More Key West

Pictures from Key West

We just got back - tired, archiving some pictures.

Starting over

So, the other night I spent the whole evening pulling out my Kauni. I'm stilling going to use the traveling leaves design from the Tailored Jacket pattern but I'm using Ruth Sorensen's cardigan pattern for shaping and gauge. Since it looks pretty sack-y in the pics on Ravelry, I'm adding some waist shaping as well - 3 sets of decreases (at 10, 12 and 14 cm) and 3 increases (at 16, 18 and 20 cm). I've put so much time and thought into this now, the damn thing better fit. Here are some pictures of my progress so far - one with flash and one without. Neither gets the color quite tight, it's somewhere in the middle.

Happy holidays!

Don't know about anyone else but I have ton of baking lately, which always makes me happy. Pecan pie, cookies, more cookies and cinnamon bread. That last was made just to be used in French toast tomorrow. How decadent.
For knitting, my aim for 2013 is to work in color. I've spent the last couple months working in earth tones and I've had it. Kauni, here I come!
So I hope everyone is having some wonderful time, hopefully off, with good company.

Random thought of the day

Because I drive a lot (I'm a supercommuter) I ride along on my husbands Audible account. Which I love. And I'm really dull, which you might expect (Austin, Brontes, books on the NSA) but I did want to mention my favorite podcasts. Along with Knitpicks, I'd recommend Mile Duncan's The History of Rome, Kevin Stroud's History of English and any of the Naked Science podcasts - Naked Genetics is my favorite.
Thoughts for the weekend.
And here's our tree - now the house smells nice.

So, it doesn't look like much

And I'm going to put fewer beads on it than the first version (Goddess Nut) but its coming along. For whatever reason all my Christmas knitting this year was in neutrals and I'm dying to rip out my Kauni and redo it in this vest (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/trellis-waistcoat) maybe or the Kauni sweater (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kauni-rainbow-cardigan) which would be simpler but I'd want to fit it a bit. Just anything with color!
I also really love the Veyla mitts and want to try them in Chroma - maybe with a matching hat? I have some leftovers from the second Stained Glass sweater I made for Elaine, maybe she can be my guinea pig.

Soccer and number 5 of 5

Our final soccer tournament of the year. So, I got some work done one the last knitting present. Our parents also got so rowdy that the ref lodged a complaint with the tournament officials. Nice.

Blocking and buttons

Here are the Veyla blocked, with buttons for our niece. The little wants a pair in dark blue now. Here are Pipet and Hallett's drying too.

Finishing things

Well, I'm down to the last knitted present. Not sure if I want to do a shawl or a sweater. I suspect my issue is I think pearlescent is ugly, and I'd be happy making either with another color. Sigh.

Pre-Thanksgiving tradition

I hope everyone is gearing up for a fun and safe holiday. Every year for Thanksgiving eve we have baked Brie in puff pastry for dinner and chocolate mousse. And we watch Charlie Brown. I also made cornbread for stuffing tomorrow.

Oh yeah

Here's number 3 - Pipit again in Sugarbunny. It's nice, very soft and works wonderfully for this pattern. I like that our kitty is in this picture because the way you knit the pattern, it makes me think of the Cheshire Cat appearing.

Those pictures

Here are my first couple Xmas presents. We had soccer all weekend so I got more done on number 3 and started number 4 as well.

It's been a long time, sorry

It's been a long time, sorry.  But if you haven't abandoned me, I can say I've been knitting Christmas presents.  I have 3.5 out of 5 done and I only started in October, so I feel pretty good about my chances of getting this done and still having time to ship them.  I'll post some pictures tonight.

Today at work, I noticed I have these 2 birds outside my window, they look like they're playing chess.  Watch the video here.  Then they fight, one leaves, the other sits in the tree outside my window looking all hunchy and territorial until the first one comes back, then they play chess again and fight more.  It's sort of fascinating, so I filmed it and I'm posting it here.

Hopefully everyone is getting ready to have a relaxing holiday - we're going to make this stuffing (it's totally awesome, we tried it last weekend) and some of the usual fun stuff - like white chocolate mousse and pecan pie.  I'll have Wednesday at least partially to myself to go grocery shopping and clean, which is always kind of fun.  We don't go anywhere or see anyone for Thanksgiving, usually, so it's quiet and nice.  Which of course is making us flirt with getting a dog, because too little chaos just isn't allowed in our world.

I've been trying to get back to abandoned projects this year, and I have on thing I need to take out and do over.  My Kauni jacket isn't gong to fit, so I need to to repurpose the yarn - I've seen a really cool vest pattern on Ravelry . . . .  but if you do a pattern search for Kauni vest you get some pretty awesome stuff.

Okay, lunch is over, back to work!

Pipit is done!

Needs to be washed, but I like this reuse of this yarn.