took a DEEP breath and RIPPED the entire Sweet Sweater. Every last sleeveless stitch. Have a few ideas for a more openwork sweater that may leave me with enough for sleeves of some sort.

And that's where it gets good...see, I had woven in the ends on the body. I had edged the neckline. Do you remember that it's a slubby cotton yarn? And that because it's handpainted I was having to work two skeins alternating rows? Go back to my first few posts and check. I'm not going anywhere.

Have the picture? Good, because once I got to the "v" of the "v-neck", where the yoke was from what I remember just slip stitched together, it wasn't. It was like some horrible frogging purgatory. I was all of a sudden having to pull WHOLE SKEINS through each and every loop. Back and forth over the same like quarter inch area. No idea what I must have done in the first place to create this jumble, but after a whole episode of "It's a Purl, Man", I simply couldn't take it anymore and committed the cardinal sin...don't go on if you can't handle it, just skip the next little bit. It's OK, really it is.

Yes, I cut the yarn, and then had to cut it again. The frogging gods were apparently appeased by this sacrifice of a few yards and all proceeded in an orderly fashion to the end. And now I have about 1300 yards of rewound bluish-chocolatey-grey loveliness that I'm not going to be able to look at for a long, long, long time. The End.

Out from under...

WHEW!

Nothing like lifting the proverbial world off your shoulders...OK, considering I have 5 small beings I'm still responsible for...that's maybe not the best choice of words. But WHOA, what a difference lack of holiday projects makes! For those keeping track, yes, I did finish the socks for #1 in time. They have not left her feet since the 25th...it shall be washing day today methinks!

I used the Lana Grossa Mega Boots Stretch and they are fabulous. They colors are fabulous. The squishiness is fabulous. Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous! Looking ahead, I have her blanket to finish before b-day 6 in March...but first, continuing with the "all Happy Hooker all the time" theme I have rolling, I want to whip up the sock monkey blanket for #3's first coming up in February...if I can find likeable yarn to substitute for the acrylic it's worked in...am just not a fan of the pilling blanket.

However, before returning to the land where I only make things for everyone else, I've already ripped into my treats:

Have started converting Jacey Bogg's (Insubordiknit) Monster Hat patterns into crochet form. The Round Hat was relatively easy, once I decided on substitute stitches and found the calculator hiding under #2's bed...gauge change needed. Never would have had enough yarn working with the knit gauge and man would it have been dense! It was the first hat I've ever worked from the brim up and I have to say I'm very happy with the result....and don't you just L.O.V.E. the yarn?!?!? Not only are the colors totally YUMMY, it's a cuddly, squishably soft singles. Next it will be on to the Pointy Ear Hat, which will need a modified ripple technique I think, then the monsters shall meet their new homes!

I'm so going to have to do this every year. Very, very good incentive to not only plough through the holiday backlog, but also pick up the hook again once it's attended to. One more treat waiting behind "the chair"...that Lisa Sousa sport weight Miss Violet's Pink Ribbon and the Miss Violet's Pink Ribbon-Along! Promise more on that once I get started...

A couple of other things to check out:

Got some latent foodie in you? Definitely check out the Eat Feed podcast. Words can't describe how much fun I'm finding it. Makes me want to run to the store with my ear buds still in!

And did I ever tell you about Crochet Insider? Issue #2 is out on the web and it's fabulous. Interviews and essays of extremely high caliber about all things crochet, and there are some absolutely amazing pics of some amazing works, antique Scottish lace wedding gowns (in the editor's essay) to Medusa head hats, it's all good.

Other than all of that, am continuing with my "it's almost over" mantra...the holidays are just not doing it for me this year. (MIGHT have something to do with who is stuck with a majority of the responisbility, the work and not only not getting Scottish yarn from my sister who spent October and November in said land of sheep, but UGGs are still ont on my feet either...despite the contention that this year my head might explode if thisis how things turned out AGAIN.) Just want them DONE. Hope you have a bit more jolly in your merry...there's always the new year, right?

One down, one to go....

It's getting down to the wire, but the major marathon project is DONE...the blanket for my more masculine half: (that's Willy, snoozin in the background...)

It's huge, like 4 feet by 9, which is good cause he'll be able to wrap up all 6 feet of him in it. Here's a close-up:

And materials? Now don't scream...it's Kitchen Cotton. Yep, right off the shelves at JoAnn. Big honkin' cones for $9.99, and I used not quite 4...and 4 small balls of red for the stripes. Pretty much the only way I could afford to make something this big not out of acrylic, and I know the cotton will wear well, and hey, it's snuggly soft!

The finish line is now in sight. Only half of one sock for #1 left to do....pray for me!

...and solstice comes through BIG time.

OK, I'm going to have to do some serious looking into pagan spirituality. Yesterday I tongue-in-cheek called out to the solstice, and by gosh it answered:

IT'S MY LISA SOUZA VIOLET'S PINK RIBBON SUPERWASH SPORT MERINO!!!!!!! IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE!!! Dance of joy doesn't even begin to describe what went on in my living room. Then there was fondling, and more fondling, and some covert fondling, and then I had to call some people that had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. Now I need to hurry up the holiday work so I can dig in to this. What might I be planning? Well, perhaps a pair of socks out of this fabulous, go to the bookstore and buy it right now I don't care that it's 4 days before Christmas, book:

That should take up one skein. Tell me what you think of this:

It's the Sapphire Star skirt from the Fall 2006 Interweave Crochet. I love this skirt. I also know I would never, ever, ever wear this skirt. BUT I think I can take elements from it and make a fab hat/scarf combo that will be so great in the yarn. It'll take some planning, but it's stuck in my head now so I don't think there's any going back.

For safety's sake, think I had best stash this yarny nummy-ness somewhere I can't get my hands on it lest Christmas totally pass us by...darn crocheting for others...what was I thinking?!?!?

The Day that ate Christmas.

It's ugly.

Failed baking and failed fulling all in the same day.

Seriously, you may want to avert your eyes and come back at a later date. Run now, I'll wait.

OK, for those hearty souls up for the story, it actually starts last night. Setting: my kitchen. Action: Me happily whipping up 4 batches of my famous ginger bread dough..."men", bears and snowmen to follow today for the "Cookie Tyrant"'s swap this evening. Just FYI, this involves 2 pounds of butter. We're talking serious cookies here. All goes well and said dough is stashed in the fridge to "chill overnight".

Flip to #3's nap time this morning. #2 and I have innumerable little bowls filled with all things "decor"-ish, our favorite cutters and away we go. Sheets of little dudes pop in the oven. 8 minutes later tragedy strikes. Sheets of Mutants from Mars emerge from said oven, flat and hard. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Just what happened remains a mystery. It is a verifiable fact that the recipe was followed to the letter. Also verifiable that this is a tried and true classic...8 years of buttery soft orange-ginger goodness. Dough tested from all 4 batches converts to Body Snatcher status once baked. Flour is added. Ditto for baking soda. Mothers and sisters are consulted. Aliens take over all free counter space despite valiant efforts on all parts to stop the invasion. Heads are applied to walls and the "Tyrant" is notified of this peon's failure to produce acceptable goods.

It's noon and I really, really want a Bloody Mary or 5. Since I have to drive to pick up #1 later in the afternoon, I turn to what I think is going to be yarny goodness of such immense fun it will banish all thoughts of the deranged cookies running amok in the kitchen. To the laundry room!

There I pop the Stitch Diva clogs, lovingly crocheted for my sis in Lamb's Pride's best turquoise, red and black...so sumptuous I can't stop rubbing it. They go in looking like they were made for Paul Bunyan, and I eagerly await their magical transformation. Once, twice, three times...all shrinking down nicely. Four, five, six, seven...uh, please, please, please get smaller! Eight, nine, ten...pauses for the water heater to catch up were necessary, there's no discernible progress, and I still have clogs big enough for my hubby's size 12 boats. More head-banging, more cursing. Yes, there was soap. Yes, there was really hot water. Yes, there was agitation. I even tried baking soda like CrochetMe suggests in their direction for their felted Market Bag pattern. I finally commit the ultimate act of desperation and even toss one in the dryer...nada. These babies are as small as they are going to be.

At this point, down 10 dozen cookies and one very special gift there's only one course of action clear to me...Blue Moon Winter Ale, my bed and Will Shortz Sudoku. Hopefully tomorrow is another day and solstice will chase the Christmas poltergeist away.

...just call me Santa's Little Helper

Seriously, I should have elf ears. The small items are just flying right now. Very gratifying.

Of course, this also means I'm totally neglecting about a thousand other things, the dust bunnies have started breeding and #2 is getting lots of quality time with every holiday movie known to kid kind, but hey, it's in the spirit of the season so it's all good. Right?

The extra perk, aside from the ability to gloat, is lots of time spent with my iPod. I love my iPod. If I was sleeping regularly and had half a brain I would write epic odes to my iPod and the Apple gods that made it.

Funny, as I begged for a Nano basically just to organize my yoga music and have the ability to mix sets so I wouldn't have to do the CD dance when I taught. Of course the male person buying it couldn't leave the store without the fancy video version, for which he was soundly taunted repeatedly....and I've eaten every last syllable.

(BTW, these are of one of the 3 Strut hats out of HH I made with the Noro Kureyon originally pegged for clogs...they're turning out PERFECT, I am so in love with them I want to make them for everyone.)
See, I've become a podcast whore. I spend ridiculous amounts of time scouting for likely prospects, vetting them and giving them a test drive. Many fall by the wayside, but here are my current faves:
Cast-On (if you're fibery I assume you're already in the know) The Knitting Cook (Gourmet yarny goodness, and all of her recipes ROCK. Faith is tons of fun to listen to)
Unwound (a newcomer in fiber-cast land, but there's CROCHET! and lots of listener interaction which is fun too)
Lime and Violet (again just assuming you know of their hilarious yarn fetish lovely-ness...serious stash-enhancement opportunities) Chub Creek (Up with the Canadians eh. Seriously funny.)
Craft Lit (Heather Ordover is a literary goddess with a good dose of fiber harlot thrown in. grows my brain she does.)
Blarm! (just plain whiny, raunchy fun.)
Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me (the weekly NPR show, so smart.) Let's Learn Italian! (cause why wouldn't you?)
The Philosophy Podcast (because everyone should know and love Plato...)

(Interlude: above we have a regrettably blurry picture of the fat bottom bag I made for my SIL in suede cording from the craft store with bamboo handles...and the little cardi for my niece out of Cestari Cotton/Wool DK. The colors are not showing well at all...bummer.)

OK, back to the pod line-up:
The Splendid Table (all things YUMMY) Escape Pod (professional sci fi short stories) Food Network (stalking Alton Brown) insubordiknit(waiting, waiting, waiting for more...but check out her blog and YARN STORE..."I love monster hats")
This I Believe (the weekly NPR essay, restores my faith in humanity)
Quirky Nomads (what do you mean you don't know about QN? have you been living under a rock? "a family who said if the republicans get any worse we're moving to canada...and they did" Sage is so smart and wildly creative...she's my hero!)
Reasonable Diet's 6 minutes of Sanity (3 babies in 5 years people, it's not pretty.) Stillness Station (very nice meditations of all flavors...love the voice)
The Official LOST Podcast (by the producers, so very perfectly LOSTish)
This American Life (of course a great slice of Americana...)

Enough to keep my earbuds burning for days on end. Squee!

Still in the holiday line-up are some felted slippers for my sister, possibly a few coffee cozies and the 2 blankets... but we're not talking about them. Really, just don't ask. It's best they stay stashed behind the living room chair where I can't contemplate just how long they might take to finish...

(sorry for the formatting, it drives me nuts that the layout changes when it posts, but I'm too lazy to change it all again...)

Again with the wildly creative creations

Seriously. Do you know what these are? "Pocket Potter Puppet Pals".

How cool is that?!?!?!? Trolling my fave blogs and bang, there they were waiting for me at "too many hooks". Hee, hee sometimes it's just SO what you need to come across things that make you smile!

Follow the link for Snape, Dumbledore and Voldy patterns...then follow the link there for Harry, Ron and Hermione.

If I didn't have 5 million only half completed holiday things on my hooks, I'd be dropping everything to whip these up, then stick them in odd places round the house...or mystery gift them to my Harry lovin' friends....oooh, that's one urge that's not going to go away without some effort...

Repeat after me: "Melissa, you are a crochet goddess."

Struttin' my stuff with the Noro

In my over exuberance to craft more things this holiday season, and make my sister who needs nothing something fabulous, I bought 8 skeins of Noro that I thought I would make in to these Stitch Diva felted clogs. What in the heck was I thinking? Clogs are so not Noro worthy! (or at least the double soles aren't, the tops would be fab don't you think?) With returning it very much not an option, I started browsing and lightning hit in The Happy Hooker. Wow did I fall head over heels the first time I saw the Strut hat, but never got back to it...but guess what they used to make it??? NORO!!! Whoo Hoo! Hats for everyone!

Strut monster #1 has appeared on the premisis:That's #2 modeling the unfelted/fulled/whatever you want to call what the washing machine does to wool version...seriously, it's HUGE...and here's his unveiling:

He he, ain't he cute? Just couldn't help it.

Anyway, I've gotten 3 hats out of the yardage I would have used for the clogs (the pattern calls for 4 balls, and even working a hook big and VERY loose I maybe used 2 1/2, what's with that?)...so hopefully that means there's one for me! Will be tossing them in the wash in the next few days, so stay tuned campers, you never know what will happen when wool hits water.

(and of course this means I am still going back for more clog yarn even though I have 2 blankets not even half done...I sense some Cascade 220 looming....)

IT'S HERE IT'S HERE IT'S HERE!!!!

MY PACKAGE FROM KPIXIE IS HERE!!!!!! (sorry for the shine, it's gloriously sunny and therefore freakin' COLD here in the land of 10, 000 days below freezing...)


And that dear readers means there are monster hats (or at least the kits) in the house:

The pink and white is "Chin Music" and the tones of orange that you can't tell in the picture has some green tones mixed in is "Eye of the Beholder". This is the first yarn I have from Jacey at Insubordiknit, and WOW do I love it. I's so soft and just feels GOOD, and that means in a more than tactile way. This yarn has been loved and laughed and shown one heck of a good time. Now if I can just keep my hands off of this stuff until I have the holiday marathon completed....

Open love letter to Insubordiknit

Hey Jacey!

I'm sending you heartfelt thanks and many many hugs for your monster hats. They have been the salvation of my week.

See, surprise baby #3 who is 10 months old and doesn't sleep threw a wrench in the re-honeymoon-on-Saint-John plans for the 10th wedding anniversary and I've been pouting. Made manifold times worse by receiving a take out pizza instead of the surprise dinner someone had been promising...mired in despair might cover it.

Until dear hubby sarcasticly asked if I was treating myself to something to make up for it...he he he. Nothing like free license to make a girl's heart go pitter pat.

I've been stalking your stuff for awhile now, and *bing* I just scored big on kpixie. Eye of the Beholder and Chin Music will be winging their way to my house soon. I can't wait. There will so be a dance of joy when the post woman shows up. I hope I don't scare her...

Anyway, I had to thank you for being you and making such awesome stuff. You are the Suzy Sunshine of my week.

Love from Dawn in MN

I need to start writing things down

It's really no fun to have minutes of searing inspiration that are then promptly lost to the cosmos forever. The last few days I have had several fabulous ideas of things to write about here...things I was really excited to share...but where are they? Not here is all I know. Brain is a literal tabula rasa. Bummer.

So, on to the photos!

With the clock ticking, it's heavy duty blanket time round these parts. This is what I have started for #1. It's one of the motifs from Happy Hooker's Garden scarf, joined as they go, so no seaming YEAH!!! The colors aren't showing to their best here, but you get the idea. I'm using Cestari's 3-ply DK cotton wool blend that I maddly bouhgt on clearance at my LYS (Borealis Yarns, if you live in the area...LOVE them!) because they were discontinuing it and it is SO great for crochet. It's working up fabulously and the motif is easy-peasy and quick. I can't wait to finish it and see her open it...she's going to love it.

And this is what I have hookin' up for my sweetie:

Originally was planning on doing it for our 10th anniversary at the end of the month, but I fell into the acrylic trap when I was picking out yarn. I wanted to be making something special. I knew he would hate anything not cotton and I knew I wouldn't be happy working in something synthetic. But I went to the LYS and I settled for an acrylic wool blend. And in colors that were nothing like what I had in my head. It was a nice one, really it was, but I worked it and ripped it and reworked it with a different hook and ripped it and reworked it again with a different stitch and finally faced the truth. I just hated the yarn. No, I didn't take a picture of it because I want to forget it.

So now I'm working in plain old cotton, and I have the natural with red stripes I wanted in the first place. Nice and nubby in parts and ribbed in others. Once I get past the second red stripe I'm going to work HHDC for the main, then repeat the stripe bands at the other end.

Oooooh! Just remembered...remind me to talk about obsession...my new obsession for spindles and things spin-y...oh and local yarns too...YUM!

My grandmother's hands

I wish I had a picture of my grandmother's hands.

I am slowly working my way through Hooked

I just read the essays by Annie Modesitt and Amy O'Neill Houck. Both deal in different ways with having learned to crochet and the connection that brings with their grandmothers. Amy has clear remembrances of being taught, of time spent of things made. Her essay is one of the best in this anthology. Well written, thoughtful and heart-felt.

It made me sad though. I don't have those memories, though I also learned to crochet through long hours spent with my Grandma Allaria. I don't remember what she told me. I don't remember what she showed me or how. I do remember what I made...endless acrylic potholders and those kitchen towels with the crocheted tops forming a loop to attached to the fridge door.

I don't remember what she worked on. I have no idea if the crochet embellished linens my mom has stashed away were done by her, or perhaps her mom? I do know my great grandmother came from Sicly in the early 1900s and this skill comes from her. I wish I had asked more questions. I wish I had been more interested.

When I was working on a blanket the other day though, something about how I was holding things brought a sudden flash of her hands. Her filed to a dagger nails pointing out stitches, running over the yarn.

I miss her.

I wish I had a picture of her hands.

simply amazing

This is real talent. Found the link at Crochet Me and just have to give them more snaps...Seriously, this is fabulous. I've been hoarding plastic bags, but wow, the bag I finally come up with is puny in comparison. Check out all of their work, there are some phenomenal charcoals too...

OK, this is seriously sad.

Every freakin' day I think of about a million things to talk about here, and every day I can't seem to eke out 5 minutes on the computer. It must have somthing to do with the fact that my days go something like this:

• wake shell shocked and sleepy armed from yet another night of finally giving in to the fact that #3 wants to be with me ALL THE TIME. (he's singing you a spit symphony as this appears on the page...I need to invent a spatter guard for the poor computer. YUCK.)
• gulp coffee while getting food in, clothes on, schmutz off of all 3 before hustling out the door by 8 am
• ...to drop off #2 at preschool and #1 at Kindergarten.
• return home to put #3 down for a nap, shovel the remains of breakfast (and perhaps dinner teh night before) off of the kitchen counters before collapsing with the paper and my own breakfast/lunch for 5 minutes before waking #3 to go pick up #2...
• ...and we come home again to destroy the kitchen while making lunch and simulataneously trying to keep #3 from poisoning himself with random leaves drug in from our glorious MN autumn, choking on a stray hot wheel car or electrocuting himself by somehow getting at the one unprotected plug left we thought safely behind the sofa.
• once #s 2 & 3 are safely napping...or at least I can pretend they are...I once again schlep out the mess in the kitchen, maybe start dinner, chug as much coffee as is left in the carafe before waking both to get in the car yet again to reclaim #1.
• once home I don my referee cap for the scrum that generally proceeds through the making of dinner until Daddy the Wonderful walks through the door, kids end up in bed and all grown-ups collapse (hopefully at least one of us with a glass of wine and some good yarn) in front of whatever we have on TIVO at the moment before once again attacking the kitchen and going to bed, where the whole baby sleep battle starts again.

Can you tell I'm a tad grumpy? I seriously need to find a way to get at the computer in the evenings. Our PC lives in teh same open space as the baby sleeps, but perhaps I can steal time on the hubby's wireless laptop if I'm especially nice...but honestly I don't think I have the energy for that. 9 months without sleep is just too, too much.

On a more yarny note, I have some things to share:

This is the ruffle scarf out of last fall's Interweave Crochet. Worked in Patons' Rumor, which is an alpaca blend and SO soft and fabulously bulky so this works up super fast and got super long since I didn't adjust the pattern. I can wrap it around my neck about a million times and still have nice flingy bits to toss about....but it's not for me, it's a teacher gift I'm so excited to give. She's going to love it. The colors go from a warm cocoa brown to an auburn to a gold...very cool.

Have made a few snowflake prototypes trying to find the size thread I want to use. Have pieced together the sweater for my niece, but think I will be making the sleeves and body a bit longer, so am holding off on the pics. have also started a blanket for the hubby about 5 times. Am working with a wool blend, mostly blend since I couldn't afford the pricetag for the 2800 yards I would need in natural fiber. I think that's why I'm having troubles, it's just not what I had pictured, and it's definitely not what I'm used to working with. Hopefully what I have going is right on now...will show you soon. Also started teh blanket for #1, based on the garden scarf from Happy Hooker, and this I am loving, worked up in a bunch of oddball colors of Cestari DK cotton/wool my LYS has had on clearance forever. If I haven't already said it, I LOVE this yarn, but apparently no one else does because the stores here have all discontinued it...maybe it's a difference between crochet and kintting...I think it's perfect for crochet...am going to have to beg them to sell to me so I can get more. Coffee cozies are also being thrown off right and left in my efforts to implement a "reduce, reuse, recycle" program for holiday gift giving this year...we listen to WAY too much Jack Johnson in the car, it's a bit like being indoctrinated.

The other great thing I did lately was this:

HUGE snaps to The Knitting Cook for bringing home made bread back into my life...it's been too long. If you haven't listened to her podcast, run now, go...really, go now. Faith is fabulous, and her food sings to my Sicilian soul...takes me right back to my grandma's East St Louis kitchen. This is her mom's honey wheat bread...well one loaf is, the other I bastardized with raisins and cinnamon with yummy results.

Small man has found a bag, must run...pray for sleep, will ya?