This and That

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned that I have a new lace scarf in the works and promised to share a work-in-progress photo. So here goes:



This is a lace pattern of my own design, knit with FF Laceweight Merino in the Hendrix colorway. The pattern detail isn't very clear in the photo, but once it's done and blocked the detail will come to light.

I'm rather amazed to report that I'm already close to halfway done with this scarf! I haven't had much time to knit this past week, so I'm pretty pleased with my progress to date.

I've also found a few minutes here and there to knit a few rows on my endless summer project - the ripple stitch afghan. The weather here in Oregon has been unseasonably warm (as in 90 degrees or so!) and I'm finding it difficult to get motivated to pull out the afghan and put some work into it. I'm so impressed by folks who use the summer to knit sweaters and such for the fall/winter season or even for winter holiday gifts. I vowed to do that this year with this ripple stitch afghan for my husband (who spent the better part of last winter pleading for a Knit-By-Loving-Wife blanket to throw over his knees when he's watching TV).

What I really need to do with the afghan soon is to weave in the growing collection of ends. Each color stripe in the pattern is four rows, so that means that there are two yarn ends to weave in for every four rows. Although I'm only about 25% or so through this project, I can see the nightmare of end-weaving mounting! If I don't start doing some of this now, it's going to be one whopping pain in the rear later. If I were a wiser woman I would knit in the ends as I go. Perhaps I should begin doing that from here forward. In the meantime, I've already got this lovely collection of ends looming before me:



It's a terrible photo of the piece, but I'm sure you get the idea with all of those tails hanging!

That's all the news from me today, except to give you a bit of a teaser . . .

At long last, I'll be focusing on some new colorways for my Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn. I'll probably add 5 to 7 new colorways sometime soon, perhaps two weeks from now. Keep your eyes open for news on that front.

Great day to all!

It's Worth Repeating

For today's Monday project features, I have lots of photos to share! First, we have these socks from Suzy, made from a mini-cable pattern from Good Knits. (My apologies. I couldn't find a link for this pattern.)


Suzy made these socks with FF Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn in the Smoke colorway. The photos are pretty dark on my monitor, but you can see a little more of the detail in this closeup.



Thank you very much for sharing your work Suzy. The socks looks great!

The next photos are projects you've actually seen before, but they're worth repeating with final photos.

Remember the fabulous German stockings that Aija made with FF Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn in the Royalty colorway? When I posted her photo back in April, there was only one sock finished. Now that the pair is done, Aija was kind enough to share more photos.



I'm only going to show you this one shot above, because you really need to pop over to Aija's blog to see not only the rest of her German Stocking photos (she's got lots of pictures showing all the great details), but all of the other marvelous things on her blog. And, of course, don't forget to visit her Etsy shop for fantastic stitch markers.

The other photos I have to share are actually of my own project, but since they are a project you've already seen, I thought I'd toss in the mix with the Monday project features.

Remember the shawl I knit for my niece's prom from Eunny Jang's Print 'O the Waves pattern and my FF Laceweight Merino? Well, the prom is over now and I have photos to share. My niece reports that the prom was great fun and the shawl was a big hit! I'm just glad that she survived the prom in tact. (Well, she survived alive and healthy . . . I'll leave it to her mother to worry about whether she survived in tact. Heh.)



And another:



That's all the news that's fit to print today. Everyone enjoy the remainder of the long holiday weekend! And keep those completed project photos coming!

A Passion for Purple

It seems that I've developed a passion for purple. I just realized that both of my current smaller projects on the sticks are in purple.

Actually, I have a passion for all color. I'm a firm believer that early childhood experiences have a strong impression on who we become. Back when I was a toddler some 40 years ago, you didn't see children that young wearing glasses the way you do today. I didn't get my first pair of glasses until I was six years old, but a quick glance at the family photo album shows that I most definitely needed them. In just about every photo, I'm squinting.

Unfortunately, the combination of my chubby face, short dark hair, and squinting made me look an awful like Jonathan Winters in those early photos. Here's a picture of me when I was three:





Oops, wait a minute! I guess that is Jonathan Winters. But you get the idea.

The thing about being so nearsighted at such a young age (I was legally blind already when I got my first pair of glasses) is that the world at a distance is just a mishmash of blurry shapes and colors that mix and mingle together. I think that I learned to relate to the world that way in those early, formative years. Even after I got my first pair of glasses, I used to like to take them off when I rode in the car so that I could stare out the window and watch the world go by in a glorious flash of color. In fact, I still do that on long car trips. I pluck my disposable contacts out of my eyes and flick them out the window, recline my seat back and just relax and watch the colors flow by.

When I was in the first grade our teacher organized a little science fair just for our class. My project was about how to mix primary colors to create other colors. I had water with food coloring in little plastic cups so that the other class members could mix and experiment. My mother drew an outline of a color wheel for me that I colored in with my crayons. I even had translucent plastic sheets in different colors that could be placed on top of each other to create different colors.

My passion for color extended to clothing as well. My mother tells me that when I was very little, every time we entered a clothing store I ran straight toward the most garish, wildly colored clothing in the store. She had serious concerns about my future fashion sense!

I used to scoff at the phoo-phoo career guidance books and classes that suggested that we should look to our childhood dreams and hobbies to find the best career path as an adult. I imagined this would lead to a world full of artists and athletes, ballerinas and firemen. Now I guess I must admit that perhaps there's some truth to the idea.

The color of the moment for me right now seems to be purple. Here's the latest progress on the broken rib socks in FF Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn in the Royalty colorway:




I haven't made a ton of progress on these socks yet (this is still sock number one), because I'm only working on them during my husband's softball games. A few have been rained out already so my sock progress has stagnated a bit.

Here's a closer view so you can see the twisting detail a little better. The color is also much more accurate in this photo.



The other purple project on my sticks right now is a new lace scarf. As I mentioned in my last post, I'm planning on cranking out several lace scarves for this summer season. I thought it would be fun to design my own this time and so I've been swatching and planning a bit. I've settled on my design and have begun knitting the scarf, but I'll hold off on a photo until I have a bit more progress to share. I'm knitting this scarf in FF Laceweight Merino in the Hendrix colorway.

That's all from me for today. Everyone have a wonderful long weekend and enjoy all of the beautiful colors of spring!

I’m Going To Expose Myself!

Yes, that’s right folks. I’m going to publicly expose myself today. Why, oh why, would I do such a thing, you ask? Blame it on reader “Right Out Loud”! She “tagged” me to post seven random facts about myself on my blog. (Pop over to her blog to read her random facts.)

The idea of posting random facts about myself seemed a bit strange at first. Who cares about that? Nobody wants to read random things about me, I thought. Then I decided that perhaps it’s about time that I expose myself a bit more to you. From time to time, I post a little taste of this or that of a more personal nature, but primarily I stick to knitting and yarn (which are, of course, FAR more interesting than anything I could say about myself).

After a bit more thought, I decided to take this public exposure another step and actually show myself. Imagine that?! Several of you have sent me e-mails prodding me to stop cutting my head off in finished project photos. I don’t know why I do that really. I suppose it just feels strange to post a picture of myself on my blog. HERE I AM! LOOK AT ME! Just not my style. With that said, I do understand the desire to put a face to a name. When you see someone’s face, it’s only natural that you feel you know them better. I’ve been talking up a storm on my blog now for over a year, and only once if I recall correctly have I posted a photo with a fuzzy, slightly distant shot of my face. And so . . . the time has come to publicly expose myself wearing my latest finished project.


But first, the seven random facts:

Fact 1: I really, really hate to impose on anyone. If my car broke down and my husband was at work, I’d probably walk 10 miles before I’d call a friend for a ride. I’m just weird that way. I mention this as Fact #1 for a reason. In this “7 random facts” game of tag, I simply cannot bring myself to tag anyone. What if they don’t want to be tagged? What if they view said tagging as presumptuous and an imposition? Since I’m a bit of a rebel, I’m going to break the rules of the game. (Go ahead. Report me to the authorities. I dare ya!) Instead of tagging anyone and possibly imposing on someone who may not want to be tagged (heaven forbid), I will generally ask those of you who read this and who have your own blogs to please consider yourself tagged . . . that is, only if you want to be tagged. If you decide to post 7 random facts about yourself on your blog, please be sure to leave a comment here so I and other readers can pop over to your blog and read them.

Fact 2: I was born in Manhattan. Greenwich Village to be exact.

Fact 3: I find it very difficult to fall asleep if Seinfeld isn’t on the television.

Fact 4: I am a terrible cook. On the other hand, I am one hell of an eater. Seriously. It's been difficult for me since I turned 40 a couple of years ago, when apparently my metabolism suddenly stopped dead in its tracks.

Fact 5: I haven’t worn a single piece of jewelry (except my wedding ring) in about 10 years, perhaps even 15 years.

Fact 6: I love a good con movie. Not the short-con, but the long-con. You know the type, with an elaborate setup of the mark, where every little piece needs to be planned meticulously and everything must fall perfectly into place. I used to love the episodes of Mission Impossible where they had a really good con going. The Sting, of course, is the ultimate long-con movie. House of Games is a pretty good one too (little known, but available in most video stores if there are any other lovers of the long-con out there). The Grifters wasn't bad either. If you happen to know of a good con movie, I’d love some recommendations.

Fact 7: This is the big one. The grand admission. The deep, dark secret from which there is no return. Deep breath. Here goes: I am a reality TV addict. WAIT! Before you click away in disgust, let me defend myself! I do NOT watch Real World or Big Brother or The Bachelor or Fear Factor or anything like that. The shows that I’m addicted to are mostly the Bravo shows that focus on a particular profession, with a competition to find the best in that profession: Project Runway (fashion designers), Top Chef (chefs, duh), Top Design (interior designers), and even to an extent Shear Genius (hair stylists). I can’t help myself. I love them! Even my husband is addicted to them now. He scoffed at me when I told him about Project Runway, but after watching just one episode he was totally hooked. In fact, during commercials he joins me in discussing the competitors and their projects. I knew there was no turning back for him when I asked what he thought of one of the competitors’ chances and he responded that he thought her designs weren’t "fashion forward" enough.

If you haven’t watched these Bravo shows, you don’t know what you’re missing! Unfortunately, only one of the four mentioned shows is on at any given time. They run around 13 weeks each. Shear Genius (by far my least favorite of the four) is on now, but a new season of Top Chef will start after that’s over. Project Runway is, however, my ultimate favorite. I can’t wait for it to return.

About the only thing I can imagine better than Project Runway would be a knitting version of Project Runway. Perhaps Stephanie Pearl-McPhee could host? I can see it now:

************
Stephanie: Alright knit designers. Gather round. For your challenge this week, you’ll have 48 hours to design and knit a baby’s christening gown.

(Camera pans the designers, with varied expressions from enthusiasm to boredom to disdain.)

Stephanie: For your materials you will use . . . (Dramatic pause … arm sweeps to the right and camera pans over to show a huge stack of old newspapers.)

(Cut to the confessional room where Contestant Mary is talking into the camera. She’s a 50-something woman with a British accent, neat and meticulously groomed, attired in a classic and conservative knit suit.)

Mary (eyes rolling): Ridiculous! I design with cashmere. Silk. Vicuna, for god’s sake. Old newspapers? This is not knitting. This is not design. This is an insult to my profession.

(Cut to the confessional room where Contestant Destiny is talking into the camera. She’s a 20-something girl with spiked orange hair and a pierced tongue.)

Destiny: I’m tho exthited about thith challenge. It’th right up my alley. I love working with rethycled materialth.
**************

Ah yes, it would certainly be a hit show with me!

Alright. That’s it for the random facts. And now on to my finished project. This is the Feather and Fans scarf from the pattern by Anne of KnitSpot that I started a couple of weeks ago. I used FF Laceweight Merino Wool in the Antique Rose colorway.

I really, really love this scarf (despite the fact that I look a little angry and/or depressed in this photo!). In fact, I think it may be the start of a new obsession with lace scarf knitting. You know I do love lace, but as I’ve mentioned before, I don’t really have a shawl lifestyle. But a scarf? I could wear this anywhere. I’m suddenly envisioning adding a whole rainbow of lace scarves to my sadly sparse spring and summer wardrobe.

Wow. Loooooong post! Time for a break for me.

Ta Dah!

A little pleading was all it took to get a couple of finished project photos from you for this week's Monday feature. A big thank you to Gina and Micki for pulling through!

First up, we have Gina's Branching Out Scarf from Knitty made with FF Sportweight Cashmere in Endless Night. The colors are a bit off on my monitor, but you can still see the lovely work by Gina, which is what matters most of course. Gina knit this scarf as a gift for a friend and used just one skein of cashmere. What a fantastic present!




And a closer shot for more detail . . .





Great job, Gina!

Next up are these socks knit by Micki using FF Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn in the Midnight Blue colorway.





Micki used the Garter Rib Socks pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. You can see the garter rib detail close in this photo:




Don't miss Micki's blog, chock full of knitting and yarn goodness!

Thank you again to Gina and Micki for coming through with photos and ensuring the Monday customer project feature lives on! Everyone keep the photos coming to me. I'd love to have a few in the queue for future weeks.

Wishing everyone another fantastic week!

It's the Little Things

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions of knitting books to add to my library! I'm going to look further at those this weekend and make my choices. I can't wait to get my hands on some new reading material!

I have no new knitting to share with you today, but I do have photos of a couple of new acquisitions that I am rather ridiculously excited about. Little things make me happy!

For quite a while now I've been keeping my eyes open for some type of basket or other container to use to hold my knitting in progress. It's rather embarrassing to admit, but I've had my small projects strewn about on end tables in my living room and - worse yet - the ripple afghan in progress sitting on the floor next to my favorite knitting chair. It's quite an eyesore, with the five skeins in different colors lined up with the knitted piece draped over it and the pattern book sitting somewhere nearby on the floor. It makes it quite difficult to effectively nag my husband about his clutter when I have my own mounting in the area around my chair!

I've seen a few baskets that I liked, but quality baskets can be hideously expensive and I just couldn't bring myself to spend $150 or more just for a container to set my knitting in, and yet the more reasonably priced baskets and such just didn't appeal to me.

And then . . . I stopped in at Michael's craft supply store a few days ago on a whim. I don't know why, but I just decided to pop in when passing by. The baskets there were on sale, but they were all flimsy and cheap and a bit ugly, but then I spotted this nearby:

Oooooh. Perfect! Nothing fancy, but neat and clean and also a good shape to house a project without losing needles and small skeins at the bottom. The price tag was only $25, which made me happy. I thought perhaps I'd get two, but even $50 seems too much to spend on such things. But then, lo and behold, I spotted the sale sign I had missed. 50% off! And so I got two for just $25 total. Boomph!

Here's the second one, posed in front of the first so you can see the size difference.

The larger one will house a large work in progress and the smaller one will house multiple small projects and odds and ends. You can see in the top of the photo below that the five skeins, work in progress and pattern book for the afghan all fit neatly into the container. Oh happy day!

Yes, I know, I am ridiculously excited over this small acquisition.

Before I leave you for today, I want to make a plea to all of you to please send me FF project photos for Monday posting. I have ZERO for posting this Monday, so this could be the first Monday without a customer project photo in many, many months!

Great weekend to all!

One Answer and One Question

I received a comment on my recent post about the lace scarf that I'm working on asking the following: In working the new scarf - what needle size are you using and why?

I'm using a US size 6 needle on this scarf. The "why" is an interesting question. I definitely am not an expert on such things and I'm sure you could certainly find many more authoritative sources on the subject of needle size out there, but I do love to chit chat about such things, so here's my thinking . . .

When choosing a needle size for any knitting, I always begin by thinking about gauge. I start with the needle size recommended in the pattern or a size that feels about right if I'm not using a pattern, and do a gauge swatch and then adjust needle size from there. With items such as a scarf, however, gauge is not so critical and so I tend to think more of what type of look I want to achieve.

The scarf I'm working on now that raised the question is the Feather and Fan scarf from KnitSpot with my FF Laceweight Merino. It's actually grown quite a bit since I took this photo, but I'll save a new photo for the blocking phase, which is just around the corner.



For this scarf, my decision on needle size was based on a combination of gauge considerations and the general look of the finished piece. I prefer my scarves to be fairly narrow. Sometimes, you can achieve the desired size by adjusting the number of stitch pattern repeats across a row, but in the case of this scarf there are only two pattern repeats per row, so I didn't have the wiggle room to increase or decrease the repeats. That meant that I needed to keep the gauge fairly tight to get a narrowish scarf. At the same time, I wanted it to be open enough to have a light, springtime feel. The size 7 just felt about right. (The lace will open up a good bit with blocking.)

In another example, back when I first started this blog I made a scarf using my FF Sportweight Cashmere. For this scarf, I wanted something with some weight and substance, but more of a lightweight feel than a real winter scarf. I wanted something that could be worn in Fall or Winter and that might be worn indoors as well. The pattern is a ribbed lace pattern, which worked nicely to achieve a slightly heavier weight scarf. Since the stitch pattern repeat on this scarf was just a few stitches, I had plenty of room to choose the needle size I preferred and then adjust the width of the scarf by playing with the number of pattern repeats. I used a size 4 needle in this case to keep the ribbing a bit tighter to add more density to the fabric, but with the lace touches giving it a bit of an open and airy feel. I also chose not to block the finished piece. I don't have a photo of the finished scarf, but here's an old shot of the work in progress.



So that's my general thinking on needle size and lace. Not an exact science by any stretch, unless it's a garment where gauge is critical.

So that's my answer. Now on to my question!

It's about time for me to buy a new book or two and I'd like to hear suggestions from anyone. Do you have a favorite, must-have knitting book you can recommend?

I'm open to most anything, but keep in mind that I love, love, love stitch dictionaries. In fact, I could probably use a couple of focused dictionaries, such as one specific to cables or lace. I could also certainly use some more pattern books, but I think perhaps something themed would be best. The chances that I'll like more than one or two patterns in a book that's got a mish-mash of patterns is pretty slim, whereas I might like quite a few patterns in a book of lace patterns or cabled sweater patterns or Fair Isle, etc.

I'm also not too keen on books with lots of history and background. Although all of that is interesting, I tend to read it once and then forget all about it. My library is pretty slim, so I'd rather focus on more practical information right now. Oh, that leads to another thought. My finishing skills are sorely lacking. I keep meaning to pick up a book on finishing techniques, but the few that I've browsed in yarn shops and book stores always seem very rudimentary. I look through them and think that I could find more useful information online. Perhaps someone knows of a really good book for finishing techniques?

Would love to hear your suggestions and recommendations! Thanks all!

The Beloved Clapotis

For today's Monday customer project feature, Angela sent photos of her Clapotis shawl. What is it about that Clapotis pattern that seems to draw everyone in? It is a lovely pattern and every version has its own unique look depending on the yarn, the color selection, and the hand of the knitter. I think perhaps I'm the only one who hasn't knit my own Clapotis yet. Hmmm .... maybe I'll rectify that before too long.

For Angela's version of the Clapotis, she used FF Mohair/Wool DK Yarn in the "In the Pink" colorway.



Here's another photo to give you a better view of the detail.



Didn't Angela do a lovely job? If you'd like to learn more about Angela's knitting endeavors, take a side trip over to her blog.

Keep those project photos coming! Even if you've sent in photos before, I'd love to see more.

Wishing everyone a wonderful start to another week!

Mmmmmmm ... Cashmere

Before I dive into my knitting update for today, I want to share two new cashmere colorways with you. I've been planning for ages to add five or six new colorways on cashmere to my FF line, but I haven't found the time to do that yet and so I've decided to at least move forward with adding the two new ones that are ready to go.

Both of these colorways are listed in my Etsy shop now and are available on both laceweight and sportweight cashmere (laceweight pictured here).

First, my obsession with browns continues with the addition of "Contentment."



And then there's Tranquility, perfect for a light and airy spring/summer knit.



I hope everyone likes these two new additions!

Now, on to knit talk. I first want to answer a couple of questions you asked about the broken rib pattern in the socks I'm working on and posted a few days ago. The rib at the top begins with a regular 3X3 rib, which continues static for the first 15 rows. Then, the broken rib pattern begins. You can, of course, create different effects and angles of spiral with a broken rib depending on how many stitches you stagger by and how many rows you complete before the next "step." I chose to work in increments of three rows, with the rib shifting over by one stitch every three rows.

New on the sticks I have a lace scarf that I just began using the Feather and Fan scarf/stole pattern by the incomparable Anne of KnitSpot. I'm using my FF Laceweight Merino in the Antique Rose colorway. I'm knitting in the scarf size (obviously :), but the pattern also provides instructions for a stole size.



This is a wonderfully simple and straightforward pattern that can be committed to memory in a heartbeat. As you can see from the progress I've made in such a short time, it knits up quickly. This is a lovely pattern choice for someone new to lace knitting or if you're looking for something that doesn't require your undivided attention. Despite the simplicity of the pattern, the finished knitting has the look of something far more complex and intricate. I can imagine that I may choose to knit this again in the future if I find myself with a short timeline and wanting to make a knit a gift for someone worthy of something special.

Here's a close up of the detail, which will be even prettier once I block the finished piece. The color in the photo above is more accurate on my monitor, but this photo with the light coming through from behind allows you to see the pattern better.



That's it for today. I'm looking forward to getting a bit more knitting done tonight during my husband's softball game. I must appear to be a very dedicated and supportive wife to the other players on the team (very few of the wives attend the games), but it's really the quiet knitting time that attracts me most. That'll be our little secret, OK?

We'll Always Have Socks

Although I've been too busy for much knitting time lately, I've still begun to feel the stirrings of knitter's block creeping up on me. It seems that a month ago, I had a laundry list of projects I couldn't wait to begin but now that I'm ready to dive into a new project, nothing in particular is calling out to me.

I really want to use the coral colored Anny Blatt cotton/viscose yarn that I bought some time ago, combined with the handpainted bamboo that I specifically purchased to go with it. But alas, I cannot settle on the right pattern. I found a stitch pattern that I liked with these two yarns, but I couldn't quite settle on a shape or style for the top I had only roughly envisioned. I should just let go of the idea of using these yarns for my next project, since it's only causing me aggravation to think of about it right now. I keep picking up the same yarn and staring at it, hoping it will speak to me.

I also have the itch to knit lace again, but perhaps just a quick scarf rather than another larger project.

Although it's entirely the wrong season for it, I also want to make myself a pair of mittens. I meant to do that this past winter and never got to it, so I'd like to do that at some point this summer.

Yes, I am waffling. Procrastinating. Ruminating. Pondering. Internally debating. Contemplating. Deliberating. Reflecting. Noodling. Mulling. What I am not doing is knitting.

Except, of course, socks. I will always have socks! Simple and satisfying socks, glorious and resplendent within the wasteland of my knitter's block.

I cast on this sock during my husband's first softball game of the season a few days ago:



The yarn is FF Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn in the Royalty colorway. Here's the sock stretched out a bit so you can see the simple 3X3 broken rib pattern a little better.



Ah yes. Socks. Comforting and familiar, staving off the madness of knitter's block. Gotta love 'em!

Mixing It Up

For today's Monday project feature, Amber shared these photos of a scarf she made for an International Scarf Exchange.



Amber made this scarf by mixing two different yarns: 2 strands of fyberspates laceweight together with 1 strand of FF Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn in the Raspberry colorway, resulting in a lovely mix of colors and added textural interest.



Thank you, Amber, for sharing your photos. I'm sure your Exchange Pal will be thrilled with her knitted treasure!

If you'd like to learn more about Amber and her fiber fun, pop on over to her blog.

Reminder to all: Keep those Fearless Fibers project photos coming! I have one lined up for next Monday, but then I'm all clear and awaiting new photos. Just e-mail your photos to me, along with any info you want to share about the project and a blog link if you have one.

Wishing everyone a happy start to a great week!

Keep On Ripplin'

Before I dive into today's post, I want to thank all of you for your kind words and Get Well wishes after my post yesterday. I am absolutely fine. Still a little weak in the knees, but just about as good as new. No worries.

My little stint of illness did, however, set me back on both dyeing and knitting. I'll be hitting it hard in my dye workshop over the coming days to get back on course, but I may not have much time for knitting. That doesn't mean I have nothing to show you though!

Remember the ripple throw/afghan that I started a few weeks ago? I've made a bit of progress on that, so I can fill this gap in my knitting productivity with an update on that project. Here's the latest:



The stitch pattern definitely makes the fabric appear uneven and bubbly and bumpy, but a nice strong blocking will take care of that. Through the use of my feet for anchors to stretch out the fabric, I attempted to get a photo to give you a better idea of how the stitch pattern will look when all is said and done:



This project will be a slow one, with a few rows knit here and there throughout the course of the spring and summer. It's for my husband, who's been pestering me . . . I mean politely asking me . . . for a small blanket to throw over his knees to keep him warm during his marathon sessions of winter TV watching. I held him at bay as long as I could with radical suggestions such as the idea that perhaps he might not wear shorts in November and thus not require a knee-warming blanket. But alas, I do love the wacky man and so I'm knitting him this throw.

I'll be getting another pair of socks going shortly, but I still haven't settled on what my next real project will be. Socks don't count, as one must almost always have socks going if one wishes to keep one's sanity. (That's far too many "ones" for a sentence!) The blanket doesn't really count either because that's a long-term project. And so, the time is upon me to begin another new project. Ahhh ... the thrill never wanes!

Everyone have a great weekend. Work hard, play hard, knit fearlessly!

I Have Just One Thing To Say . . .

I have just one thing to say today: Food Poisoning Sucks! Not a mind-blowing revelation, I know, but still worth repeating. Food poisoning sucks.

Wait a minute. I guess I have two things to say. It also sucks to be recovering from food poisoning and decide to try to get out of the house to run an errand with Supportive Husband driving, and then - shaky, weak and a bit dizzy from dehydration and such - to proceed while getting into the car to slam your head on the car roof so hard that the sound reverberates a mile away and leaves you dizzy for two days with a big knot on your head. Yes, that sucks too.

Needless to say, it's been a rough week, but I'm almost back to normal now and wanted to take a moment to pop my (throbbing) head in here and let you all know that you haven't been forgotten! I'll be back soon . . . hopefully tomorrow with a real post.