What color would you say this is? Blue, right?

Does it look anything like this?

No, of course not. And you’re now asking yourself, “Has Deb gone color-blind?”

The answer is no, I have not, but apparently the people at Webs have.

I’ve posted over the last week or so about my order trials and tribulations, trying to get Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool from their sale, and how I finally just gave up on that altogether, and decided to settle for the Cascade 220. The magenta Cascade 220.

Well, the box came today, and . . . I’m pretty sure that that color is blue. Now, to be fair the color number was somehow incorrect on the original order, and they sent me the color that was stated on the packing slip . . . it’s HOW that number got on the packing slip that I’m wondering about, and, still–the last email I sent them, when I gave up on the Silky Wool, I specified that I would just get the magenta Cascade . . . You’d think after all the emails going back and forth, and the fact that I told them how unhappy I was, they would have noticed that when they were in the system adjusting the order.

And even if not, still, at the moment, I’m an unhappy customer. Not angry, just disappointed and tired. Any time any order from anywhere requires more than one or two extra e-mails to clarify matters, it just makes me sad . . . especially when what I end up with is wrong any way. Sigh.

On the plus side, look! One very full bobbin of my own singles. That’s just under 8 oz of fiber. (I couldn’t quite get the whole length of roving on there, though I tried!) Purplish in the direct sun, but otherwise grayish, this is just a beautiful color, and so soft! 50/50 Merino/Silk from the SheepShed.

I mean, it only took me 5 months to fill it. (I know, you’d think the spinning would be finer, huh?) I got the roving at Rhinebeck, but “saved” it to be a birthday present for myself, and didn’t start spinning it until I got my Woolee Winder.

I’m not the speediest spinner . . . although this certainly would have gone faster if I spun every day or so instead of about half an hour a week. But see, the one problem I have is that, since I can only spin with the short-draw method (so far), my left hand–the one in front–gets tired pinching off the twist. And after half an hour or so, my fingers start to cramp. (Especially–and this is the only negative to the Woolee Winder–since I don’t have to constantly stop to adjust the feed onto the bobbin. Who knew that that tiny break might actually be helpful? Still, I’d rather have the WW than not, so . . . )

Hey, who knew that so many people had photographed their knitting bags lately? Judging by yesterday’s comments, it’s apparently been all the rage these last couple months . . . and here I just thought it was an interesting way to fill in some time between interesting “progress” shots!

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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Since none of my WIPs look particularly different than they did the last time I showed them, here’s a look inside my knitting bag. That’s the Celtic Dreams at the top left (4 rows completed tonight). Top right is my Sundara socks (2 rows). Bottom right is my Peacock stole (2 rows–it would have been more, but it was misbehaving and should count itself lucky). Bottom left is my accessory bag.

Of course, it is really a cosmetic bag, but it’s very handy. Two layers.

The top layer (designed for makeup brushes) is where I keep my cable needles, sewing needles, scissors, crochet hook, and measuring tape.

The bottom layer is deeper, and lined with handy pockets all around the inside. This is where the stitch markers, row counters, calculator, pen, moisturizer and so forth goes.

Really, I kind of love this bag. I’ve only had it a couple of weeks, and I just love how very organized it is. I love being neat and organized and knowing exactly where things are, and I was tired of constantly rummaging for the measuring tape or the scissors in the last umpteen bags I’ve tried in the past. So far, I like this much better. I even like the nice corners and its structured rectangular shape. It wouldn’t work very well in a small knitting bag, or one that’s more of the soft and “smushy” variety, but it works wonderfully in this one. (What? You don’t get excited over bags and luggage and organizational tools? It’s just me, then? Humph. Imagine that!)

What’s the inside of your knitting bag look like? Consider it a meme, if you like! And let me know if you participate. Maybe, just maybe there’ll be a prize . . . you know, if you make it worth my while and keep me sufficiently entertained!

The new Knitty‘s up, did you know? There are a couple really nice patterns there–I like Convertible and Tendrils (well, lace, you know . . . what’s not to love?). There are some that are nice, but that I’ll probably never make. But then, well, there are a couple that, well . . . you know that old saw about how if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all? I think I’ll just leave it at that.

I also just made a donation on Mildred‘s behalf for the Tulsa Breast Cancer Walkathon. It seemed the least I could do. My own grandmother had breast cancer, too, and I think she would have liked that, don’t you? I’m so glad I started browsing through the RAOK webring–it’s been ages since I circled the ring, and I would have missed that.

Here’s the biggest problem with webrings. It’s not the time it takes to go through the 250 or so blogs, it’s the aggravation from broken links and “hidden” webring code so that you either can’t get onto a page and therefore through the ring, or you can’t get off a page once you get on. Is it any wonder I’ve been neglecting the webring and just sticking to my Newsgator settings? But I suppose there was a reason I decided to go webring trawling today . . . clearly, I need to do this more often.

And, did you see Ann’s latest joke?

Tags: Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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Well, it’s not particularly fancy, but here’s my pink square for Warming Grace. Just a simple garter stitch, with YO increases along the diagonal, for a little lacy detail. (Very little, of course, but hey.) I’ll get it into the mail to Cynthia just as soon as I get a postcard to include in the package . . . and, of course, after it’s dry! I mean, really, who could resist those beautiful eyes of hers? (Grace’s, that is, though I’m sure Cynthia’s are lovely, too.)

Anyway, this only took me a few minutes this afternoon. I spent most of my knitting time today getting my Celtic Dreams started. I worked diligently to pick up the stitches along the saddles, and in however many hours I put into it today, I got all the way to row 8 of the back. It doesn’t sound very impressive, does it?

Yet, let me tell you, it actually is pretty impressive. Because knitting a cabled aran sweater in Aran-weight yarn in SIZE 2 NEEDLES is not easy. In fact, may I just say, “Ouch.” My left wrist in particular is sore tonight. Part of that may be from the sheer quantity of knitting this weekend–it was that fun, social thing–but some of it is is from struggling with this (relatively) big yarn on (relatively) small needles. I mean, really! 3 mm needles for this yarn is just absurd, and something of a struggle. Just getting through the first row was a struggle.

I don’t know about you, but while it’s not my favorite thing, I don’t mind casting on THAT much. I usually use the knitted-on cast on and find that’s pretty easy since it is, after all, almost the same thing as knitting. But what I do detest is knitting that first row. It’s always the tightest row of any project–that’s just the nature of cast-on rows–but in general, getting the stitches on the needle and the first row done is always my first big hurdle. Which, well, fine. That’s the nature of knitting.

But this pattern? It’s got increases in the first row. It’s part of the effort of avoid what the designer calls Cable Splay. Quote: “Special attention has been given to the technique of casting on fewer stitches than are required and increasing in the first row worked to compensate for the take-in of cables. This creates a smooth edge while avoiding ‘cable splay’ (the spreading out of the base of the cables).”

An admirable goal, and from a design standpoint, I applaud it. From a knitter’s standpoint–a knitter who loathes the first row to begin with . . . well, not only were there Purl-in-front-and-back increases, which were bad enough, but trying to do M1 increases off the cast-on row, while working in tiny needles with Aran-weight yarn . . . oh lord! Let’s just say it took far too long to get to Row 2.

I am absolutely dreading the start of the front . . . you know, when I eventually get there. At this rate, it may be a while. But still. The cables do look pretty, and my gauge isn’t too far off (grin). My saddles actually matched the gauge, but when I measured the width of the back (which according to the schematic should be 14″ wide), it was 16″. Obviously, that’s 2″ too wide, but darn it, I’ll take it. God knows I am NOT dropping down to size 1s. As it is, I’m using wood instead of Addi Turbos because the metal (for the first time ever) was too hard on my hands because of the extra effort of manipulating the Aran-thick stitches. Anything smaller is simply not an option.

One thing I didn’t mention in my account of Liz and Shelley’s visit (and Risa and the twins)? The awful weather we had yesterday. Cold rain, mixed with sleet, and even snow. Really miserable–which makes Risa’s bringing the twins Saturday morning that much more admirable, since she didn’t opt at the last minute to stay home in bed. And Liz and Shelley resolutely left at noon as they intended, despite the weather, so they could get home when they needed to. And after they had all left? I admit it. I took a nap with Chappy on the couch. It was just that kind of day.

But, the reward for the truly miserable weather?

The truly glorious sunset last night.

(Okay, I admit I tweaked this a little in Photoshop to make the colors a little more saturated, but really, even without digital enhancement, this was a gorgeous display.)

Today, of course, naturally, ironically, the weather was perfect. Mid-fifties, bright sun, just a lovely early Spring day. I ran down to Dunkin Donuts this morning for some coffee (the coffee maker was still tired from yesterday). I brought Chappy along. He really doesn’t much like the car, but the bonus about the 2-mile trip to Dunkin Donuts? He gets a bite or two of corn muffin. For some reason, Chappy adores the Dunkin Donuts corn muffins. He doesn’t like mine this much–I wonder if it’s the fun of going to get them himself, or if he likes the taste of those extra preservatives or whatever they bake into theirs that my from-scratch muffins don’t have? Either way, I would never consider taking a quick run to DD without bringing him with me.

He also got a nice, long walk this morning. And then a sample of tuna at lunch. (He loves fish–I never make tuna salad without offering him a taste of the plain tuna. He loves the Laske Kronch salmon treats from SitStay.com, and he is always thrilled if I add sardines into a batch of his food.) All in all, he’s had a good, good weekend. Guests. Extra treats. Playtime. A long walk. Lots of time with Mom (me). Is it any wonder he’s this tired? He might actually be glad to see the usually-dreaded Monday Morning . . . a chance to get some sleep!

Oh, and Liz? Chappy says hi, and that he misses you!

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Sky by Deb
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H is for Houseful. And Hospitality. For a couple hours today, our house was very full. Not only was there, well, us (me, Mom, Dad–poor guy, it was raining and he couldn’t golf–and Chappy), but there was also Risa with Kat and Alex, Shelley, and Liz. (The oddest thing about this picture? At 5’3″, I’m the tallest person here–I don’t know that that’s ever happened to me before!)

Shelley and Liz (aka Lizzy B) came up yesterday afternoon–fighting traffic most of the way. Liz and Chappy hit it off immediately. She was down on the ground playing almost as soon as she saw him, even before we were in the house! He may have gotten a little (ahem) over-excited, but they definitely had a good time.

Of course, Max and Marley weren’t forgotten–there were lots of stories flying around about all the dogs, present or not. (And their cats, too, though of course, I didn’t have any cat stories.)

The three of us stayed up until after midnight, knitting, talking, and laughing. (And apparently, after we all went to bed, Liz and Shelley stayed up until 3:00 talking even more!) I got to see Liz’s Brambleberry sweater in person. As great as it looked on the blog, it looked even better in person. (Oh, and the scarf in Synchronicity yarn? Yum!) Shelley’s Norwegian hat is beautiful, too–don’t think it’s not just because I didn’t gush. (Oh, and ladies, I know this isn’t the most flattering photo, but–I tried!)

Then this morning, Risa came with the twins, and chaos erupted. Chappy barked (and barked and barked) hello, which spooked the twins. And once they’d gotten over that and started feeling comfortable, well . . . let’s just say that gates that block doorways but which can be slid aside aren’t as effective with twins as they are with puppies. In other words, they kept escaping the kitchen and running into rooms they weren’t allowed in. And, of course, not listening to their Mom, because where’s the fun in that? So poor Risa didn’t get to knit with the three of us–her lap and her hands were full (literally and figuratively).

Unfortunately, Shelley and Liz had to leave at noon. (I did wave good-bye, but I’m not sure if you saw me. The departure process got kind of rowdy–more barking, more escaping, more chaos.) The twins settled down again, and had some lunch. (Alex wanted a sandwich like my Dad was having–he sat right next to him at the table, and “chewed” along with each bite . . . the boy was hungry!)

I did mention the knitting, right? Liz and I both cast on for the Celtic Dreams sweater, although she got rather further than I did. (She claims I knit faster, but I don’t know about that!) In this case, though, she got further because her gauge was just fine. Mine on the other hand . . . apparently the stockinette stitch swatch wasn’t accurate after all, because when I started my first shoulder saddle last night, well . . . it was closer to 5″ wide than the 2.5″ in the schematic. So this morning, I dropped down to size 3 needles (3.25 mm). Um . . . still, not quite there. (Sheesh.) So . . .size 2 (3 mm) Ebony needles? Definitely closer, but even there . . . the swatch is closer to 3″ than 2.5″. Should I try size 1s? Lord, that just seems pathetic for Aran weight yarn…. especially compared to the size 7 (4.5mm) the pattern calls for. (Oh, and yes, I know there’s an error in the cable. If I stick with this saddle at this gauge, though, it’s staying there–who’s going to look that closely at my shoulders anyway?

Let’s not forget, though, that H is also for Hostess Gifts. Liz and Shelley both brought me gifts!

From Liz–a skein of Opal sock yarn–a brand which I haven’t gotten to try yet. A bar of soap that coordinates really nicely with my bathroom and smells lovely. A bar of goat milk soap in the silver box which smells even nicer. A bumblebee tape measure. And two skeins of Koigu in just gorgeous colors . . . (Um, which hat was it again that you had in mind for that yarn, Liz? Interweave Knits Winter issue had more than one hat pattern….)

From Shelley, a very nice Vanilla-Grapefruit candle. Some Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in “Indian” which is just a gorgeous combinations of reds and cinnamons and autumn-y colors. And, oh, a skein of Alchemy Synchronicity all my very own in a beautiful shade of teal. Now I know what Liz was gushing about when Shelley gave her a skein in February. It’s just amazing!

Thank you both so much!

And, meanwhile, here’s what Chappy’s doing right this minute. All this entertaining the guests, being cute and charming (and loud and excited) is just exhausting. It did not take him long to fall asleep at all!

Oh, H is also for Helping. If you haven’t heard of the Warming Grace project, do go check out entry from April 5th. I found some pink Calmer in my stash, so I’m ready to go!

And, lastly–an editorial by Zoe Williams about unleashed dogs in parks, from the Guardian. Shelley, Mom and I were talking about dog-friendly public places this morning, and how some people just don’t “get” what dog owners want and need (is it really too much to ask that your dog–as long as it is well-behaved–should be allowed out in public with you, when bratty kids can go anywhere?). So, this article was well-timed for me. A quote: “The fact is that fat, self-important parents use them for four days
in the summer; dog owners use them all year round. …This sort of
thing happens all the time: people with no notion of dog ownership,
with no idea about what’s a problem and what’s a play, who aren’t even
anywhere near you, will just come up and start berating you.”

Tags: ABC-Along, Chappy, Friends, General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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Here’s a look at my Sundara yarn Black Lagoon socks. I decided to do a certain amount of texture, for a change. This is a first for me–except for the Jaywalker socks, every pair of socks I’ve made has been plain stockinette stitch. (And let’s face it, even the Jaywalkers are mostly SS, they just . . . zigzag.) Sundara actually blogged about this the other day, about how for variegated yarns, she thinks too much patterning can take away from the colors of the yarn. That’s the way I feel, too. It CAN work (and often does), but sometimes, really, you just want to let the pretty colors shine on their own, no visual distractions. (Maybe not in as extreme a way with socks as with lace, but . . . same idea.)

Which, of course, makes it ironic that I’d pick her yarn for the first pair of textured socks I’m making (grin). I like the look, though, and think that the yarn colors are looking just fine! (You may recognize the stitch? Maybe from something bigger and greener?)

Apparently, I’m just not meant to try the Silky Wool from Webs–sale or no sale. I mentioned the other day that my first color choice (#19–a pretty purplish-gray) had been discontinued and was no longer available. That was disappointing, but it happens. Fine. So I asked for choice number two, #8, the mossy green. Another e-mail. Sorry, it’s been backordered, but we have four colors in stock that have the 10 skeins you’re looking for. So, back to the website to take a look at the colors, and I say I’ll try #35–the ocean blue.

Guess what I just got in my inbox? Yep. Another e-mail. “Sorry, it’s been backordered.” Now, I understand that they may have made some sales while I was looking at the colors and all, but for heaven’s sake–they TOLD me they had it in stock! You wouldn’t think buying 10 skeins would be so difficult!

So . . . I just told them to cancel the order. Sigh. Well, the Silky Wool, not the Cascade 220 . . . although if I get an e-mail about that, I’m going to give up altogether!

Chappy’s been busy primping since I got home. Well, first, we went out into the (muddy) backyard to play–he was going to get a bath today no matter what, but at least this way he’d really need one, really have earned it, you know? Made it worth while? So, he chased his (muddy) tennis ball, laid down in the mud to chew on the tennis ball, and generally just had a good time. Then we came upstairs and he hopped into the bathtub and got a good, by then much-needed, thorough bath.

And then, he ran around the house, “blow-drying” and ended up with quite a hairdo.

  You can’t quite see it? Well, how about with these pictures?

He works very hard at getting his hair just right.

Because, well, a boy needs to look his best. Especially when he’s expecting not one but two house guests for an overnight visit from Friday to Saturday. And then a visit from three more friends on Saturday morning? It’s a shame they can’t stay longer, but Chappy’s planning on making the most of it . . . and so am I!

1. Do you have a favorite character(s)?
   This is another hard one, because there are so many to choose from! Mr. Darcy. Gabriel from Sharon Shinn’s Archangel. Francis Crawford from Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles. Anne Shirley from L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. (Gilbert, too.) Robinton from Anne McCaffrey’s Pern . . .
2. What book/author is he/she/it from?
   . . . But I suppose if I had to pick one, it would be Ramses from Elizabeth Peter’s Amelia Peabody mysteries–primarily the young Ramses. He’s the son of Victorian era Egyptogists and has quite a way with the mysteries his parents inevitably get involved in.
3. Why do you like this person–what is it about the way he/she was written that drew you to them?
   He is SUCH a unique character. As a child, he transcends “precocious.” He is appallingly loquacious, speaking in the most complex strings of clauses he can fit into basic sentence structure–and with a vocabulary to match. He’s devious about getting out to do what he wants–all while following the letter of the law as laid down by his mother. (Like his argument when he helped rescue his parents from a pyramid: “You told me not to go into a pyramid unless you or Papa were there, but since you were already inside . . .”) He speaks colloquial Arabic fluently as a child, has a penchant for disguise, has a soft-spot for animals (like the lion cub he steals and brings home) . . . He’s just a riot.
4. Is there something more you would like the author to tell you about them?
   I’d love more stories from the young-Ramses timeline. Where the series stands now, he’s a full adult, married, with twins of his own. He’s grown into a fine young man, but he no longer has the precociousness of his younger self, and I miss that. (The series in general isn’t as good as it used to be, mind you, but the earlier ones are gems.)

Tags: Chappy, Family, General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading by Deb
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I’m not an official member of Lolly’s Project Spectrum, but I do like taking pictures, so . . . here are some yellows and oranges from around the house.

These are (1) My bed, with its orange comforter cover, and the yellow walls (which are more gold than the somewhat beige they photographed. (2) My calendar for the month of April, on my yellow wall. (3) My goldish-suede tote bag, which seems to have decided to live on this bench by my spinning wheel, rather than in the closet.

These are (1) Mom’s sunshine pillow in the living room. (2) My favorite picture of me and Katy–my yellow shirt matched her amber eyes, the frame is the perfect orange-gold . . . (3) Our yellow family room furniture, whcih really IS yellow, though it photographed kind of beige, too.

These are: (1) Chappy’s toy basket, which seems to be overflowing with bright, sunny colors, (2) a yellow pitcher I painted and which sits on top of the refrigerator, and (3) well, bananas and oranges–can’t get more yellow/orange than that!

Speaking of tops of refrigerators, Kate wanted to see what was in that cabinet? Well, nothing! We emptied it out last May when we had the cabinets refaced, and never bothered to put anything back in!

Now, I’m on color option #3 for my Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool. My first choice was discontinued, my second choice, it turns out, was backordered, and so I went with choice number three . . . picked out of one of only 4 shades that they actually had in sufficient quantity–color #35, “Ocean.” Now, this one I haven’t seen in person, so . . . fingers crossed!

Tags: General by Deb
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Here’s the sky from my morning’s drive to work. Clearing sky after last night’s rain. I liked the long, horizontal lines. I liked the brightness right along the horizon, but also in that long, slashing diagonal at the top. It was so pretty, I had to pull the car over to take the picture. (See how handy it is that I keep a camera in my purse?

Now, on to more important things. Like, yarn purchases.

I said I was going to cut back on buying yarn for a while–and it’s been a few weeks. But, um, did you know that Webs is having a sale? And one of the items on sale is Elsebeth Lavold’s Silky Wool, a yarn I’ve wanted to try for a while. (Risa will vouch for this, judging by the length of time I spent admiring it in Montclair last month.) So . . . I placed an order last night.

The catch was, I got an email today saying that the color I picked was no longer available. Sigh. So I asked if my second choice was available, and am waiting to hear. Disappointing, though, huh?

I made another swatch on smaller needles, too–size 5 needles (dropped down from the 6 I swatched in yesterday, and from the 7 called for in the pattern). My 18 stitches measured about 4.5″–a lot closer than the other swatch was, even if not quite what it should be, but still . . . since the swatch is a flat stockinette stitch, and the sweater is cabled and knitted in the round, who really knows how close (or far) I might be? I don’t think I’ll know until I actually start the real thing!

And now, sunset. This picture was taken from the deck in the backyard. I was sitting in the family room after my shower, stretched out in my favorite chair, and, well, when I saw this through the window, how could I help myself? I had to get up, get my camera, and step outside to take the picture. Low clouds again, near the horizon, much like the ones in the other direction this morning, but the weather today? Mostly sunny. Not a bad way to go!

At least that’s one thing about Daylight Savings Time . . . I get a really good view of the sunsets while I’m just, you know, sitting there.

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Sky by Deb
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So, I thought you’d like to see what I’m actually working on NOW. You know, since I finished my sweater and my pair of socks this weekend.

First, my Peacock Stole (adapted from the famous Fiddlesticks Knitting Peacock Feathers shawl). I’m on row 83 of the pattern, although I skipped about 30 rows of the beginning lace pattern, so it’s more like the 53rd row . . . give or take. But that doesn’t really matter. I reset my row counter to match the actual pattern, and this is where I am.

Doesn’t really look like much at the moment, does it? It doesn’t help that it’s just laid out on my ottoman, in its crumpled-lace-knitting state. And naturally, I needed one hand to hold the camera, so I couldn’t stretch it into some sort of shape for you. So, you’ll just have to take it on faith that I (kind of) know what I’m doing, and at least be happy that you’re seeing some progress.

Now, this cute little picture is of the beginnings of my next pair of socks. Sundara sock yarn in the Black Lagoon colorway–a shade which I adore. It’s like dark teal, and really beautiful. And lord, this yarn is so soft!

I’m pretty proud of the picture, too, because the color is pretty accurate. I had a really hard time taking its picture when it arrived a month or so ago. I took this one, though, with it surrounded by white in a quasi light box, a white, collapsable storage cube from the Container Store. It’s a nice, white mesh, folds flat for easy storage, and, well, these bins are just wonderful for storing yarn. (You would have seen some of the colored ones when I flashed my stash on Saturday.) Love these things.

Oh, and the swatch I showed you yesterday? It now looks like this.

I measured my gauge and . . . you know what’s coming, don’t you? . . . at stockinette stitch, on US size 6 needles, I should have had 18 stitches over 4″/10 cm. Well, I knitted my swatch on the smaller US size 5 needles and came up with 13 stitches over four inches. Sigh.

So, being thrifty where swatch-yarn is concerned, I frogged the swatch and am knitting a new one on the one and only pair of Ebony wood needles I own–which happen to be US size 6 needles. I’m hoping the curlicue nature of the unravelled yarn won’t affect the gauge. And I’m even more fervently hoping that this one works because, as I said, this is the only needle I have in Ebony. The bamboo needles I have (whose joins I hate) are too close in color to the yarn and would visually drive me crazy, even without having to fight with the joins. Dropping another size on the Addis probably still wouldn’t get me close enough to gauge, and since I’d already be knitting the smallest size of the sweater, I can’t even fudge my way through the gauge issues by simply knitting the next smaller size. (At last, I think I’d be making the smallest size–I need to check the pattern to see if it’s giving sizes by actual sweater size or by the size chest it fits. But, anyway, considering my gauge issues, smallest is the way to go.) Sigh. There’s almost no way I could get a size 5 Ebony needle here by Saturday–cast-on day.

Here’s an interesting little tidbit, courtesy of Mom: “On Wednesday at two minutes and 3 seconds after 1 a.m. the time and date will be 01.02.03 04/05/06. (Assuming you write your dates in the American fashion). That will never happen again….. at least until 3006… but we won’t see that.” Nifty, huh?

And, did you know it’s Buy a Friend a Book Week?

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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Well, here I have a completed pair of socks. Isn’t that exciting?

Basic, toe-up socks, in Sunshine Yarn‘s “Slytherin” colorway. Nice yarn, nice colors, interesting pooling. They fit well, I’m happy with them. They’re socks. What else is there to say? (grin)

I didn’t love making the heel, and probably won’t ever use that method again, but it was good to try a new one, and I’m content enough with the result. So, s’all good.

  I did knit up a swatch last night for my next project–Celtic Dreams, in Black Water Abbey‘s “Autumn” colorway. Isn’t it nice to know that I can stick by a plan when I want to? I said in February that I was going to finish that not-so-shrunken cardigan first, before moving on to CD, and so I have.

I haven’t actually measured the swatch yet. I knitted it last night, washed it this morning, and took this picture as it was drying on the counter. So, I have absolutely no idea if I’m going to be anywhere near gauge. I mean, it would be a small miracle if I were, wouldn’t it? (grin) It was a nice yarn to work with for the swatch, though. Fuzzier than I expected it would be, and it is a somewhat scratchier yarn than I usually use, but it’s a gorgeous color and is obviously going to wear really, really well. I hope mine looks as good as the one on Annie‘s blog. Or Melanie‘s. Or Mary Beth‘s.And Cassie‘s is looking beautiful.

(Hey, but Lizzy B? Yes, I’m waiting to cast on until next weekend!)

What else did I do today? Well, you wouldn’t know it to look at his fluffiness, but I gave Chappy a haircut. Seriously. A whole dustpan full of fur–you know, the bits of fur he didn’t walk in and track all over the kitchen when we were finished. He was definitely looking too scruffy, and that will never do! I regularly trim him “around the edges”–the ears (especially under the ears), the paws, the “feathers” on his legs and under his belly. Never anything as extreme as using a clipper to shave off those gorgeous curls of his.

(Hmm, he almost looks chunky in this picture, but I assure you, it was the angle of the photo. His hips don’t really look that wide in person.)

I also did a modicum of cleaning today, including two huge loads of laundry–things neglected last week. The thing I did NOT do today was take a nap. Miraculously, I’ve been awake since I got out of bed this morning. The first time in about a week and a half that that’s happened. Almost two weeks, come to think of it. Obviously a sign that I’m feeling better. Woo hoo!

Dad’s happy, because his golf club opened for the season this weekend. You can’t keep a golfer away from his clubs for too long! And except for a passing shower yesterday, they had a gorgeous opening weekend, too.

And, Cara posted this link–look at the April Fool’s Day meal Amy Lu made for her family. Brilliant!

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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It IS Flash Your Stash day, so here’s mine.

Really. It (mostly) all fits into these three bins at the top of my closet.

There are a few skeins which hang from hangers from the closet rod, but basically this is it.

You’re not going to make me pull it all out to show you, are you? I did that just a couple months ago. Remember?

Here (to the right) is the next layer down in the closet. You can see the hanging skeins (Manos and some yarn from Rhinebeck) on the left. The basket just below them is some spinning fiber. And of course, part of my knitting library.

Oh, the bag lurking at the top right of the picture? A canvas bag filled with tote bags, ready to leap into action as knitting bags at a moment’s notice.

And, that bag is sitting on top of a milk crate filled with my knitting magazines–Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, and so on

The bottom “layer” of my closet. The rest of the craft-book library, my sewing basket, a basket filled with all my circular needles, and the bag full of merino/silk roving I got in Rhinebeck.

The box the bag is sitting on is filled with pattern leaflets. The binders next to it are filled with patterns and downloads from the internet.

It’s not perfectly neat, but I love that I’ve got everything in one place. The only knitting things not right here in the closet are my blocking board and my swift/ballwinder.

Here’s the complete, all-at-once look.

Really, it doesn’t look all that different from the picture I posted last year. That’s a good thing, right? It means I’m about holding my own against stash growth, right? (Right?)

But, oh, Wendy posted possibly the very best Flash Your Stash picture ever. Really. The very best. Ever. You absolutely must go take a look.

Really. I’ll wait.

Isn’t that fabulous??

Now, it’s been a nice Saturday, but I slept through about three hours of it. I don’t know why I’m still so tired. Darn it, I should be healthy again by now! Mom and I went out for coffee at Starbucks this morning, stopped at Ann Taylor Loft (I had a coupon), and were home within an hour and a quarter. We then took Chappy for a short walk . . . although we sped up for the last little bit because it had started to rain . . . but that was all I did today, and . . . exhausted. Sheesh!

I am just about done with my socks, though. All I have to do is cast-off the tops and they’re finished. I’m pretty happy with them, though they don’t have the same, built-in thrill that my handspun cardi yesterday had. Thanks for all the compliments, by the way. I’m touched.

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning by Deb
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Okay, here’s my list of books read in March. (And, really, even if it is April Fool’s Day, I really did read all of these. It would probably have been more if I hadn’t gotten sick!) Twenty-two books for the month, a total of 8,844 pages, and some really good books.

1. SPRING OF THE RAM by Dorothy Dunnett (469 p). Second book of the House of Niccolo series. In this book, our intrepid hero heads to the exotic Eastern city of Trebizond, last Christian outpost in the face of Turkish conquest. But meanwhile, his stepdaughter has eloped with his main rival, who is trying to outwit Nicholas at every turn, and by any method.

2. POWERS THAT BE by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough (356 p.) Not really the best book, but an interesting sci-fi premise . . . a world that has been terraformed to be habitable to humans, and which has become, in fact, sentient . . . though the Company doesn’t believe it. It’s actually the beginning of a series, but frankly, it’s the only one I like at all.

3. TWO SIDES OF THE MOON by David Scott and Alexei Leonev (390 p.) A look at the space race as told by an US astronaut and a Soviet Cosmonaut. Interesting dual perspective by two very accomplished men.

4. RACE OF SCORPIONS by Dorothy Dunnett (536 p.) Third in the House of Niccolo. Nicholas is coerced into fighting a war on Cyprus, fending off the attentions of Zacco, the king, and dealing with the fate of the hostages–his former lover Katelina, and her young nephew Diniz, who is convinced Nicholas killed his father. And, oh yes, an Emir from Cairo with a grudge.

5. 102 MINUTES by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn (276 p.) “The untold story of the fight to survive inside the twin towers.” This was absolutely excellent. The story of what happened inside the World Trade Center on 9/11/01 between the time the first plane hit the first tower, and the time the second tower fell. Riveting. Wonderfully written. Meticulously researched. Amazing story–heartbreaking on so many levels–not only because of the truth of what we all know about that day, but also because of things we didn’t know. Great book, about an event that we simply cannot afford to forget. (Can you believe this was four and a half years ago, already??)

6. SOLITAIRE by Kelley Eskridge (396 p). Such an interesting idea of a book. Sci-fi, set in the not-too-distant future, Ren Segura (Jackal to her friends) is a privileged young woman, a symbol of the new World Government . . . and frankly, the beginning, “Hope” part of the book is a little dull . . . but then, tragedy strikes, and Jackal is accused of the terrorist murders of 437 people, including some of her dearest friends, and committed to virtual solitary confinement–what will feel like eight years in a tiny cell, completely alone, but in reality is only 10 months. This is where the book gets really good . . . the solitary time, and then the adjustment period that comes after. It kept me up until 1:15 in the morning, finishing this book. It’s not perfect, but as the author’s first novel, it’s pretty remarkable.

7. SCALES OF GOLD by Dorothy Dunnett (519 p). Fourth in the House of Niccolo series. Nicholas goes to Africa to try to get enough gold to save his struggling bank, in the company of Katelina’s angry sister. It turns into more of a spiritual journey for Nicholas, but ends with a hard and bitter blow at the very end–heart-wrenching.

8. ABOVE HALLOWED GROUND by the photographers of the New York City Police Department (191 p). A coffee table book of never-before published photos of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001–including many photos taken from NYPD helicopters, which are amazing in their scope.

9. UNICORN HUNT by Dorothy Dunnett (656 p). Fifth in the House of Niccolo series. One long, rending contest between Nicholas and his new wife–and a search for his son. Or is there a son? She’s not telling.

10. TEMPUS FUGIT by Lawrence Rowe (305 p). A piece of fiction–obviously–that tries to read too much like a textbook. The premise? What would happen if George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were suddenly in modern America (Mount Rushmore, to be precise) and confronted with what the United States had become in the last two centuries? As a time-travel-story-lover, I was curious to see what the author would put together, and my opinion is mixed. Some of it was really quite good (Franklin was a treat), but some was not so good. I’ve never read a work of fiction that had such a long bibliography–the man obviously knows his Founding Fathers. They name-dropped all over the place about their own early lives and interactions with each other, various scandals and events, and so on. And they had some fairly serious discussions about their opinions on the amendments to the constitution or the freedom of slaves. I couldn’t quite decide if the author was writing a work of fiction for the sake of the story, or if he was trying to put together an educational work pieced together in a clever, more-entertaining-than-a-textbook fashion. Gotta say, though, I found Jefferson just as annoying in this book as I do in the history books I’ve read about him . . .

11. INAMORATA by Joseph Gangemi (319 p.) I enjoyed this quite a bit. It takes place in the 1932s, as the Scientific American puts up a $5000 prize for any spiritualist that can prove paranormal phenomena. Enter Martin Finch, a Harvard grad student who helps the committee investigate and tries to find ways to debunk the obvious frauds . . . until they come across one woman who seems to have a gift . . . This was really quite good.

12. COOL SOCKS, WARM FEET by Lucy Neatby (125 p.) A book I’ve wanted for a while–it claims to have only 6 sock patterns in it, but in fact, gives a wealth of information on different sock heels and toes and tips . . . it far transcends its meager claim of only offering six variations on a sock. Glad I finally picked it up.

13. TO LIE WITH LIONS by Dorothy Dunnett (626 p.) Book six of the House of Niccolo. Finally reunited with his son, Nicholas enters a competition with his wife to see who is more capable . . . or more ruthless, and it ends . . . badly.

14. THE KNITTING ANSWER BOOK by Margaret Radcliffe (386 p). Exactly what it sounds like–a knitting reference book in Q&A format. Thorough, useful, but I don’t know that there was anything new in there.

15. CONRAD’S FATE by Diana Wynne Jones (375 p.) YA fantasy in her “Chrestomanci” series. Conrad’s uncle tells him he’s got bad karma and must go to Stallworthy Manor as a domestic until he finds the man who can cure his bad luck . . . on the way, he meets a boy named Christopher…

16. MYSTIC AND RIDER by Sharon Shinn (440 p.) The first book in a new series, it’s very “traditional” in Fantasy style–a group of comrades travelling together, facing danger with magic and swordplay–but Shinn’s writing style makes it work. As always, one of my favorite authors–her descriptions just drip with richness and texture. I’d love to be able to write like she does.

17. THIRTEENTH HOUSE by Sharon Shinn (423 p.) The second book in the new series–focusing on Kirra, a noblewoman shape-changer, who agrees to masquerade as her reclusive sister on a tour of social outings. One of the very few of Shinn’s books I can think of that has less than a perfectly happy ending.

18. KNITTING RULES by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (218 p.) The Yarn Harlot’s third book, and unlike the previous two, this one actually addresses, well, knitting. There are patterns, tips for swatches, helpful charts (like foot length by shoe size), and it’s covered in Stephanie’s inimitable, humorous style. Entertaining read.

19. CAPRICE AND RONDO by Dorothy Dunnett (537 p.) Book seven in the House of Niccolo series. Exiled due to his actions in book 6, Nicholas ends up in Poland and points further East with Julius and Anna, while back home, Gelis and the others try to piece things back together.

20. MASON-DIXON KNITTING by Kay Gardner and Ann Shayne (158 p.) A charming knitting book, a pleasure to read, and with some unique new things to do with yarn (curtains, anyone? rugs? And let’s not forget dishcloths). It’s not just a boring pattern book–but then, knowing these two, did you really expect it would be?

21. TOMB OF THE GOLDEN BIRD by Elizabeth Peters (381 p.) The latest Amelia Peabody mystery, where Howard Carter discovers the tomb of a little-known Egyptian king, Tutankhamen (perhaps you’ve heard of him?) Better than some of the more recent Amelia Peabodys have been–it’s an enjoyable series, but it’s been going on for years now. The early ones–where Ramses is little–are still the best.

22. GEMINI by Dorothy Dunnett (671 p.) The eighth and last House of Niccolo book, where all questions are answered, and all of the many, many plot points are tied together. A masterpiece, really, although there are some slow spots. Still. This is one of the most multi-layered series I’ve ever read, it’s only logical that the summation would be dense and thick with meaning. Really, an amazing achievement.

Tags: Monthly Reading List, Reading by Deb
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