Another one bites the dust...

Whooo Hooo The Dragon Hat is done!!!

The red is so intense it appears to glow on this.  The blue background is more of a dark royal blue with the ribbing a navy blue.  So it gets mailed off this week with the AAAAAA is for Wallaby and hopefully the kids will enjoy them.

Next up - finish the Ruched Scarf - and the swatch for Nana's Sweater both from Interweave Knits Winter 2009.  I've also pulled out some Opal Yarn and the Nutkin Sock (Knitzi.com) pattern to play with.

Three down - a hat to go.

Sweater #3 for grandson A is now done.  Finished last night and now I have a hat about half way done for the baby.  Dragons are not always easy to knit.  I've started the flames he's breathing and have about 2/3rds of the wings to do.

Fire Ruched Scarf is done - well the knitting is done.  The finishing will probably take as long as the knitting.  I LOVE the colors of this one.  Photos when it is completely done.

I went to the local spinning group last weekend and had a ball.  Watching what others are working with is always an inspiration to me.  One lady had brought a Shetland fleece she had cleaned and was spinning straight from the fleece.  The fleece was a rich chocolate brown with golden tips and the spinning was preserving this wonderful color mixture.  Two ladies were spinning for a class held Saturday.  Next month I'm looking forward to seeing what they created.

My next project will be another from Interweave Knits Winter issue.  It's Nora's Jacket - the cover one.  I have Ultra Alpaca in a heathery blue that I'll be using.  

I've also been spinning.  AllSpunUp's November/December Spin Along was Falkland dyed with beautiful blues, greens purples - I have one bobbin done and another started.  I think I'll do a simple 2-ply and see what happens from there.  Once I'm finished and know what my yardage is, I can see what I can knit.

The Jan/Feb SAL is Wensleydale colorway called Blaze.  It's awesome and when I can get some good daylight photos, will post here.  That one will probably be a single.

Posting a photo from a few months ago when DH was putting down the floor in our bedroom.  The flooring is stranded bamboo and it's really nice.  No carpet in this house!  The tape holds it in place until the glue dries.  Wall color is called Tigereye from Sherwin Williams.  I love the color!  We also used Lemongrass and Basket Beige.    

 

2010

Happy New Year to one and all. I think things have settle down a bit so maybe more can be written and I can accomplish a bit more than last year.

In 2009 I finished 2 pairs of socks and two sweaters. I think I would have finished at least one more sweater except for a family member's emergency surgery Thanksgiving weekend. What could have been tragic wasn't and he's home and recovering. Hopefully the surgeon will release him to light duty at work tomorrow.

This time of year is a time for remembering - remembering friends and family who have passed, remembering good times and thinking. Not so much regrets or what-if's but trying to make sense of events and determining what route I think I want to follow.

Right now we're having snow flurries - and it's cold enough that they will stick around for a while. It's just a dusting - like the sprinkle of powdered sugar on a chocolate cupcake - the cake still shows through. We're at 15°F right now with the wind-chill taking it down to 4. It would be a great day for a fire in the fireplace and a mug of tea or chocolate and a good book. I haven't found gas logs for the fireplace yet - so that takes care of that one. I also have to leave for work in about 30 min. so that takes care of the mug and book. It's the thought that counts so I can feel snuggly.

Knitting projects pending right now are the third sweater, a dragon hat for the youngest grandson, and the Fiery Ruched Scarf from the Winter Interweave Knits. I have about 5 rows for the scarf, the sleeves, yoke and hood for the sweater, and about half the hat. I hope to finish all three this month. Then I plan to start the Nana sweater from the cover of IK. I have some beautiful yarn from Haus of Yarn in Nashville and will post a photo as soon as I get a good one taken.

My orchids bloomed this year - in fact the 2 orchids, 3 Christmas Cacti, and 3 African Violets were all in bloom at the same time. That's a first for us. I thin the orchids had a total of 14 blooms and one is shown here. They are both dendrobiums - one standard and one miniature. Both are the same coloring and the blooms are actually the same size.

So until later, enjoy now!