12/12 in 2012: In By a Toe

This is my last skein of yarn from the lovely Shakespeare Yarn Club I did for my birthday. The three skeins were all based on "Much Ado About Nothing," and this skein is named for the main characters, Beatrice and Benedick. Actually, the name of the colourway is A Skirmish of Wit, which comes from a Leonato line regarding their constant interplay. It is a lovely stripey, with navy standing for Benedick, and a rich burgundy red for Beatrice. (The colors are pretty accurate in this picture.)

As part of my goal to knit 12 shawls and 12 socks in 2012, this one just squeaked in, and it's not even quite whole. I'm planning to do afterthought heels (see that line?), so I will hopefully finish this one and its mate next month. I am loving this yarn and how it knits up. Stripey socks forever!

12/12 in 2012: Souvenir Shawl

This, you might recall (but probably not), is a lovely skein of Plain & Fancy yarn in the colorway Turquoise, that I picked up at the Taos Wool Festival. I used a lovely pattern called Arroyo for it, as they all seemed to meld together in the perfect souvenir--Arroyo, Turquoise, Taos.

This is the shawl just after I cast-off, unblocked. Shawls do amazing things when blocked properly.

This is the lace after blocking--all lovely and open, and a bit pointy.

I love that even though there is a true riot of colors in the yarn, the overall feeling is of Turquoise.

I struggled getting pictures of this one, as it is so long and lovely, but this gives you an idea. You have to see it in person to get an idea of its drape and softness.

The 12/12 in 2012 Project: I have acquired a relatively small yarn stash, but a stash nonetheless. My goal for 2012 is to knit a shawl and a sock each month. Arroyo is this month's shawl, and I'm well on my way with my sock of the month. Not every shawl do I necessarily need to keep (nor every sock, I guess), so if you see anything that you like, let me know! You may receive the shawl, or one like it, for Christmas.

A Shawl for My Mother

I started knitting a big, red shawl for my mother while I was at my sister's house after she had a baby. I had read that shawls were great travel projects, and I wanted to get started.

It is a good-sized, comfy shawl, in warm and sheen-y Bamboo Ewe.

Mother Cool wears it so elegantly, don't you think? I made the Oscilloscope shawl, which combines a lovely eyelet pattern with garter stitch, so there was zero purling in this shawl, which made it whip along.
A close-up of the eyelets blocking--I always block on towels, and I think as I made more shawls, I need to buy white towels so the photos turn out a bit snappier!

Also, a quick Happy Birthday today to my dear friend Hannah!

Cutie Pie Thursday/Stay-at-Home-Mom Files: Sticker Book!

The wee boy and I had a spontaneous play/craft/memory session the other day. He has quite a few stickers, from various free/me sources, and he likes to stick them all over the place. I was talking to Mr. Cool about something I remembered having as a kid--a sticker book.

So Lincoln picked out a cheap, yellow (lellow!) comp. notebook, and I added an envelope pocket inside.

We promptly began filling it with stickers. (Give me a smile still has the same cheesy response. Sigh.)

He really liked placing the stickers, and we began to have a big of dialogue about story between them. I think this might be good for travel and waiting as well.

More smiling--hey, at least he tries.

Last of the Unshared Christmas Knits

I think it says something positive about where I am as a knitter that I am sitting on about four FOs (finished objects) that I have yet to blog about. I would, however, like to take care of the backlog.


These are some convertible mittens I knit for Brother-in-law Cool for Christmas. The second mitt took me forever to knit. A nice serviceable pattern in serviceable Cascade 220. BIL Cool thought buttons might be a nice touch. I concur--let me know if I can add those and a crochet loop for you.

Where did Cutie Pie go? Mama was busy.

A new yarn store may have opened nearby. I may have met my knitting group there. I may have been there for over 90 minutes. It may be an insanely awesome place. I may have been on their webcam fondling yarn. I may have forgotten all about Cutie Pie Thursday. Sorry.

Photo courtesy of The Loopy Ewe's webcam.

Out of the Mouth of my Babe

Some new quotable quotes from my darling boy:

Lincoln: Mom! Come see the football ice skaters! (hockey players on TV)

Lincoln: My nose!
Mom: Is it a cute nose?
Lincoln: No, just a snot nose.

Lincoln: I'm a little big boy giant!

Lincoln: (Directed to dad) Gallop with me, stormtrooper!

Lincoln: I'm going to swing like a monkey cowboy robot Lincoln!

Christmas 2011: Random Snaps Part Three (The Ranch)

My wee lad and I were able to spend some time at the ranch over Christmas, where he played with his own herd of herefords, carefully assembled by his Grandad.

His main joy is lining them up in various formations and then admiring.

He was also immensely captivated by a small saddle found in the barn. It's still a bit big for him, and we did graduate from a stack of encyclopedias to a sturdy box, to now, at home, a specially built wooden stand.

He did know, instinctively, how to carry the saddle like a real cowboy.

Last of the Christmas Knitting: 2 More Washcloths

Last Christmas, I knitted a whole stack of washcloths for my nephews and niece. We added two more to the crew this year, so I had new washcloths to knit. I enjoy these, and I'm getting faster.

A Detroit Lions washcloth for a future fan.

A Mario washcloth for a future gamer.

Christmas 2011: Random Snaps Part Two (The Gift Edition)

Crawling out of his new Ikea tunnel!

Checking dad's heart with his new stethoscope--Dr. Lincoln spent all day trying to help sick mom feel better!

A highlight from the stocking--a Doc car! (from Disney/Pixar's Cars) A highlight for mom as well--purchased for $2 last Christmas at a post-holiday sale!


Using power tools just like his dad--what a young man I've got!

Moustaches!

A bowl of soaking moustaches.

17 moustaches--knit tubes with stranded moustaches in 13 different designs--10 adult-sized and 7 kid-sized. All knit of Cascade 220.

One wacky family Christmas picture!

Christmas 2011: Random Snaps Part One

Still not quite captured--Lincoln's superb growly face.

Riding a real toboggan with cousins and Uncle Cool.


Helping mom stir hot chocolate in robot jammies.

Just in Time

So, my second skein for the Shakespeare Yarn Club is called Sweet Hero, and focuses on the tragedy that befalls innocent Hero in the play Much Ado About Nothing. It's a self-striping skein of yarn, with a black stripe alternating with a pale pink/lime green/white stripe. Black self-stripeys, as they're called, are "so hot right now!"

As the yarn content is merino/cashmere/nylon, I didn't really want to "waste" it on my feet, so I decided to make some gauntlet/mitts. The dyer of this fabulous yarn, Canon Hand Dyes, sponsored a KAL (knit-a-long) starting on Black Friday and ending today, January 1st. I just finished these up this morning, after knitting them all over Colorado and Wyoming.

They feel amazing and soft--although I think I need a punky shirt to wear with them.


They really make great, soft, warm reading mitts. I only have one skein left in this club, and it is destined to be socks. Hopefully I'll be posting about it sooner rather than later!