A breathtaking work of ultimate intricacy

In preparation for yet another snow storm, I stopped by the yarn store - a lovely, chaotic place where it's difficult to find something if you are looking for it, but you find the most amazing things if you just wander around. I think they do good business before storms, as I'm not the only one who was ready to curl up with a good knit. This time not only did I get some yarn, but I also wound it into a ball, cast on, knit and... cast off! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you:



My very first garter stitch scarf! Technically, it's a cowl. The yarn is one skein Malabrigo Aquarella in a colorway called Maldonado. The colors glow together, and through some miracle of nature the scarf came out just the right width. I am also thrilled with my decreases - I was running out of yarn and still had a bit of neck to go around, so I decreased from 21 stitches to 13 and voila! It fits around my face perfectly and definitely keeps out the snow.

It's already been put to good use as I took the dog on a romp through the fresh snow. It's so exhilarating to be the first one(s) to walk through a field of untouched snow! You gotta love wool at times like these. I played with the dog in the snow, shoveled the stairs, walked for almost an hour and my hands, head and neck were still warm and dry.



They are announcing a very cold week for the upcoming week - I'm glad I have a superthick scarf and I got some hiking in yesterday and today!

So... about that vest.

I have only one knitting resolution for 2009:



Enough said.

O hai

Welcome to the North Pole!


And this is not a deer. Notice the big butt in the background?


Elk are huge, and they love lettuce (well, most of them anyway; there was one picky eater who wouldn't nibble on the stuff):


Featured knits above: norwegian gloves, lace cashmere scarf, random earflap hat from some handspun mohair from Lesotho (yarn bought on ebay, of course).

In less happy news, I forgot the above cashmere scarf in the sleeve of the coat as I laundered the coat. It's not felted, but it certainly is different. This is why I don't do laundry...

In the frozen North..

It's cold here, on the "frozen tundra", but pretty. The heavy snow and "balmy" temperatures bring a new appreciation for woolen handknits. With all the holiday traveling, I quickly finished a pair of Merino Lace Socks:



The yarn, Shibui Sock, is lovely and shiny and springy and it positively glows. It's like knitting with butter, and the colors look gorgeous on the skein. It also pooled in stripes / spirals, which I guess some people might like. I'm not one of those people, though. A bit of a disappointment, really. The pattern is fabulous, though, so I'll make these again some day in a more reliable yarn.

Secret Santa gift exchange

This is my first year with a real job, and our school is doing a "secret Santa" gift exchange for faculty. I signed up as well - then a few days later cast on for a little stranded "something". Perhaps take the pattern from the Norwegian mittens, since it features the 8-pointed star, make a little bag or coffee mug cozy, and add a note explaining the signification of the 8-pointed star...

I came to my senses quickly. I don't knit gifts, certainly not as planned gifts. I might gift stuff once it's done, and I might occasionally make something for my husband (although his Norwegian sweater is languishing, and I'm out of the required black yarn), but I most certainly do not make gifts. Too complicated, too personal.

I bought a set of charity notecards instead. My "secret Santa" partner will get cute cards, and a student group will have some extra money for their service trip to Nicaragua this summer.

I am camera-less for a while; hope to remedy this soon, but I'm almost too lazy to buy batteries. This has been the year when I am embracing my inner slob.

Holiday tradition

I like the idea of hiking on a holiday, and here we are - Wissahickon Park, a patch of wilderness in the middle of Philadelphia:



It has a river, to keep the pup happy, and many trails, to keep the humans happy:



I tried to be all artsy and take colorful pictures, but the truth is the palette is rather limited, and Knitting Iris I am not.






As for the knitting, I am becoming quite obsessed with the Rowan book. Bought for inspiration earlier this Fall, when I was in such a knitting funk, it has certainly served its purpose. I've even been flirting with the idea of using the precious Artfibers Sylph for a Garbo camisole:


Unfortunately, while the fabric is beautiful, the gauge is way off...

Well, hello

Two weeks ago I fell in love with Brueghel. The yarn store closest to me (which will probably turn out to be my new LYS, as it's very inspiring) had the sample, and wouldn't you know... the sample fit me perfectly. Out went my yarn diet and my common sense and my credit card. Two weeks later, I finished the final embroidery touches. Yay for fast projects!



One problem with knitting traditional items or "legacy items" as the stuff I've been getting into is that they take forever and ever. A cardigan on size 8 needles was a much-needed change.



In a characteristically creative move, I chose the exact same shade as the cardigan in the magazine (Rowan No. 44):