Christmas is Coming . . .

I wish I had more time to spend with my books!!! After several lost auctions I finally won an auction for Knitting Lace by Susanne E. Lewis. It is a workshop comparable to Elizabeth Zimmermann's many workshops and Jacqueline Fee's Sweater Workshop. In a word EXCELLENT. I am so excited to have this book. I keep it on the nightstand and read it as often as I can, but really - having to rise at 4:45 am every day does not leave much time for reading. I miss my reading time dearly. Since the time change I don't even get to read on the vanpool because it is dark in the morning and in the evening when we are on the road. We have little personal overhead lights, but for mature-bifocal wearing eyes it is not sufficient or advisable. Anywho, I also bought some knitting handbooks published in the 80's and they are great. Non-commercial, no yarn advertisment or needle pushing. Just plain talking how-to knitting instructions. I got them mainly to complete the TKGA Courses. They are my reference materials for the written portions of the course. My Knit Picks Bare yarn also arrived, so I can get started on my swatches. Thank goodness I am a Gemini and there are two of me, so I can get all this stuff done ;~}


I am re-reading Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy in heightened anticipation of the upcoming film release. Love love love this series. I have bought this book set so many times and gifted it to so many people that I was not sure I still had a set of my own. But alas, I found them. Nice set too, I did not remember these covers. :>] My daemon is kind of shy and refuses to appear in the sidebar, but his name is Scheane. The reincarnation of my Sister's Midnight to be sure.











I finished another pair of socks for Christmas. I have now completed all three pairs of my Hill Country Yarn socks. I will be slipping and a sliding around the house Christmas weekend :) in all my green, red and white glory. We are Kris Kringling again this year, so besides Mom, Sis, Brother, and dog Babies I only have to shop for one person. My Cousin in Little Rock has requested more socks, in orange and red. I guess the Fawkes Socks in Firebird will be flying off to a new home.



I cast on my Ebony Elite Secret Pal's Scarf last night. Two problems. The yarn is not the color it appeared online and the feel of it is scratchier than I expected. I wanted soft and thick and luxurious and this is kind of stiff the way crocheted worsted weight can be. I am extremely disappointed because I ordered and waited for this yarn specifically for this project. I could have been making the scarf out of stash or some other yarn weeks ago. I am going to give it a few more inches of my precious knitting time and hope with length the drape and texture improves. But at the same time I am going to look for a backup yarn. I really like the pattern so I want this to be a nice finished project.

I cast on some Socks That Rock socks, trying to get my sock mojo back. I should have at least three pairs going right now. But considering I have two Mystic Water Shawls on the needles, what can I say. We are starting to get swatch instructions on the KALs that start in Jan and Feb, but I am still waiting on yarn information. I really like the Zephyr and it looks like I will need a cone of it for one of the KALs - the shawl requires 1700 + yards of lace weight yarn. I ordered some more Wollmeise Lace Garn, but there are color gradations that may not work for the upcoming projects. Most of the hints say a solid, non-variegated would be best because of the complexity of the pattern. I will wait until the end of December to decide. I need to play with my collection this weekend and find some inspiring sock yarn to get some more pairs on the needles. I have several I have not tried yet, Louet, Duet, Jojoland, Fearless Fibers, Wollmeise, Shibui, Dharmafey's Cosmic Fibers, Koigu, Lisa Souza, Risata, Felice. Maybe I will just cast on all of the balls that are already wound - I have enough sock needles :}