So here it is, just after midnight on a Monday, last week of classes before Thanksgiving break. Since it's been so long since I've done anything with this blog, I figured I'd provide an introduction in case you're stopping by for the first time.
First, and most importantly, Miss Agatha, posing so beautifully in the loom (yes, in). She's our sweetly goofy Maine Coon, the general supervisor of all things knitting here at the Sandcastle. (Well, to be strictly honest about it, she's the general supervisor of all things generally around here.)
"Here" is a 1901 Victorian farmhouse on the Illinois prairie - the one with original stained glass and a wraparound porch that's perpetually threatening to fall off the house. Porch repairs had to wait for the new roof (this year's big money suck); maybe next year.
So... let me see. I neither work in a yarn store (I teach uni) nor design knitting patterns (I have too much fun knitting those other wonderful, talented people devise for us!), but I'm an inveterate stash builder and constant knitter.
Constant.
When I'm not involved in a major writing project, anyway. (I've yet to figure out how to write and knit at the same time.)
Currently on the needles are:
- Gretel, by Ysolda Teague, in a lovely mid-range navy blue Noro Cashmel (sadly discontinued), part of the great stashdown of 2008.
- Cardi for Arwen, by Kate Gilbert, which I'm knitting along with my writing parter, Ana, in pale lavender Cashmerino Aran.
- Anne Shirley scarf, by SaRi, in the same yarn and colors as in the original pattern (Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock in Beryl and Jade). Very unoriginal of me, I suppose, but I fell in love with that combination!
And upstairs in various stages of blocking (read: lying in a heap in the Dark Arts Library waiting patiently for me quit with the lazy) are an AbFab-ish sort of throw, a fair isle sweater and a cable sweater with a yoke collar.
I'm reminded of the story Anne Lamott tells in her book Bird-by-Bird, about her brother having left his report on birds until the night before it was due. He was sitting at the kitchen table fretting and panicking, and their father came in and just said, "Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird."
Like knitting. Like anything, really.
Like getting some of the long-finished object pictures up on this blog. Here's the tam I made for Becca last year. Early winter has hit with sudden insistence, and the tam has just made its seasonal appearance. It looks great with her winter coat and with the lovely wrap she bought at Stitches West:
*waves*
~ Sand
