Travelin' Pumpkin

I am in charge of the stuffing for tomorrow's feast. I will be making a pumpkin sausage concoction. Yummmmmm! So, the pumpkins have been picked and are ready for the ride to my brother's house.

I wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving

Freedom

Since casting off the alphabet blanket, the creative flood gates have opened. In my effort to finish by the second mother threatening self-imposed deadline, I have ignored the voices in my head. Don't pretend you don't hear voices, too. They are usually disguised as the alpaca laceweight, corriedale roving, or worsted tweed in the back of your stash.

I've envisioned lace sweaters, cabled sweaters, lace shawls, socks, and a myriad of other fabulous knits. Some from recently received magazines, some from the depths of my creativity. But all of them were ruthlessly shoved aside, cruelly locked away, and rudely ignored to finish the current knit on the needles.

Since Tuesday, there has been figuring, calculating, and lots of knitting. I've completed a whole right front of a cardigan for my mother. The math came pretty easily since no waist shaping was involved. Of course, I'm slightly concerned that the math was too easy. The knitting gods may be waiting to knock my smug self down a peg when I fit it to my mother a few days forth from now.


I suspect that my creativity had been held prisoner for so long that it may have emerged slightly cracked and demented. In the past, I have often and loudly proclaimed I do not knit Fair Isle, Intarsia, or anything else that remotely resembles colorwork. Thus, where the desperate need to swatch for a fair isle children's mitten pattern came from I cannot tell.

Let this be a lesson. Depriving one's creativity of fresh air can cause one to knit things otherwise avoided. Already the novelty has begun to wear off and sanity is slowing returning.

I still have a few more ideas bubbling in my head, but I'm starting to feel the pull of the peacock shawl. It, too, has been long neglected. One more section needs to be swatched and designed. Then no further obstacles stand between me and completion.

Aaaah, freedom to knit. Anything. Everything. It feels so good.

From A to Anticlimactic

It isn't until one has to photograph a pale beige blanket, that one discovers that one lives in a pale beige house, with pale beige carpet, pale beige couches, pale beige bed quilts and - for a little variety - a bright white bedspread.

Thus, my electric piano will have to do as a posing table for the recently finished alphabet blanket. It was either that or the English style public phone booth turned cabinet. For a brief moment I considered the phone cabinet. After all, the bright red paint would be a striking contrast to pale beige. Then I realized I would have to a) lay it on it's side, b) empty it of it's considerable contents first and c) come up with a whole lot of liquor so the hubby does not notice a whopper of a tale about why turning furniture 90 degrees out of whack is a perfectly reasonable thing to do for a blogger photo shoot.

The last stitch was casted off Sunday. Ends were woven in and the whole thing unceremoniously dumped in the wash tub for a soak on Monday. By late evening, after very little cussing and fussing, every point was unenthusiastically pinned out. Dry by Wednesday, the blanket was unpinned and hauled all over southern Michigan taken to work and knit group for it's public debut.

There was the mad rush to finish by the first due date in mid October. Once that passed, the second finish line seemed . . . ho hum. The knitting seemed never ending. When Monday required a new project for my attention, I was at a loss. It felt surreal to be freed from the alphabet depths. Don't worry. It quickly passed - more on that in future posts.

This blanket is intended for my first niecephew who is due to arrive early December. It will be gifted next week when I visit my brother for deep fried turkey day. While I may feel ambivalent about this whole lettered affair, I know that it will be received with much oohing, aahing, and general excitement.

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
Needles: Addi Turbo US3 and US2 for the points
Pattern: Alphabet Blanket by Debbie Bliss
Time: Started, July 2005 - Finished, 13 Nov 2006

The End

The Wealth of One Year

Tomorrow my blog is one year old. Yes, a whole year has passed since I wrote my first post.

As I reflect on the past twelve months, there is only one thing that comes to mind. It isn't the finished objects (surprisingly few). It isn't the new techniques and gained knowledge (too many to count). It isn't how my confidence as a knitter has grown (by leaps and bounds). Nor is it the newly discovered yarns and patterns (a list of infinite length). It is this.

My world has gone from ...



to ...



It does not feel like 365 days have passed since I started this expedition into blogland. I am still getting used to the idea of being "a blogger". I am still amazed at how many friends I have made. I am still in awe that a connection made through the computer can feel as real as the connection with my around-the-corner-friend. I am still marveling at how something as global as blogland, can feel as local as my neighborhood.

Thank you for sharing, helping, laughing, and understanding the knitting love of my life. Thank you for joining me in the adventure of this past year. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Bernadette

Available here

Hey, Mr. Postman

I knew that my scarf was due to arrive any day now. Corrie had emailed me to let me know. I have spent most everyday rushing to the mail box as soon as he had driven past.

Yesterday I did a dance all the way from my mailbox to my front door. It was here!

I bet there are days that my postal carrier is scared of me.

It is beautiful, soft, light, airy, and a perfect color! That is just the bonus, she had me with the lace. It is Corrie's first lace project and she told me how she had struggled with it. You would never know. It's knitted and blocked wonderfully. I received so many compliments from my co-workers when I brought it to work today. So, Corrie, I am passing them on to you.

Corrie also sent along a few extras with the scarf. It took me awhile to notice the extras. I was busy swooning over the lace. What? Doesn't everyone swoon over lace? Though my husband trying to sneak off with the chocolate bar quickly brought my attention back to the rest of the box. Rich dark chocolate*, a knitting magazine that is unavailable in my area, a cookie cutter for the upcoming holidays, lip gloss, and extra yarn.

It is incredibly generous and thoughtful. I love it! You have been a wonderful swap partner and have made this exchange a real joy. Thank you so much, Corrie!

*Only the box is shown, the chocolate has already been consumed to prevent theft. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Three Borders Knit

One to go.

Another Good Idea Gone Bad

My LYS owner convinced me, way back when, that I should handpaint my peacock shawl. It took some time - me to make the swatches, the store to make the "goop". Today we tested our theory.




There was soaking.

There was mixing.

There was painting.



We didn't strive for perfect colors. Our quest was really to determine if the idea was practical. We quickly came to the conclusion - not so much. Our new plan is to find a color I like as an overall base for the shawl. Dye the shawl in a traditional manner and then handpaint only a few key areas.

There might also have been some stash enhancement as I waited for the swatches to soak. It's a new Heritage Handpaint colorway - Nighthawk. The yarn is Bloomfield, a 50/50 silk wool blend.

G'Day Mate

Some time ago I was invited to join a wonderful group of women. I have been blessed with getting to know them. Especially Donni. So, when she told me that something nice was coming my way, I knew it was going to be NICE. If you know what I mean. ;)

I had mentioned that I wanted to learn how to dye my own fiber. I wanted to move past Kool-aid and into acid dyes. I have some nice silk and cashmere begging for some color. I've been known to take chances on faith, but I didn't think it was fair to have my stash suffer for my boldness and daring. Donni included a starter dye kit from Ashford and book on the subject. Look out now - my kitchen will never be the same!!

Along with the dye, there is some absolutely gorgeous, soft baby alpaca lace/fingering weight. My mind is already spinning in a hundred thousand directions as to all the things I could make with it. Of course, this would require that I stop petting it and carrying it everywhere I go.

A pressie is never complete with out a few sweets, Violet Crumble and Tim Tams. These are new to me. However, the fact that my husband devoured his Tim Tams in a matter of seconds tells me that I am going to love them. This fact also makes me grateful that Donni ensured I didn't have to share and sent a little care package for my hubby who misses much that is Oz.

Thank you so much Donni! Words cannot begin to express how wonderful your package is. I'm hoping that I will find time this weekend to do a little experimenting with the dyes. It is all I can do to not start heating the water right now!