It's About The Yarn

The pie class last weekend in Atlanta wasn't the only thing we did on Saturday. After that, Jessica (also a knitter) took me to Eat.Sleep.Knit. in nearby Smyrna. Oh, my goodness. The yarn choices were overwhelming. There is no way photos can show how much yarn they stock. We had fun looking and wishing and, of course, buying. I had made a list ahead of time, so I did keep my new yarn acquisitions to a reasonable limit. (Pssst....you can order from them online, too.)

Pattern: Sunny Baby Blanket

Yarn: Berroco Comfort ~ Turquoise

Needles: size 8

Before I let myself start with any of the luscious new yarns, I finished this baby blanket. So what if the baby is now six months old? When Baby Girl was born, I only lacked 8 more rows. And it took this long to finish it. Right in time for cold weather. Maybe my timing is just right after all. She is too little to know, but wrapping her in this blanket is like a big hug from me. We live so far apart and this is one way I can feel a little closer.

Pattern:  Sock Recipe: A Good Plain Sock (from Knitting Rules)

Yarn: Regia World Ball Colors (Italy)

Needles: Size 2

I know it isn't Halloween yet, but Christmas is showing up in the stores at an alarming rate. Which means it is time to think about starting any gift knitting. Daddy-O asked me for a pair of Christmas socks soon after I first learned to knit socks. It took me some time to find a "Christmas" yarn. Then it took me another year or so to start the sock. But he shall have Christmas socks this year!

Socks are great travel knitting. At least the leg and the foot parts are. I'm done with the heel, so this sock is ready to finish on a long car trip that starts soon. (I discovered after I started knitting that my Christmas yarn is really part of a series of world flag yarns. These are the colors of the flag of Italy.)

I came across this letter yesterday as I was cleaning out drawers. My Christmas gift last year was an almost-finished pair of mitts, along with the letter. And I understood. (She did it! She finished them. The mitts were indeed done before winter was over.) The best part of this gift—the letter and the mitts—was that my very busy granddaughter (she's in middle school) used her valuable time for me.

Bookmark this unfinished gift letter now. Just in case you need it. Remember that you really do need to finish the gift, though. <grin>

So, where are the recipes this week? I have been using things from my freezer. Dishes I cooked earlier and saved for a crazy week. This was that week.