Gray Is the New Black

I finished my cardi, the epic project of this fall!



I know, the color choice is radical. But I wanted a gray cardigan, to go so well with all the handknit shawls and scarves.





It's warm, and comfortable, and it fits. There are one or two issues with it, mainly the size of the hood, but I'll take it as a learning experience. There is, in fact, no need to knit a hood so big an entire football team could fit in there. And play.





Otherwise, I can't think of anything negative about it. The broken rib band around the front edges and the hood nearly did me in - 530 stitches of worsted weight yarn on a 32" needle will take your soul, your will to live, your will to knit (gasp) and nearly, but not entirely, your love for gray yarn.



I do love the color. I don't know why, but gray is, and will always be, a favorite. (Ask me again next week, and it'll be green. Or blue. Or yellow!)



The coat was finished just in time. Last week, we had fall. This week, we got winter. Brr!

Amazing Travels and Beauty in the Morning (Marathon Post)

(Still no knitting. Forgot to block. And photograph.)

Last week, on Thursday to be exact, I turned 30. It didn't feel any different from any other day, except that a friend bought a beautiful wheel and I taught her to spin. To celebrate, I went on a road trip and drove nearly 900 miles, to see friends and knit. A group of 40 knitters met for a weekend of knitting and spinning and yarn and fiber and books and tea and wine and such.


I also taught a class on the sweater method. We had fun.


I had fun, and I think the class did too. The picture above of one of our amazing organizers, Samma, was just too hilarious to miss. It was all very cordial, I was nice to everyone.

I swear I was.

In my class, the knitters were fun, smart, amazing artists. I was honored to meet them all. (I loved the Shetland shawl, it looked so warm.)


It all required a lot of concentration.


Their beautiful hands knitted very very fast. And they were all such a joy to watch.


I am so happy I got to meet my fellow knitters. It was a weekend of sheer joy, I hope there'll be another knitting retreat very soon. (I also may have bought another spinning wheel. More of that later.)

On my travels I also got to meet some animals I had not seen before. Lizards, and some snakes.


They were very scary and wild, all 12 inches of them.


These Columbian rainbowboas were truly most amazing animals: beautiful, strong, primitive, and an absolute joy to watch.


The green iguana did not approve of my photographing him.


But the little ADD lizard did not mind, at all. She was awfully cute!


Now that I have shocked you with lizards and snakes, let's look at some yarn. These came home with me. Green mystery lace yarn and blue Drops Alpaca adopted from fellow knitters.


Burgundy Drops Alpaca. What can I say, I love the yarn. And the color!


And then I went crazy. First, just a little.


And the I went completely bonkers.

Yes, I am aware it's yellow. But what a yellow it is! Mustard yellow, in all of the richness of the fall yellow that is only there this time of year! I had to have it. All of it.

Speaking of fall, it's here.














Enjoy your fall days!