I guess we got about six inches of snow over Christmas, and now, after only a couple of days of warmer temps, it is almost gone. It was pretty, but it has become a dingy, soggy mess.

This is still pretty



and my in-laws really liked it. Berroco Suede makes lovely fabric. I made the Panera in “Dale Evans” which is what the model was made in, because I didn’t know what color to choose. They spend so much time in their motor home, I thought they might want to put it in there; and I couldn’t remember what color the interior was.

After I finished the Christmas knitting, I resumed my Scarf Style Scarf #1



I have 20” and I’m close to the end of the first hank of Lorna’s Laces. The pattern used 350 yds of Maine Merino Marvelous Millennium Sportweight to get 62” length. I thought two hanks of Lorna’s (400yds) would be enough. My width is right. Maybe blocking will help. I don’t intend to buy another hank, although it might be a good idea for another reason: my two hanks are different colors. Same dyelot, of course, but the second ball has spots of light gray that the first one doesn’t.



The color on that pic is a little warped, but one can see the spots clearly. Anyway, maybe throwing in another variety of cranberry will make it look less odd. Who knows? It could make it worse. If I had wound up both balls at the start, I would have seen the differences and alternated the balls as I worked. But I didn’t do the second one till after I was nearly done with the first. Another lesson learned. (I should probably be writing these down.)

Hooray for Christmas presents! Got one finished and here it is only Christmas Eve Eve.



That bag, the previously mention Edie Eckman pattern from Knitter’s Winter 2000, is for my best bud, Brandy. I made it with Cascade Chunky Tweed, an exact weight match for the sample’s Jamieson Chunky Shetland. My photo just barely shows the tweed flecks on the dark gray background: they are black and brown and tan and cream. (Brandy really likes neutrals.) I’m pleased with the lining fabric I found:



That is actually one of my husband’s shirts. When I took the summer shirts out of the closet and replaced them with the winter shirts, I bagged everything that was stained, torn or left over from the ’80s. (It was either that or Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and my husband would never forgive me if I put him on television.) That particular striped shirt fell into all three categories.

I wanted to stabilize this bag with a cardboard bottom, but I wanted it to be washable, so I affixed Velcro to the bottom of the bag and the cardboard piece



And you may also note that I decided on the stacked button.



I learned something significant about stacked buttons, too: glue them together before you sew them on. Otherwise, they slide all around, and if you try to glue them on after they’re sewn you make a mess. A glue mess. Yuck.

Perhaps you’ve noticed I’m posting this in the bright a.m. We got another batch of snow last night and the Courthouse is closed. Hooray! again. I’m off to fringe.

Remember me? TOO MUCH going on around here. Christmas is Saturday and I still have miles of fringe to go….

Till then, however, how about a Portrait of New Baby Niece



You see that is also a portrait of my beautiful sister in full Romantic Heroine mode. It is really not her fault she looks better immediately after giving birth than I ever will, EVER. It’s just how she looks.

Here is the sweater I made for baby Lyssa



The pattern is from a Leisure Arts booklet, made up with the requisite Patons Astra. Turned out very well. I made most of it while watching the Red Socks win the World Series and yet I was somehow still caught seaming it up the day AFTER Lyssa was born so I could take it with me to the hospital.

I get off work tomorrow at noon, then no work till next week. Should have an opportunity to post my Christmas projects as I finish them. I will also be keeping my fingers crossed -- I asked Santa for two balls of Rowan Kidsilk Haze for Christmas to make the lace scarf from the Winter Knitter’s magazine. I’ve been THAT good, haven’t I?

“Authority is not given to you to deny the return of the king -- STEWARD!”

Aaaaaaaargh! I’ve been so happy since it turned December thinking the Return of the King Special Edition DVD set was going to be released the 10th, and now I see it is not until the 14th. FOUR MORE DAYS I HAVE TO WAIT. “Muster the Rohirrim…” we’re storming all the stores until we find one NOW.

Okay, we’re not really. And I was dingy (as usual) thinking any DVD was being released on 10 December because 10 December is Friday, not Tuesday. I know better than that.

Wanna’ see a Panera Close-up?



I know -- fascinating, ain’t it?I’m not sure how far I am now -- I think I have two balls left.

How about this? I came to this link by a link from a link, etc., and, I admit I found it amusing. Yesterday, while Christmas shopping, I found this (and all my Christmas presents) at the bookstore



The back cover describes the plot as “fractured” and it is indeedy, but still fun to read. I haven’t gotten very far, though -- still knitting Christmas presents (the ones that aren’t books.)