It's Finally Looking Like a Sweater

Word on the street is that Christmas, New Year's and MLK Day have all come and gone. Which is too bad, because this was supposed to have been finished long before the holidays:


Considering that the front and the collar — which is pretty darn thick, and might have to be simplified — didn't exist four weeks ago and that no vacation time taken to work on it, it's come a long way. It's far enough along now that we've entered the dark time:



Yes, the sleeves. The nice thing about Lopi is that it knits up fast. The nice thing about this pattern is that it doesn't take long and it's obvious what's coming: right cross, left cross, cha-cha-cha. The pattern is an old Reynolds single-sheet that also is in The Best of Lopi, which has many classics and — this is the editor in me, I can't help this — one big typo. On a display page, no less. Ouch.

On those days when the only thing grayer than the sweater is the January sky, I've turned to this, continuing the new-found tolerance for p*nk. It should grow up to become a pair of fingerless mitts.


The technicals: The pattern is "Echoes," purchased on Ravelry, but also available at scknits.com. The yarn is yummy goodness, a k a Malabrigo worsted, purchased here back in the fall.

One parting shot. Henry couldn't quite believe I wasn't trying to take his picture. I must say, the only thing key-yooter than his long nose is his long nose peeking out of his little purple coat. Woof.

Happy Saturday!

It's a week until Christmas, and what am I doing? Uploading videos, of course. This is a couple years old, but that's OK. It's still funny:



Now, back to holiday madness.

Pink? Me? Who Knew?

I tend to think that pink is for hives, but these mittens were a pleasure:



Can't rave enough about the pattern. It fit, it fits, it fits! And the yarns — this one and this one — are lip-smacking good. This pair is for my favorite college girl. Love you, doll!

Baaa. Love These Sheep!

I don't know whether this is live or animation. But I guess I don't care:

sheep 0001 from paul taggart on Vimeo.

Glad That's Over

It was bound to happen. November. Minnesota. Moisture. And it all started innocently enough, late Friday/early Saturday:



Saturday mid-morning, it was quite lovely:


Minutes after that picture was taken, poof! it turned on us. No lights, no computer. But ... no problem! I would miss Hunting Widows Knitting Weekend (Julie! Judy! Pat! Jean!), but sitting by a window, I could see quite well enough to pick up some knitting. To help keep myself entertained, I stole an idea from the Yarn Harlot from last week. Her readers sent in Haiku; mine can best be described as hack-u. These are the ones (barely) worth repeating:

The power is out
I have my knitting and pets
Things could be much worse

It's warm by the fire
Mitten knitting up nicely
It can keep snowing

Once the cadence gets stuck in the head, it won't let go, even when it's time to go outside:

I have to shovel
Slushy driveway is a mess
Can't let it freeze up

Snow, mostly water
When did driveway get so long?
I want to be done

Still no electricity, and word on the street — from next door, anyway — was that it would be Monday (!!) until the crews could get it fixed. Not listening! Not listening! I headed for the woodpile, not to crawl underneath it, but to carry most of it into the house.* I forgot about the flue — I don't want to talk about it — but, at last:



Apparently, camping by the fireplace does not appeal to 16-year-olds. Mine took all 1,000 of her fleece blankets and went to bed, leaving her mother, the dogs and one clingy cat on the couch with candles, some Dr. Pepper and a promising novel.

I might have squealed a little on Sunday when the lights flicked back on at about noon. I am newly grateful for a warm house and electric lights. I might have to hug a lineman the next time I see one, whether he wants me to or not.

*Who needs Little House in the Prairie -- "Pa! We need more wood, Pa!" — when you can have Little House in the Suburbs -- "Mom! There's power at Xxx's house, Mom! They have a hot tub!"

A Makeover? Hardly. Just a New Template. And a Video.

This is what happens when you click a button to see what happens. Viola! A new template. Don't be surprised if more fiddling occurs. In the meantime, some very clever people made a brilliant wee video, knitting content included!

What Do I Know?

As I was knitting away on this, I loved the yarn — Blue Sky Suri Alpaca, what's not to like? — but the pattern? Well. This was time I wasn't going to get back. But my newly minted 16-year-old gushed over it — "Hmmm. Not bad. Warm." — and when we put it on a mannequin at the shop, people couldn't leave it alone! Several skeins of suri left for their brave new world that day, complete with the alterations to the pattern: knit with 9s, not 6s, cast on 160, not 150 stitches and knit the whole skein, not just 3-1/2 inches (that's one short neck!).


As for this early-fall favorite-in-waiting?


Love them, love them! I reach for them nearly all the time. For holding on to a cold steering wheel, mostly, but they're great when I'm hanging out in the barn, getting a whole lot of nothing done. Consumer tip: When the pattern says to cast off loosely, that means ... cast off loooos-leeee — or have a lobster claw where your hand used to be. Ask me how I know.


Guess who's getting some whiskers. Hint: barkbark barkbarkbarkbark barkbarkbarkbark barkbarkbarkbarkbarkbarkbark barkbarkbark barkbarkbark barkbark