Gretel

I finally finished Gretel. It actually didn't take too many knitting hours, but I could not seem to knit on it for more than an hour at a time because the yarn, Reynolds Candide, was very dense and hard to cable with. I suppose it might be a heavy worsted weight, and the pattern would benefit more from a light to medium worsted. Wrestling the cables became finger pilates. And, as is often the case with my finished hats, the brim is not tight enough. But it is very pretty, and I learned how to do a long tail tubular cast-on for a 2x2 rib and I figure any project that teaches you something new is a good project!

Bounce Fell Flat

I love the pattern. I love the yarn. Pattern and yarn together, not so much. I didn't take any frogging pics but I will tell you that Bounce is no more. The yarn was much too lofty to find the stitches when knitting in the row below, combined with the almost black color, left my eyes seeing double. So for the first time since Finish or Frog It began, I present this:

I've Been a Bit Distracted

By the Human Tetris.

There's this. But then there's this and this. I have no words.

Finishing, and Starting

Since I finished Ishbel last week I've worn it over and over. The pattern, plus the color is so perfect for me. I also finished My Anthro-Inspired Scarflet. Here - have a look.
This is what it looked like when I first started...


And now -



It was loads of fun. I will definitely make more. But since it is right up next to your skin, I recommend some cashmere. The Brown Sheep worsted is a little itchy.

I also picked up a new yarn this week.
Meet Tanis.
It is the Green Label Aran Weight, Midnight Colourway, from Tanis Fiber Arts. It was originally slated to be another Porom, but I'm now leaning toward Through The Loops Katie Beret. I'm a big fan of the designer, Kristin Kapur. I've already completed her Dr. G.'s Memory Vest (pics soon, I promise!) and have queued Sunkist Cardi and Rickenbacker Scarf.
So, another
comes and goes. My previous Friday night looked like this, from our hotel room in Montauk.

Six families, all sharing good times together for a whole weekend. This is when Life really is Good.

Ishbel - in a Flash

So this thing just flew off the needles -
I cast on January 21, and bound off January 29. And I wasn't faithful - I never am, at least with knitting...
Take that, Finish or Frog It!
Now if only February Lady Sweater, Muir, and Juno Regina could go so fast.
So I'm putting on the scarf, and heading out to Montauk for a weekend with friends. I've packed a few bottles of wine, some stinky cheese, and lots of other snick-snacks.

Warning: Gratuitous blocking shots...

Another quick pic to entertain. My friend from church destashed some old knitting needles and while I passed on all of them, there was one set I snatched up immediately.



Check the price, and the commitment that they tell you that you'll have happy knitting! The color is my favorite. They went to a place of honor with my miniature childrens' sewing machines and old wooden thread spools. I am the keeper of the old.











By the way, it's been snowing pretty often here lately. So far the kids haven't had school closed, but Lola is having a hard time finding a place to squat in the yard, if you get my drift. This is how she comes into the house lately: