Ahead Of The Game

For right now - this little while - I am ahead of the game.  ESSS has a new KAL started.  And I want it on the record that I am ahead.  December 26, 2012.  Ahead of the game. 

You might be wondering why I insist on telling you over and over and over that I'm ahead of the game.  Let's just admit that I looked at the calendar for the rest of the year and then I turned the electronic page to 2013 and it looks gloomy for getting this one done on time.  Lewis Carroll stated it best:  the hurrier I go, the behinder I get.

Sneaking up on the half way mark and there is plenty of yarn left for completing this Coquille.  It is a wonderful pattern that is well thought out and easy to accomplish without constant reading of the next row.

Suitable for knitting in public where conversation and snacks might distract, this sideways shawl is really fun.  Especially due to the hint that the wraps (from the short row W&Ts) do not need to be picked up.  So, if you are looking for a new project, dive into your stash and get started.

If you hurry, you will have plenty of time to finish before this old Cajun gets done with hers.

Do For Others

Another cap for donation is completed.  After 6-7 manly man caps, I'm back to something a bit more feminine.  There was still plenty of dark green from the sleep caps for men.  Mix and match and simple stripes and this is the result.

 Even without the flower I plan to make, this one is quite cute.  It is made slightly large on purpose.  Not everyone has a smallish head and I need to remember that.

The recently completed broken rib scarf matches.  This was not intended.  It is just a matter of using up stash that is filled with shades and tints that make me happy.

Because there was such a small amount of the bamboo/soy, the scarf is on the short side.  It is perfect for tucking into a neckline or as a simple accent during the heat of summer.

This is knitwear.  Practical, simple, non-couture, use it every day type stuff.  It could be crochet and it would still be useful.

Maybe that is why loving hands creations are so cherished. I can use my sticks, hooks and string to get through daily life.

And I can use my sticks, hooks and string to help others handle daily life.

Merry Christmas.  Happy Hanukkah.  Joyous Kwanzaa.  Remember to give more than you receive.

Warm And Wooly

 TaDa!

A very unprofessional picture of the EZ Blanket.  Using the stash yarn (so discontinued that I will not even reference the wool) and smaller needle, this one came out to about 60" x 30" ish.  Given that I am on the shorter side of life, it is a perfect for cuddling up with a book or movie. 

The stash still holds this much yarn.  Yes, it was a rather large stash of fluffy single ply yarn.  There is so much left that I am thinking of adding a border at some point.  First, I should block out the whole thing and see if it really wants to be bigger.

Because the garter stitchery changes directions, the play of shadow across the swath is rather interesting.  The yarn has subtle shades as well.  So light catches and shadows recede in a happy dance.

This one does not take much time at all.  Big bulky - or super bulky - yarn and a huge needle make quick work. 

I'm very happy.  So I leave you with not only a TaDa, but a Voila as well.

Peace & joy.

EZ Sewing

Nothing is blocked, but it is clear that all four pieces of the EZ blanket will go together well.

This bit of geometry thrills me.  It makes me happy.  You must click on the photo to see how it all interconnects.

All of the seams - each of which will change direction - might be daunting.  Could be daunting.  Will not be daunting due to the slipped stitch edges.  Big huge spots for a needle to slide through will make quick work of this one.

Stay tuned for the joy of doneness.

Obverse or Reverse, That Is the Question

Use your favorite search engine or actual printed material and you will discover more than one way to knit anything.  Take the Broken Rib for example.  There is this version here and also this one over there. 

I chose this way.  'Twill be a scarf of just twenty seven stitches across.  An accent really.  This bamboo/soy won't keep anyone warm in a Wisconsin winter.

By alternating the right and wrong sides of the Broken rib across the width and also along the length, a lovely bit of textural knitting happens.  I'm thinking it would be quite manly if done in a manly color way such as grey or brown.

What I like is that the result is totally reversible.  That matters in a scarf that will twist and wrap and bunch and generally not behave well.

See here.  That blue arrow (click to enlarge photo) points to a spot where the scarf is folded to show that both sides look fine and are similar. 

Which side is the obverse?  Which is the reverse?
Don't fret over the quandary because they are both perfect!

Slow But Steady

Work on the cardigan, all twelve colors in predetermined order, is moving along.  The work is slow, but steady.  Other things keep interfering.  Like the four caps for these nice folks.  And attending and hosting parties for friends and work associates which required baking. 

The cookie baking this year was going quite well until time reared its head and said, "enough already!"  Call it poor time management if you will.  I am calling it a stroke of genius.  It is possible that I ran out of time to decorate one batch of cookies.  Already the shortbread had been dipped in chocolate.  The peanut butter crosshatched for easy identification.  The sausage lollipops were made and arranged.  That's right, sausage lollipops.  Something needed to bridge the table between the meat/cheese/crackers and the desserts.  Meat on a stick fit the need.  (And I didn't even dip it in chocolate)

But I digress.  No time to decorate the cookies and the genius thought was - - - DIY cookie decorating.  I grabbed the red with a writing tip and wrote DIY on one cookie  and dashed off a nice green leaf underneath the letters.  Brilliant!  A platter of unadorned sugar cookies and tubes of color and guests did their own thing.  It was a bit shocking to see one guest eat the cookie plain.  Unadorned.  Did not even try.  I suppose that it takes all kinds to make the world go round. 

Oh, and I did get the fronts knit to match the backs.

If only life would stop interrupting the yarn work. . .


PS  I started a clutch out of Koigu because Merilyn is an enabler and has such wonderful stuff all bagged up in a cute little kit that included hardware and pattern and lining and yarn!