So, it occurs to me that I never actually said WHAT sweater I’m making. I just started showing pictures of swatches and of cables, but I never actually told you the actual pattern.

I’m sorry. I’ve been remiss.

The pattern is the Celtic Icon from Fiona Ellis Inspired Cable Knits.

Yes, apparently I have a thing for sweaters with “Celtic” in the name. It’s not a conscious thing, I assure you, although I’ve always been entranced by Celtic knots . . . it’s the intricacy, you see, the interweaving complexity. I just love that.

The yarn is a lovely, deep plum in Elsebeth Lavold’s Silky Wool, which is ironic. I bought the Silky Wool on purpose because I wanted to make one–almost any–of the sweaters from her Viking Knits book, which I adore . . . and yet . . . I’m not. I have a hankering for a cardigan, and the ones in the book just aren’t what I have in mind. This is. So . . . a Viking sweater is just going to have to wait.

See what I got yesterday? A birthday card from Susan! Wasn’t that nice of her? Not counting family, I think this now equals if not exceeds the number of cards I got in the mail last year (grin).

And it’s nice to see Calendars popping up around the web today–keep them coming! I suppose I could extend the parameters to being a photo (scan, whatever) of your actual calendar, even if it’s just a rough print-out from the computer that you use to scribble appointments, but really . . . ideally . . . it should be a picture of some kind. Almost everyone has a picture calendar of some kind somewhere, right? Even if it’s just the one your coworker brought in to hang at work? I suppose it doesn’t have to be YOUR calendar. Just A calendar. From 2006 or 2007. Of the month of November. If it belongs to your Mom, well, no-one really needs to know!

Added: I almost forgot! My brother-in-law is now an uncle. Well, to a two-legged person. (He’s already Chappy’s uncle, of course.) His brother and wife–whose wedding we went to last summer–just had a baby girl. Caitlin Elizabeth. Born yesterday. Six pounds and 14 or 15 ounces. (She was born at either 6:14 or 6:15, so you can see the confusion.) She’s the one I made those baby sweaters for. I’m so happy she’s here!

Hey, if you haven’t yet, go check out the new Yarn Life online magazine, produced by Kat with a K. Who’s attempting the NaNoWriMo challenge to write a novel in a month (so, wish her luck!). Did you know there’s a blogger’s version, too? NaNoBloMo, where you need to post a blog entry every day for the month? And NaNoSweMo for knitting a sweater in a month, too.

Speaking of which:

Booking Through Thursday

1. Yesterday, November 1st, began the annual NaNoWriMo challenge–where lots of marginally crazy people try to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. What do you think about that idea? Crazy? Inspired? Challenging? Insane, but in a good way! I said it last year, and I’ll say it again though . . . why did they pick November? Big holiday weekend here in the U.S., my birthday, preparations for Christmas season, family visits and such . . . NOT a good month. Wouldn’t March, when people are tired of winter and need distractions, have been better?
2. Would you/Have you tried it yourself? In other years? (Or this one, in which case, shouldn’t you be writing and not reading blogs?) I thought about it last year but again–it’s just a really bad month for me.
3. If you took away the time pressure, would you/have you tried writing a novel of your own? I HAVE written a novel. A 124,000 word whopper. And about half of another one that I really need to get back to one of these days because, if I say so myself, the story idea is fabulous. (And a third or so of a sequel to the first one, but it got boring.) Anyway, I haven’t been able to get it published (yet) . . . although, it HAS been a while since I sent it out. Maybe I should try again, huh?

Tags: General, Knitting/Spinning, Reading // 14 Comments »