thankful (a little late)

Yes, I have many things for which I am thankful. They are that I (not necessarily in order of importance):

1) finally found good Chinese and NY-style pizza in Portland*
2) am one present away from finished with holiday knitting
3) am signed up for Jared's class on designing Aran sweaters in January
4) have a job - here - that I like, because it's slim pickings out there
5) went to my first yoga class in nearly two years, and almost managed to keep up
6) have a farmer's market still operating, in December! (OK, so there aren't nearly as many vendors around as there were, but some are still there with winter greens, apples, and our happy pork producers

*Yummy Yummy on 82nd across from Fubonn, and Apizza Scholls on Hawthorne for anyone still searching.

I hope that you all had a lovely holiday weekend! And feel thankful for all that you have.

two days, two good things

Yes, I've been quite absent lately, and for that, I apologize. Getting back into the swing of working outside the home has been a challenge. Everything there is still good, and I'm headed off on my first business trip with them tomorrow afternoon.

Onto the good things: knitting isn't the only thing that's been suffering lately; I've been having the durndest time getting engrossed in a book. I hadn't finished a book in weeks, and even Sarah Vowell's new book couldn't hold my attention (I know, right? If not Sarah, then who?). So imagine my extreme joy when I grabbed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society from my stack of library books, started reading at the bus stop, and then didn't want to get off the bus because I was hooked. I devoured it quickly, and can't recommend it highly enough. It's a post-WWII novel, but I won't say another word because everyone should read it right away.

And today, I found the waterproof boots I'd been searching for. And cute brown shoes as well.

I hope to start reading blogs again soon (I'm so very behind...) and also doing that knitting thing. Yay for a six hour (round trip) car ride and a long Thanksgiving weekend ahead!

diamonds and pearls

Phew. Superwash yarn does, in fact, block out.


The Diamond and Pearls Shawl from the Knitter's Book of Yarn is completed, and blocked successfully. Another Christmas present is finished!


My k2tog vs. ssk problem isn't quite as glaring in the blocked shawl (k2togs: above left, ssks: above right), but I will need to try a substitute on the next lace project that I start. Maybe I'm just doing them wrong? Hm...

Detail-oriented viewers will note that I did not use the elaborate, loopy edging for the cast off. I tried it - a number of times - but never liked the final result. My alternative was to use a #13 needle for the cast off, and just cruise straight across. I'm entirely fine with the final product, and hope that grandma will like it too!


The Dream in Color Classy is a lovely yarn. The yardage is great for the price, and it's handpainted! No irritating pooling, and it did seem reminiscent of a deep seaflower.

(Also, the job is going well. People are lovely, etc., and I think that they'll keep me.)

cozy, but warm

Last weekend, I finished my Herringbone Neck Warmer, and it kept me warm and cozy for the two days that I needed it. Temperatures have recently been in the 60s, making an extra layer of wool not really, really necessary.

I tried out some vintage buttons, but the the colors weren't really floating my boat. I'm sure that I'll find a great use for them at some point, and as you can see, they didn't really break the bank.

Ultimately, some shell buttons from Joann's were the best solution. I really enjoyed this project, and the yarn (Morehouse Merino) was sublime. Do you see all those pools of pink and green? They don't even bug me. They are just delicious. The weather will be taking a cooler turn soon, and I expect to get a lot of good use out of this soon. All I can say is: yay for busting lovely yarn out of the stash for a quick project!