Escargo

M wanted a hat with texture. I needed not to be knitting cables (my current WIP vest has cables). I found this snail hat and thought it could work. Yes the pattern is in Japanese, but there is a standard knitting chart. Some notes are up on Ravelry in English. I did CO less stitches because M wouldn't want a slouchy hat. And he'll be wearing the hat folded up. Here it is just before i used a 3 needle BO to form the cylinder.

And a bunch of finished shots. Since I only had a partial ball of the Paton's Wool and I wasn't sure of the yardage needed, I mixed in some denim marl Paton's Wool every few stripes.

So which photo do you like best #1, #2, or #3?

Treasures

Some times it's easy to rely on the things we have around us and not choose Faith.

I've been thinking a lot about this recently as I've read the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. When you have a portfolio for retirement, a sizable savings account, a stocked freezer,...are your thoughts with God's provision or with how well you've arranged things so you won't ever have to worry? I know what I was thinking...

And again as I've watched this YouTube video on the Advent Conspiracy. And I watch the masses scurry around buying just to have presents when so many don't have clean water, warm blankets, or food for the next meal.

And now, the moths have had me thinking.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19-21

I really do appreciate the stash I have...but, I need to think about it differently. Where are your treasures? Here are mine.

One hundred years from now
It won't matter
What kind of car I drove
What kind of house I lived in
How much money I had in the bank
Nor what my cloths looked like
BUT
The world may be a little better
Because, I was important
In the life of a child.

Author Unknown

Prizes

This post is so overdue. Much like my library books. It's a good thing they don't charge a fine for overdue children's books at my library. I'm not checking out adult books until my life is in better order...that may be never.

Nearly forever ago, I entered a contest on Chan's blog and won the purple grand prize. October was quite a month for us. I finally quit my night job at the craft store to focus on being a wife/mom/homeschooler. M & I celebrated our 10th anniversary. He was laid off just 1 week shy of his 1 year with the company and just days after my last day. We remembered the 2nd anniversary of my dad's passing. In some ways, I feel like I've been holding my breath since October. Let's forget about the not breathing...and focus on one of the gifts I've been given. They have encouraged me more than you can know. Thank you Chan, Jessi, Piddleloop girls, Nicole and Anita. The fact that this prize is a gathering of the knitting community is not lost on me.

Clockwise from the yarn. 2 skeins of Get Ewe Done Sport Merino in “Haddon Wood’s Princess of Joy”. Bag from Piddleloop -my first. A tin with 2 stitch markers (included with the yarn). Stitch Markers from Lapdog Creations. And a tape measure from Anita. I'm so enjoying this prize. Here's a close up of the yarn.

And here's the WIP. I've already started the lace portion of this shawl. This is the larger Ishbel. The color here is pretty accurate.

I've had to let this project rest, so I haven't worked on it since we got home from Napa. I'm busy knitting hats in hope that my kids will see snow for the FIRST TIME EVER!

MOTHS!!!

A knitter's swear word! The hole in 4's hat just didn't sit well with me.

And then tonight, I found 2 similar holes in a sock.

Both of those items were in a basket of knit things in my room that was on the floor. I'm PRAYING that my stash has not been affected. I did email back to comments on my last post and got some quick answers. Thanks Amanda and Jessi! Chan said freezer too...and I'm hoping she's not right about the 10 to 14 days, but I might just see how much wool I can fit into the freezer and leave it until after Christmas. Well, at least the good stuff. I'm going to separate the cottons and silks and synthetics. Then I'll bag the wool and prioritize the freezer treatments. I'll start with the yarn in my room, as I haven't found evidence in any other place yet. I did find 2 good articles on infestation.

A Colorado article here.

About Knitting article here.

I typed the above, then I went put all my wool in the freezer. All the good stuff fit. The rest is in ziplock bags waiting its turn. I didn't see any evidence of intruders in my stash. But, the freezer is good insurance anyways.

And since I put the fear of Moths in you all, here's a fun photo of Rex so you don't just stop breathing. It's been a bit chilly here. He's a spoiled kitty. He's been sleeping curled up in our down comforter. I didn't want kitty fur everywhere, and I didn't want to shoe him away, so I gave him my robe to lay on...and left the comforter cave to keep him cozy.

A fix...

I have to fix a hat. I'm glad I took this photo of the kids.

But now, looking at it, I think I can see a tiny hole in the hat here. It's 4's hat. I thought I could just mend it, but its seems to incorporate several rows. I undid the 3 needle bind off last night and was disappointed to find the hole is in the 2nd of the short-row wedges. So I have a question, I've never unknit and added to a piece backwards. Can I unpick the CO edge and then reknit in garter the reverse way. Otherwise, I'll just unknit the whole hat and start over. Here's the kids with M in front of my Gramp's house. They were on their way to the tree lighting.

Since I haven't taken it's own FO shot, I cropped in a family shot to show you the Hurricane Hat I knit for M. while on vacation. It's in Zoom which is cotton/merino yarn. Lovely yarn really!!! But, this is a thin hat and he needs a warmer one too. Why don't I think of knitting hats in the summer?

Another List

I'm so glad I can share my fun memories with you all. Too bad lists aren't as fun. They sure help my productivity though. And at least I've found a few photos. =0)

My mom helped me finish an apron today for a birthday gift tomorrow. 4 needs the next size up, so I see some sewing in the future. I bought the cutest apron pattern a few years back. It was the best $10 I've spent on a pattern. We've made 6 or 7 in the little girls size and I have one.

I sewed in ends on a scarf. It's a feather & fan pattern in Blue Heron Boiled Wool. 6" x 80". I haven't decided if I'll keep it or if it's a gift yet, but I have decided a scarf is a good "car project" for me. This isn't blocked yet, but I'm not sure if I will block it or not.

I liked my Beach Fog Ishbel so much...I cast on for a 2nd one. I worked on it in the car to and from Napa. On the way home I actually started the lace portion. But, I haven't had a chance to work on it since coming home. This is the only photo I have of this project...taken quite awhile ago. This one is in a really special yarn...that will get it's own post...hopefully next week. Some of you will recognize it. ;0)

And to replace my last scarf project, I started this one. It's Ysolda's Ariel in Tilli Tomas Disco Lights Teal. I got this yarn from my MIL & FIL for Christmas (I'm not sure if it was 2008 or 2007). I don't think this scarf works as a "car project" because the purl rows have pattern to them as well. Still, I hope to finish this for New Year's Eve. Maybe it will be for 2010...

My new "car project" is the 2nd front to my Hoodie. I've finished 2 1/2 repeats this week carrying it with me. I have 3 1/2 to go. Then just the hood! Hopefully I can finish this to where it while it's cold here (that's such a short season).

I'm hoping to felt some hats. I have one ready to go (for 4) and one that just needs the shaping at the crown (for me). And they should have flowers. Maybe I'll finish the hats and add the flowers later...they have to felt separate anyways.

M is still asking for another hat. He's got quite a few picked out. Pismo. Groovy Tuque. Handmaiden Quick Hat (but he thinks that they cheat by loosing the stitch pattern when decreasing...I think he's right, but I'm not sure I can fix it.) Wilson. Aaron's Hat. Dean Street. Botanic. Flintshire. If you've made it this far...and looked at some of these links...let me know which hat you like.