The birthday blanket isn't going to make it for Christmas either.



Sorry Mom.

Unfinished... Never to Be Finished

After almost a year I finished this throw last night. It was more WIP than UFO*. Well, maybe more of a 'little something to work on while I'm watching tv and I don't have anything on my needles right now'. I've finished it and will be sent off as a Christmas gift.

*Work in progress, unfinished object

I really need to figure out how to use the zoom lens. Anyhow, behold my tank top. I bought some yarn because it was on sale and I loved the colours. (100% Egyptian cotton) They only had one skein. You can't tell but there are no straps. Did I mention that they only had the one skein? Can you see the safety pins? I wanted to see if it would fit. It goes around the body but it is way too long. Guess where I'll be getting the extra yarn for straps? So this has been sitting in the bin for ages waiting to be ripped back to a pile of yarn. Maybe I'll have Dave do it. It seems less painful to have someone else rip out all your hard work.

This is Jenna's blanket. When I found out that my friend Heidi was pregnant I decided that I was going to make a baby blanket. It's about a third of the way done. Jenna will be 11 years old in December.

I'm pretty sure this yarn will be recycled into something else...

In Knitting News

I made this hat from this book. You can't tell from the picture but its bright pink, almost magenta. Its not the yarn called for so its a bit on the floppy side.

I made the Yarn Harlot's (Check out her blog. She's got a great sense of humour that even non-knitter's will enjoy and if you know a knitter it might help you understand her/him a little better.) "An Unoriginal Hat". Different yarn, different needle size, didn't swatch. Am I surprised its too small? Also didn't notice where I messed up in the cable until after I had sewn up the top. Still debating whether to rip it or not. Dave says you can't really see it, but I know its there. *sigh*

Happy Black Friday

I am in the perfect spot for the busiest shopping day of the year - at home. We may venture out later in the afternoon to get Dave a haircut but we'll stay well away from the malls. Well, I might run into one store while Dave's in the chair. I'm still trying to find something to wear to tea tomorrow. (One of the historic houses is putting on a "Dickens Tea" tomorrow afternoon. One of my coworkers volunteers at the house and tells me that they lay out quite a spread, including figgy pudding. I've always wondered what that was exactly. The house will be decorated for the holidays, there'll be music - her daughter has been hired to play the violin, and my coworker will wander the rooms reading passages from "A Christmas Carol".)

I had a couple of outfits in mind, but I no longer fit into them. Had I lost the weight he said I would by all the walking he was going to put me through in Europe I might have been able to appear somewhat stylish tomorrow. (Honey, you walked me until my legs were ready to fall off but guess what? I'm still fat!) As it stands now while Dave will be quite dapper in his suit (and ladies, he does look fabulous in a suit...) I will probably end up in some drab skirt/blouse combo looking like his pity date. You know that couple you see where you think to yourself, "Wow, he is so good looking! She must have a great personality." That's us!

In the past couple of months I haven't had much luck with shopping. While in Europe last month my major purchases were pyjamas, and glass art. I wanted French lingerie, Italian leather goods and jewelry. I couldn't find anything I wanted to buy. Huh?? This month is more of the same. The local Brit shop has never heard of Toffee Waffles. The boots I found in England but didn't buy because they would be cheaper at home? Can't find them in the stores. Can't find a velvet jacket. I don't like buying shoes/clothing online because I never seem to wear the same size designer to designer. I know it doesn't really matter in the larger scheme of things (except the Toffee Waffles - if you've had them you know) but it feels good to get it out.

Uhm, I Meant to Do That?

I could have sworn it was washable wool. Apparently not. My lovely cabled socks are now shrunken and semi-felted.

Is it sc(oh)ne? or sc(ah)ne?

Either way, while in Ireland we had the best scones I've ever tasted. At Clontarf Castle to be precise. We had just arrived in Dublin (took the red-eye from Washington DC), and were looking forward to breakfast. Oh course, they had just finished serving. We were told we could get a light snack in the lounge. Tea and scones, heaven! The scones were large and fluffy and piping hot. So good. As a result, when we had afternoon tea at the Dorchester in London and The Pump Room at the Roman Baths in Bath we couldn't help but compare the scones and be just a wee bit disappointed.

Spanish Chocolate

While we were in Madrid we sampled their hot chocolate. (I know... I'll try to get Dave to blog the trip in the next week or so.) Anyway, this chocolate is so thick that a spoon will stand up in it. You get a hot chocolate and some churros for dipping. Yum! Dave was missing the chocolate so he found a recipe online. I think we'll be having hot chocolate a few times per week...

Solitary Crafter, Even Online

I figured it was time to start meeting people who knit and crochet so I wouldn't feel so isolated. The problem is that I'm shy. Walking into a LYS to introduce myself and ask if they have a knitting group is just not going to happen. So the perfect solution? The Internet of course! I joined Crochet Me and Ravelry so I could interact with others who share my interests. It was going to be great! I was going to make new friends! I was going to have people to support me when a project wasn't going right or was just taking too darn long!

Funny thing timidity. It doesn't go away with anonymity. So I cruise through the forums, peek in on discussions, and envy the camaraderie. Then I turn off the computer, curl up on the couch with the latest project and work away in solitude.