Drumroll Please....

Okay. So, I think I've spoken to as many people as humanly possible in the last 48 hours. If I haven't had a chance to get to you yet, I sincerely apologize, but I'm about to burst if I don't shout it out and then promise I won't harp on it too much.

On Saturday, the Tall Guy asked me to marry him. And, I of course said yes.

This pretty much sums it up...but if you want to see all the pics of what happened, go here.

and some more...

And the parade of what I've knit continues...The airy scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts... knit in Kidsilk Haze. This one was for the Tall Guy's Mom... Same pattern and yarn as above, but in hot pink... This one was for my friend Monica, as part of a small Gift Exchange we do every year.

And, while this is obviously not the finished product... I did actually finish it and gave it to Daneka, who was in the States from Israel for the holidays. Its this Chevron pattern, using one skein (actually about 3/4 of a ball) of Tiny Toes (I have no idea the colourway, I got it prewound with no ball band) and one half (or the rest of what I used the last time) of Fleece Artist, in what I think is the Nova Scotia colorway.

I know I knit other stuff as well... hmm. Oh yes! I finished this guy, with no actual finished photo...I knit it longer then the ballband dishcloth pattern from Mason Dixon Knitting and then added a tab and button, so Yvonne and Al can hang it where ever they want.

There may be a few more wrap up projects to show as well, but thats the bulk of it for now... whew, it seemed like so much more at the time...
The good news is spreading, I'll share soon.

The first batch

Here is the first in the series of "what I did for my Holiday Knitting" posts.
Also, I have some good news to share, but need to make sure all people in my non-computer world are aware first.

Socks for my Step Mom... Monkey Pattern using Shubui Knits Yarn.

Socks for my aunt... Broadripple, using Cascade Fixation.
For my sister... funny enough we both made hats for one another. My first cable project, courtesy of the Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hat Pattern.
More to come soon.

A little bragging, a little breathing

I can't believe I've been here a week. While its always nice to return home to DC, I'm really not ready for this trip to be over! I've been busy, for sure, but in a way that also means a regular wake up time of 9am and cable TV and visiting with people I never see and Annie. Well. Annie is being spoiled rotten with attention, new toys and love. The dog is not going to be happy about returning to my apartment in a city area after being here for a week. Oh well.

So, before I start revealing all the stuff I knit over the holidays, I need to take a moment to do a little bragging. I taught my sister to knit a few years ago and she does knit. Not in the obsessive way I do, but she knits. So, this Christmas, I told her to knit me something, which apparently totally stressed her out, being that she was knitting for the person that taught her. I, on the other hand love when other people knit for me, so I assured her a plain old anything was fine. I got a card on Christmas morning telling me there were technical difficulties but, the gift was on its way to me soon....yesterday, she presented me with my gift. I was floored! Sister knit me Odessa with the beading! and it fits perfectly! And the yarn is so tasty. Its soft and smooshy and warm on my head. Yay!
Check it out!
So, tomorrow, Annie and I pack up and hit the road back to DC. Anyone want to drive me so I can work on this sock I just started? Grandpa got me a bunch of Socks that Rock for Christmas and I'm trying out the Magic Loop way of knitting socks...

ahhh.

Annie and I are in NH until next Friday or so. We drove up on Thursday and had an amazingly easy drive considering the storm we were just behind it seemed for half of the ride. Its also a fact that the pup is really good in the car. I knew she was okay around town, but until I popped her in the backseat for the 450+ mile drive to my family (a drive, I should mention that I can do in my sleep, name exits for at will and have three different ways to go depending on time of day and weather, all sans map) I had no idea if she realllly was a car dog. She is. She watched out the window and then slept the better part of the way, occasionally peeking into the front seat to see if I would give her a treat.
So. Now, I'm in NH, chilling. Sleeping. Going on walks with Annie as she explores snow banks (eats dirty snow....) and just generally hanging out. Its fantastic.

I've bought some yarn. Finished a gift today (its drying now). Worked on another gift and am not stressing anymore about knitting. I'll post the gifts when they're all given.

Yay for New England!

Holiday pics!

Before you look, I feel I need to explain. For the sake of privacy, I typically try to keep The Tall Guy's identity at least somewhat off the blog. I'm sure most of you know him, but you know, its just one of those things I do to respect personal space etc. That said, here's a funny picture from yesterday when we went to see introduce Annie to part of my family.
We were requested to do a "Family" picture for the Tall Guys mom. Needless to say, she's getting this photo with his face not blacked out.
Annabelle is adjusting well, likes to do dog-like things and (thank heavens) likes to ride in the car.
That said, we're working on the leash pulling. We got a gentle leader and she hates it to the point of scratching her nose a bit, but its the only way I can walk her without my shoulder feeling like its going to be dislocated. (You can see it a little in the photo above) I think it will just be a slow adjustment process with lots of treats. I must say, though... people look at you like you're a terrible person for having what looks like a muzzle (its NOT!) on your dog.
And, I've decided that I never really need to have kids. Dogs are just as much work, but at least you're allowed to crate them when you leave the house.

Knitting is going slower then it had been as Annie is taking up some knitting time. Tonight, I plan to hopefully sit down for awhile and wrap up some holiday projects. Now that I'm driving to NH, I'll be loosing some knitting time!

A new member of the family

Things are going to get a little crazy around the house for awhile.

Last night, I brought home Annabelle (Annie) from the Washington Humane Society. More to follow soon, but here she is!

still need to shop?

This should be pretty cool on Saturday...I'll have friends in town, so we're going to try to swing through!

All I want for Christmas...

Is for it to be over!
Okay... that sounds harsh. I realize this. But, every year I do the same thing. Swear I won't be stressed by holiday knitting, am calm and suddenly w/two weeks to go, I am casting on new "oh this is cute and quick!" projects left and right! And the kicker? I'm not even going to show you alll of my work until after Christmas. There are enough of you out there I that I know read, even if you don't comment, that I don't want to give away too many big secrets here.
So, that means. You don't get any pictures today.
A funny thing, though? I just had a lovely conversation with my mailman. (Really lovely, not sarcastic lovely) and know what his name is? Mango. I swear. And people in New Hampshire always thought my name was weird? Just saying.

alpacas and friends

I don't think I'm one to brag excessively, except when it comes to one thing. That "thing" is how fortunate I am to have amazing friends. Friends who are there for everything, yet understand when you are just too tired to chat. Who you see more then once a year even when they live thousands of miles away, but when you don't see the ones that live close, you both know its okay, and you still love each other...
Anyway, before I get too mushy. I went to a college alum thing on Monday and some of my peeps came down from Baltimore. Yve, one of "MY girls" made it down with her boyfriend and had a present for me! See, Yve's BF...his Mom...owns an alpaca farm in Rural Vermont! I've known this for awhile but, hadn't requested yarn, as I didn't want to seem too pushy. Well, they were up in New England visiting this fall and brought me back two hanks of two-ply chocolate brown! Yay! I'm so excited...
Another cool thing? It appears the yarn is a direct match (in terms of weight) and a great contrast to what I procured on our grand fall adventure! Double yay.

Buy Handmade

The Tall Guy and I, along with some assorted friends have been making the craft show circuit this season.
While I don't think all my gifts are going to fit the bill, I think its fair to say a large number of them are. I love this movement, it makes so much sense to me. Isn't Christmas about giving from the heart and not about the biggest, shiniest, most technologically advanced thing out there? Maybe that's just me.

winter knitty

The winter knitty is up! Yay! And three sock patterns.. (edit... I went back and looked again.. its actully four pairs of socks!)

This one, however amazes me.
Click here for the pattern. (Photo is courtesy of knitty.com and saved to my server. )
I love the pattern, think its super cute and interesting and the designer... The designer is a high school student! And here I am thinking I'm the cat's pajamas at 28 just being able to knit such patterns!!!! Too funny.

I'm pondering what yarn I should use for it... I just bought this really bright stuff last weekend from Woolarina, that may be it..

A political diversion

Okay... so most of the time I do my best to not wax poetics about politics. Its not my thing in this venue. But, when I read things that just get me all worked up, its hard not to say something.
This weekend, I was getting a ride home from NoVA from a friend and we cut across on 14th st. I looked right as we went between the Capital and Washington Monument and saw all these teeny tiny white flags. Thousands of them. And we all wondered what they were.
Come to find out each flag represented a member of the armed service who no, wasn't killed in action but who was discharged under the "Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy". Here's the article from DCist.

I suppose this is all a part of my political tendencies in general, but how is this a good idea? Bill, you were a great President in so many ways, but this was a mess. As I was thinking about this I realized I'm not even sure I can calm myself enough to speak coherently on the issue, except to say that if someone wants to serve for our Country, how does it make sense that they are not allowed based on sexual preference???? I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that disagree with my own rationale, but I'm nearly sure that plenty of them are the are same people that think every person of the same sex as them, who happens to be homosexual must obviously find them attractive and will hit on them. How vain.

So, back to knitting......

• I knit this weekend.
• I bought yarn from woolarina at the craft fair in Baltimore
• And I finished a little project for my little sister.
• Now I'm back to my step-mom's Monkey socks, as the people at Lantern Moon sent me a replacement needle (yay!)
• The US distributor for Colinette sent me my replacement yarn (double yay!)

Photos after Christmas people!

Week- end re-cap...

This is going to be a little all over the place...

I spent the better part of the day yesterday reviewing applications. Let me tell you. Its not glamorous. That said, I was reading one and at the end of the cover letter, in the closing it says: "God Bless You". I'm having trouble verbalizing why this is so bothersome to me, but it is.

I'm a little nervous. I'm 90% through the Harlots hat in baby alpaca and seem to get a headache everytime I knit more then 10 minutes. Am I allergic? Oh lord. I hope not!!!!

What's important to you in the Nation's next president? The Tall Guy and I have had a number of heated debates on who the next leader of the US will be and/or why??? I'm not sure, but I'm curious what people are thinking right now.

This morning we're heading up to Baltimore for a craft fair! I love a good craft fair and this one is 'spose to be like Crafty Bastards...tonight is dinner with some of my DC girls...I'm really happy about that, since we never seem to see each other at the same time...

Knitting this weekend? Well. I'm trying to finish that hat. I'll take a photo when its done. If I do appear allergic, it will go to my sis. I'm also working on the Tall Guy's Mom's gift (the blue mohair from the other day). She's a knitter, so I think it will be good.

I have 30% of the Monkey Socks to finish. Problem is, I broke another needle this week, so while I can finish the sock with 4 needles, it would be easier to do it with 5.
I'm hoping tomorrow will be the day for the sweater. One of friends is coming over for a knitting lesson, so I'm hoping that will be a good time to wrap the sweater....

If you can't tell, I'm a bit of a knitting schizophrenic (brooklyn tweed quote ) right now. There's just so much I want/need to finish but, am sort of spinning my wheels on what needs to happen when, with holiday timing, when I'll be seeing people etc.

Whew. Pictures soon. Wish me luck!