I Knew It!

When I wrote the last post, I was looking everywhere for the photo of the Asherton scarf after blocking- I was sure I'd taken one.  Turned out I'd missed uploading it.

While the pattern was attractive enough while I was knitting it, I really loved how it blocked out.  Definitely a pattern I'm going to want to make again.

And in other knitting news, I've just cast on for a pair of Moorish Lattice socks, and was scratching my head because the pattern doesn't line up correctly.  It's not a new book, and the errata said nothing about it.  So I went to Ravelry- and 30 other people have made the pattern.  Most either didn't post notes, or didn't mention having any trouble, but two others did- essentially there's one section of the pattern which has to be shifted over one stitch to make everything line up.  Which I am going to do because what I've got now looks completely wrong.  At least I'm only a few rounds into that bit!

Low Key

The day after Christmas was very low key and relaxing.  Of course the household's champion relaxers were all feline.   There was sacking out on the couch (that's all three- see Jake, cuddled up behind Cookie?):

Here's a better view of the tuxedo boys:

Biscuit, always a ham:

So, aside from hanging out watching the cats, I admired my new Christmas yarn, a handsome selection from my sister's friend at Deep Water Dye Works:

Fingering weight in various blends of merino, cashmere and silk.  It's lovely.  The leftmost skein is going to be a cowl for my mother.  Haven't made a final pattern decision yet, but I've narrowed it down to a few contenders.

I uploaded the photo of my sister's Christmas socks- they were finished Christmas Eve, but well before midnight.  Note the leopard print stripes!

That day was the first day in a while that I had off with no deadlines or obligations.  So.  I finished the book I'd been reading a page at a time over the prior three weeks.  Then I read another whole book.  Just because I could!   And there was a great deal of candy and a few leftover Christmas cookies, and I worked on my sweater and wound up the yarn for the cowl and cast on a new pair of socks.  New Year's is a big board gaming weekend at our house, so I wanted to have something on the needles for game knitting.

And now I'm back at work through tomorrow- which they're saying could be snowy- but I have Friday off, so it's a short week.   I haven't got as far as thinking about 2017 goals yet, but hey, I've got three more days.  Why rush?

And yet more Cookie and Jake cuddling.  Just because.

Not Elementary, but Very Cool

And, in further exciting news of the season, my husband Jonathan Turner is now a published author!  His first story, "The Adventure of the Disguised Passenger" is being published in the Jan/Feb 2017 issue of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine.  It's on the newstands now, and he's blogged about it here. Please feel free to help us spread the word, tell your friends, relations, pets, and neighbors.  Hiring skywriters is desirable but optional.

The issue is their winter Sherlock Holmes-and-holiday edition, and JT's story is a Sherlock Holmes story, written in the classic style, as if it came from the pen of Mr. Doyle himself.  And in fact it's a double-pastiche, with a tribute as well to our friend the incomparable Steve Hockensmith.  (If you're a mystery fan, and haven't yet encountered his brilliant and hilarious Holmes on the Range series, you need to go-right now, do not pass GO- and check him out.    They're wonderful!)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like....

Time to inspect the tree:

What is it?  Can I eat it?

Time to hang the ornaments with care:

Mom?  Is Biscuit supposed to be taking the ornaments off
after you put them on? 

Time to light up the alien starship...what?  Your tree doesn't have a Klingon Bird-of-Prey?  Why not?

After looking down the barrel of our phaser banks, people are
very peaceful.

Time to finish off a knitted project:

Gifted to a coworker before he left on vacation this week.

And in general ramp up the holiday spirit!

A few more cookies, a little more knitting,  a little wrapping and I'm all set!  How about you?

What To Do

What to do on Friday night, when my brain is fried?  Plain stockinette is good, but I've done a fair amount of that.  But when the knitting needles slowed down and I just found myself starting blankly at the pretty yarn- well.  Either it's time to go to bed (a valid if boring choice), or it's time to wind up some yarn.

I've been reasonably good about trying to knit from stash this year.  Aside from vacation yarn from Ireland, which I'm sure you agree shouldn't count.  And a few random skeins that hopped into my basket at Webs.  (All but one of those are knit now.)  But if there's a weak point, it's sock yarn. Because it completely bypasses the rule that I have to have a project in mind to buy yarn- it comes with an implicit project- socks!

And so.   There I was looking at Holly's site to pick out a skein I won in a knit-a-long, and it turned out that the skein I picked was very gregarious and invited friends along.

So I pulled out the yarn from my sock yarn bag, and added the skein of Leyden (that's the one skein left from my Webs visit earlier this year) and got out the swift and ball-winder.   Biscuit was delighted- he loves winding yarn.  We had a brief disagreement about the extent of his participation, and I then had to dissuade him from trying to wrestle one of the new skeins off the table, but eventually he was convinced to lie down and supervise.

And by the time I had wound up the skeins and petted them, it was time to go to bed.

This morning, Biscuit continues helpful by sitting on my lap while I write this post (he wanted to sit on the keyboard, but he was persuadable to the alternative).  And I have no doubt that I will have assistance as I return to knitting, baking and other household activities.

Progress Report

Shortly after my last post, I had an inspiration.  It involved Christmas, and since the recipient isn't a blog reader:

The pattern is the Asherton reversible scarf, and the yarn is some lovely squishy wool I've been saving for a sweater (but I have way more than is strictly required, so the scarf won't jeopardize that plan).

The sweater for myself has been blithely pushed aside in favor of holiday knits.  

And the travel sock, though neglected, has made a bit of progress:

I'm just past the heel on the first sock.

And now I must get back to my various projects and plans.  Christmas is only (eep!) a bit over two weeks away!