I really, really am tired of winter! I know, I will say the same thing about summer come August, but enough snow/ice/wind is enough! It does look pretty from my back door, though:
Caps for the Dulaan project and yarn for two scarves for the WWII project. Great knitting to do while watching TV. I have to be careful, though...if I try doing something with a pattern while something really interesting is on, I make the most interesting mistakes. (That's in the Chinese sense...there's a Chinese curse that says, "May you live in interesting times.")
Projects in process include my first pair of socks and The Braids Cardigan (#402 from Cabin Fever). I'm using Reynold's Signature yarn (80% acrylic, 20% wool) in wine. Machine washable, and so soft! It's not a difficult pattern, so it's a good one for me at this point.
Thanks to my daughter's patience, I have finally learned to make socks....well, almost....still trying to figure out the Kitchener stitch to close the toe. I've tried books and a good video tutorial, but I still need a person to walk me through it the first time. I was OK using dpns to finish the caps, but got frustrated trying to start a sock with them. Too many sticks for me to handle! Deborah taught me the "magic loop" method and that seems to work for me. The Wizard of Oz (aka "Ozzie") is checking out the progress. Yes, I am from Kansas!
I've enjoyed reading Susan Whittig Albert's book, Indigo Dying. It's a mystery (about the only genre I read), and weaves in raising white and colored angora goats, using natural dyes, spinning, etc. (Weaves in...get it? I know, bad, but it was just there, waiting for me...) There are lots of interesting tidbits about natural materials, creating dyes, etc. along with a fairly extensive bibliography at the end. The goats have a guard llama named "Shangrilama" along with three very responsible bucks. Her whole series revolves around her herb shop. Some books waiting in the wings:
Non-knitting things crying for attention include two counted cross-stitch projects that have been ignored for entirely too long. There's a "Girls Night Out" with glow-in-the-dark floss from the Witches Stitches folder by Stoney Creek that I really should finish NOW so that I have time to get it framed and ready for fall. It doesn't seem to be on their site any more, but you could ask them, or try e-Bay.
Then there's the gorgeous Morning Light from Graphs by Barbara and Cheryl, Inc. Lovely play of light and shadow on the garden and house, and 82 different colors of floss!
This should be enough for the first time! Love to hear from you!
