1st of '07

Today is my mom's birthday and her scarf is finished, washed, blocked, and oh so wearable! Just in time for the frosty weather (see post below). This is my first finished project of '07. I'm not quite sure why I haven't been more productive, but I'm very pleased with this one. Originally this scarf was part of the Holiday Headstart for Christmas '07, but my mom saw me working on it early on in the process and mentioned how much she admired the color and pattern, and how she doesn't have a scarf of her own. I've heard the subject come up each time she's seen me working on it. I'm not that slow a learner, after the first admiring glance she cast its way I knew the scarf was destined for her.

Details:
Mom's Scarf
Pattern: Harlot's fabulous one row scarf pattern (I used the same number of stitches she called for in the original)
Yarn: Mountain Colors Mountain Goat (wool/mohair blend) in Rosehips colorway~~one skein
Needles: Size 8
Start date: December 30, 2006
Finish date: January 23, 2007
Finished size: approximately 6 inches by 5 feet~~plenty long enough to wrap around the neck with the ends hanging down.

Happy Birthday, MOM!!!!!

What happened here?

At 2pm this afternoon the sky grew dark and windy. I made myself a cup of hot cocoa--diet only, thank you--and curled up in my Wool Peddler shawl for a cuppa and some reading time. The Teen left for piano at 2:30 and the skies were still threatening, but nothing more than wind was going on. I read for 10 minutes or so with my back to the window, feeling all warm and snuggly in my shawl and from the hot cocoa. My eyes grew heavy ........and I was out! I awoke with a start at 3:05 pm to answer the ringing phone, glanced out the window, and nearly dropped my teeth! This is what I saw........
Now, at 3:30pm the sky has lightened, and the snow squall has passed, although from the looks of the radar we may be in for more. Rarely, rarely does lake affect snow reach us in this part of the state. Usually it runs out of steam passing over the mountains to our west, but by the looks of the radar, this is indeed lake affect. So pretty. I know, it's what half an inch to an inch at most. But you have to understand that here in southeast Virginia it can snow for hours before we see this much accumulation. To wake up to this after a 20 minute catnap is surprising to say the least. I'm so sad that I didn't get to see the brunt of the squall as it dumped this powdered sugar delight all over our neck of the woods.


I'll leave you with this shot through my pine tree, you can already see the sun emerging in the background. The snow will likely be gone in a hour or so. This is my shot for 007 A Dozen Days for January. While a really good snow is a rarity here, I love it, have since I was a kid. Our last really good snow was on this day in 2000--my mom reminded me about it this morning. That day we had 16 inches of the white stuff. I know the kids and I were out having a ball in it. January to me, means snow. Even if it is in my dreams most of the time.

Wool Peddler Shawl Blocked

I got around to blocking my Wool Peddler over the weekend and just LOVE the way it turned out. The lace really opened up, and surprisingly enough, so did the garter stitch. It measures 78 inches across and 44 inches to the point. Just perfect for snuggling in. Just in time, too. Looks like winter will hit us this evening. About time.

Out of Timeout

As I've mentioned in the past there were, shall we say, some issues with the first incarnation of my dad's Cambridge Jacket. You may recall that this was intended as a Christmas gift for dear ol' dad, but once the issues I was having with gauge finally sunk into my Christmas addled brain, I knew that I had to start the jacket over. Did I hop on it right away so that he would have his jacket before the summer winter was over? Nope. I threw it in the storage box, and let it stew in its juices for almost a month.

After ripping the previous version out using my new ball winder (Can I just say how fantastic that was! Weeks of work back in a ball in less than two minutes. Cool.), I was finally ready to face the miles of stockinette and ribbing and cast on on Saturday. As of last night I had 12+ inches of the back done (this photo is from yesterday morning)~~I'm almost to the place where I can start decreasing for the armholes. This go round is looking much better since I have adjusted the way I purl on those long stretches of stockinette. There are the occasional blips in gauge but nothing like the horrible train tracks I had running horizontally across the back of the sweater before making the adjustment. I'm sure these irregularities will block out. I am much better pleased with it now and hope to get a substantial portion of the remainder of the back done at knitting night tonight. I'll get my knitting peeps' opinions about how it looks now compared to then since they saw the evidence of my inability to maintain gauge between a knit and purl row in person.

While knitting away I was finally able to finish The Pallisers on dvd (only started it a year ago). All 26 episodes. Well, I didn't watch them all this weekend, but I was able to finish off the 3rd volume. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this 1970s BBC series (I think this ran on Masterpiece Theatre, but am not sure.) Excellent show, I find I miss the story and characters. Must read the book. Now I'm in search of a new series to occupy myself while knitting. Of course, American Id*l starts tomorrow, so that will take care of a couple of hours a week, but until L*st starts again (I can't knit while I watch it though) there isn't a whole lot I watch on broadcast or satellite TV--much prefer getting a dvd and popping it in. Suggestions welcome.

That'll be it for today. I have some other updates, but I'll spread them out rather than loading up one post.

For You Photo Bugs

Stephanie has come up with a faboo idea for a well, not KAL, because it has nothing to do with knitting, anyway. It's called 007 Snap a Dozen Days and you can see the button over there in the sidebar. Head over to the link for details. In a nutshell, once a month you shoot pictures of what the month means to you and post them. There is no official website, however there is a flickr group. So if photography appeals at all to your creative sense, join in!

Happy New Year!!!!!

First off, Happy New Year everyone!!!

Secondly, I thought I would update you with the new things I've cast-on, as well as those projects that are in the works.


The first project I have started is a pair of socks for Mr Fix-it. He has already come through the heels of the socks I made him at Christmas last year. The yarn is a sport weight sock yarn from Tongue River Farm. The blurb about the yarn says that they are very warm--good, because Mr Fix-it's feet are always cold; and that they are hard-wearing--again, good, see above. So I'm giving this wool a try. It isn't pleasant to knit with, feels a bit rough. But again, it says to expect this, and that the yarn will bloom and soften with washing. I'll let you know.

The next item to actually make it to the needles is a scarf for the Holiday Headstart KAL. If you've been reading me for any length of time you know that I have a tendency to procrastinate. This year I am getting started early. My mom came over yesterday and saw this scarf-in-progress and really admired it. Okie dokie. One holiday present assigned to one family member. It may be that this will become her birthday gift--she's a January baby. Anyway, the yarn is Mountain Colors Mountain Goat, I think. It's a worsted weight combo of wool and mohair. I may have the name wrong. Color is Rose Hips. The pattern is one of Harlot's--the One Row Scarf pattern.

Those are the only two projects I've actually started, but I do have a number in a queue behind them. No, I won't wait until they are finished before I start anything else. You know me, I am NOT a monogamous knitter.

While here Mom picked out a scarf she likes from Victorian Lace Today. She isn't yet a shawl or stole person. I'm trying to convert her. I was planning on making the scarf she picked with the cashmere left over from my Sampler shawl, but I'm not sure it'll be heavy enough. As it is the scarf when finished in the heavier yarn is only 11 inches wide. I'm also in that KAL, so I'll be casting it on soon. That's #1 in the queue.

#2 Dad's Cambridge Jacket which had to be frogged due to gauge issues. You've heard it before, I won't rehash it here.

#3 The Teen's Arwen cardigan. I haven't started this because of the number of modifications that need to be made. In addition, I'm using Encore again, and frankly, I haven't yet recovered from my last encounter with it.

Last but certainly not the least, nor will it be the last to get cast-on. #4 Hidcote Garden shawl for which there is a KAL for those of you who didn't know. I hope to get this one started today.

I think that brings you up-to-date.