Have a safe and fun New Year’s Eve, everyone!

And just because it wouldn’t be like me not to jump on a bandwagon, I saw this on CPurl’s and Andi’s blogs:

I think I can live with that. :D

Ah, the final Yarn Pr0n Friday of 2006.

It’s interesting what I have learned about photographing yarn this year. For instance, this
was what I took at the beginning of the year and thought of as good yarnography.

Now, of course, I know that it’s not about quantity of yarn in the shots, it’s about the quality - being able to see the texture of the yarn, the depth of color, the halo of the fiber… THAT’s Yarn Pr0n!

So, without further ado, my final yarn pr0n of the year. Top to bottom, Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight in “Mustang Sally” (the final color of the Rockin’ Sock Club for 2006), 2 shots of STR Mediumweight in “Rare Gems” (the bonus skein for the year-long club members), and Blue Sky Alpacas Cotton in “Azul” and “Shrimp”, both gifted to me by Ali.




Oh, and at some point over the holidays, a package arrived with 5 hats for the Hats for Alex drive, along with 2 candycanes and a hank of very pretty laceweight yarn. There’s only one problem - I have no idea who sent it. So, if you are reading this, care to take credit?

Oh, come on. I made Brooklyntweed’s “Red Light Special” hat in shades of blue and you expected something else?
Kris chose the colors (it IS his hat, after all) - Knit Picks Telemark (which I loved using) in “Snow Leopard”, “Icicle”, “Colonial Blue” and “Skyline”, with a lining in KP Shine Sport in “Cloud”. I cast on Christmas Eve morning and finished it the evening of the 26th while watching “Talladega Nights” (dumb, but funny). It’s a great pattern, and I really enjoyed knitting it. The stranding and color changes kept things just interesting enough without inducing insanity.

I actually think I am getting to like the whole Fair Isle/stranded knitting thing. My stitches are getting more even,
and my stranding even looks pretty good on the inside!

I picked up yarn to make myself the same hat in (wait for it, you’ll be shocked) green
(left to right, “Burlap”, “Chestnut”, “Pesto”, and “Northern Green”), and then I think that once I finish Kris’s sweater, I’m going to finally attack the Palette Sampler Cardigan that I’ve had the yarn for since… um… I have no idea how long ago now. I was a little afraid to start it because of the steeks, but since the class I took at Stitches, I’m not so worried about that. And now that my stranding seems to be getting better, I’m really looking forward to it. Heaven help me!

Oh, and Tom wore his new “We Call Them Pirates” hat to work yesterday. I got a text message from him last night - half the staff wants hats now. :D He’s got some ideas for patterns, so we’re going to talk about it and work something out.

I hereby unveil Dad’s Mohawk Hat! He cracked up completely when he saw it, and put it on immediately:
Mom’s reaction?

Dad debated tying the flaps under his chin.

I love my Dad. He’s insane, but I love him.

And for Christmas, I made him the Amhra’n Gra’ sweater from KnitPicks.
I used KnitPicks Swish Superwash in “Fired Brick”. I picked the color because it was a very cranberry red, and, well, they live in Cranberry Township. He works at Cranberry Highlands Golf Course. It just seemed appropriate. And when he opened it, that was the first thing he said: “Hey, it’s cranberry!” I have to say, the pattern is a little tricky to get used to, but once I got used to it, I absolutely loved knitting it. And I think it turned out pretty well, if I say so myself!

And this is not my FO, but I have to show it off. Kris made Dad a display rack for his collection of poker chips from all different casinos. The back is even lined with actual poker table felt. Isn’t it cool?
And I did make a pair of Diamante socks in KP Gloss in “Dusk” for my aunt (Not a Christmas gift, but a “just because” gift after she was checking out my Pomatomus socks when we were up over Labor Day) but I completely failed to get a picture. Loved the pattern and the yarn, though. Start to finish - 4 days. Fastest socks I’ve ever done. And the toe-up heel flap construction? I will SO be using that again!!

Today was the sentencing in Alex’s murder trial. April Rogers was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

I posted the article from Omaha.com on the Hats for Alex blog here, if you want to read more details.

Having exhausted the pr0n from the post-Stitches photo shoot, and as Kris is stuck at work tonight (Thursday), I was on my own for this week’s yarn pr0n. (Be gentle - I know you are used to Kris’s stellar work. I’m no Kris.) So, here are some of my early Christmas gifts to myself, courtesy of the fabulously evil folks over at Little Knits. See, they were having a sale. And I couldn’t resist. I am weak.

Having just used this yarn on the Cozy I made Kris’s Mom, I couldn’t resist getting some for myself, especially when I saw the color name - “Hermione”. (Yes, I am a big old geek, and I love her. I identify. Speaking of, did you see that the title of book 7 has been announced?)I haven’t decided whether this will be a Cozy, a Clapotis, or something else altogether, but I LOVE the color (which is a little closer on the top picture).

This is some Regia Surf, which I have to admit I picked up just because the colors are that obnoxiously bright. I figure that will perk me up come the February dreariness when I am itching for the colors of spring.

And two colors of Cherry Tree Hill Super Glitz. Sock yarn with sparkle - what’s not to love? First is “Gypsy Rose”

And “Winterberry”
Well, this will probably be my last post until after Christmas, so I hope that everyone has a very merry and safe holiday!!

… that so many of you are amused by my father. I told you he was nuts. :D And yes, I’ve been working on the hat, but no, there will not be pictures until he gets it. I want him to be surprised.

In other news, I promised pictures of the RAK that Ali sent me, and I finally have one for you.
As you can see, the woman went crazy sending goodies to me! There is a pair of candles in “Asian Musk”, which smells absolutely lovely, a box of Hazelnut Praline Godiva biscuit, a Godiva chocolate bar (72% EXTRA Dark with Almonds - woman knows me well!), a pair of Swarovski sheep magnets, which are too cute to be believed, a bar of Coconut soap (yummy!), a magnet that says “Ever notice how ‘What the hell’ is always the right decision?”, and two hanks of Blue Sky Alpacas Cotton, in pale blue and a raspberry pink.

Thank you, Ali!!! You are too sweet, and I meant what I said about hoping to meet you one of these days! I owe you a huge hug for this!!

In other mail news, Mary, Mary had a little destashing goodie bag giveaway a couple of weeks ago. I joked with her that I thought about throwing my hat in the ring, but thought that I had plenty already. She told me to go for it, and tempted me with sari silk. Being the strong-willed type that I am, I completely caved. *blush* This arrived the other day:
The aforementioned sari silk (10 hanks!) and a cloud of undyed mohair, which she thought would make a nifty throw dyed to coordinate with the sari silk and alternating the two. I am seriously considering that idea. Thank you Mary!!!

Finally, yesterday’s mail brought me the last package from the BMFA Rockin’ Sock Club 2006.
On the left, the December yarn - STR Lightweight in “Mustang Sally” - and on the right, my bonus skein for doing the full-year club - a hank of mediumweight “Rare Gems”, what they call mistakes that they overdye to come up with something unique. I got a perfect skein for me - lots of greens with some blues and golds mixed in. I’ve really enjoyed the club, and I’m looking forward to next year!

And I realized something today. Tomorrow is my two-year blogiversary. I started out over on LiveJournal on Dec. 18 2004, and moved to Blogger on October 10, 2005 so that I could play with the layout and stuff a bit more. (And no, I didn’t move the first couple of posts over from LJ. They were completely lame.). It seems weird that I’ve been doing this for 2 years already!

In the last of our series of Stitches East Yarn Pr0n Fridays, today we feature silk.

A silk scarf kit from Fiberworks - to be drafted and knit as unspun silk.



And Habu Textiles Tsumugi (or Tumugi, depending on where you look) Silk, in 14 and 53 (deep orange and tweedy purple, respectively) There are a couple of patterns in the very, very fabulous Victorian Lace Today that call for this, so that is probably in its future.


In other news, my father is insane. OK, any of you who know me must figure that I get it from somewhere, and that would be my Dad. Don’t get me wrong - I adore both of my parents, but Dad is definitely nuts. Case in point - Kris and I were watching Bones the other night when my phone rings. It was Dad. He asked if we were in fact watching Bones (They watch it too, but Kris and I usually wait until after it starts so that we can fast forward through the commercials. I love my TiVo…). When I said yes, he asked how far along we were in the episode (10 minutes or so from the end). Then he says, “At the very end, Zack is wearing a hat. I want you to knit me one, but I want it in Black and Gold for Steeler parties.” This would be the point at which I started to get nervous. I was partly dreading what this thing was going to look like. I got off the phone, and I told Kris why Dad had called. About ten minutes later, it appeared on our tv, and the first thing Kris said was “THAT is the hat your Dad wants?”

I’ve been searching, but sadly cannot seem to find a picture online of this hat. Basically, the shape was very much like the Swell hat from the summer issue of Knitty, done without the stranded colorwork in a fairly muted variegated yarn, and with one major difference. It had a mohawk down the middle of it. It’s kind of hilarious, and strangely I can actually see Dad wearing it. Which is the ONLY reason that I found myself at AC Moore yesterday picking up black and gold yarn to make one. (Speaking of, black is easy to find, but gold seems a bit more difficult. I finally found some that is a little darker than traditional Steeler gold, but it was either that or pastel baby yellow.)

And I promise, there WILL be pictures of this thing when it is done. Modeled by my Dad, of course.

ETA: Courtesy of Sherry, the cover of this book has pretty much exactly the shape of the hat on the show. Only much, much brighter than the one Zack was wearing. :D

ETA again: And courtesy of Artemis, a screencap of the actual hat! Thanks, hon!!!
Told you it was hilarious!

…that I am not a follower. I am shamelessly stealing this from Turtlegirl. (and yes, I changed the text format from white to black so that it would show up. My husband is clearly rubbing off on me…)

**Clearly the stocking thingy hates me. So much for that plan. **

Speaking of gifts, my mailman brought me a surprise today. There was a box for me from the lovely, darling Ali. I’ll take and post pictures tomorrow, but for now, let me just say that this woman ROCKS, and I adore her. I really hope she comes to the DC area for a visit sometime, because I would LOVE to meet her in person!!!

Oh, and if you are wondering (because I know you are all waiting with bated breath for my decision), I think I am leaning toward the Simple Knitted Bodice for my next “me” project, although I have been working on Kris’s Shamrock Henley sweater for the last day or so. And I might take a little time to make the lovely Red Light Special hat for me, since that’s a little portable project for holiday travel. (Yes, I ordered the yarn the minute I saw the hat, although mine will be, shockingly, green.)

Christmas knitting is DONE, baby!!! Finished the project for my Dad this morning. (And no, you won’t be seeing it here until after the holiday, because he reads the blog)

And you might notice that one of the projects has disappeared from the list. I was making a Candleflame Scarf for my Mom, and I just couldn’t get into the pattern. No matter how hard I tried, it just wasn’t any fun to knit. It’s a shame, because it’s quite pretty. So, I’ll have to come up with another plan for that particular yarn.

So, what does this mean? It’s time to think about casting on something for ME again!

Now to decide what… :)

And since Bezzie asked nicely, the scary pressure-inducing ticker is gone. :D