Just learned to do entrelac! Love it and can't wait to knit a pair of socks.

This is Quant from www.knitty.com and it's a great beginner pattern. The yarn is Noro Kureyon and I really like the colors. These are argyle socks from "The Big Book of Socks" with Cascade 220. A fast knit and they are toasty warm.

I have been hunkered down and staying warm because, baby it's COLD outside. This morning it was -8* when I woke up. It has warmed considerably ...now it's 12*. Woohoo. I don't need anything outside so I just brewed a fresh pot of tea and am starting a new knitting project. Because I just finished my last project and have none on the needles.

These are the Two-color cable socks from "The Big Book of Socks". I wanted to learn to do two-color cables and I love them. They are practically knee socks and so warm. Very easy and I am definately making another pair. The yarn is Cascade 220 and I have just a little ball of orange left and less than 1 yard of fushia.

I bought a bunch of Cascade on clearance when Yarns and Fabrications went out of business with this pattern in mind. I've always liked knee socks because my legs get cold. The only thing that I will change is I will cast on with a smaller size needle (4) and knit the ribbing and then go to the 5.
I am now going to try entrelac as I took a class from Planet Purl www.planetpurl.com last week. I really enjoy their classes and learned alot. Plus, they have great videos, which is always helpful. They also have a fun knit and chat once a month.
I've decided to knit "Quant" from www.knitty.com for my beginning project and then I have a neat pattern for a pair of socks. I'm also starting a pair of argyle socks from "The Big Book of Socks" with purple, green and orange Cascade 220. Those should be a fast,easy knit.
We had 5.8" of snow on Thursday and I was tired of shoveling. We shoveled twice and left about 1" on the drive because it was icy underneath. I also did not want to pay the snow guy to come and scrape the drive 'cause I didn't want to spend the money. He knows not to come unless it's over 4'' and I call him to go on the list. At 2:30 am. we were jolted out of bed by a big THUNK and ran to the window (no, it wasn't Santa) but the snow guy. Hello!?! I didn't call. Had to go to the front door and try and get his attention to yell that we had shoveled. He said that he was just cleaning it off. Yeah for $65.oo you are going to do more than clean it off. But since I didn't call him, and we stopped him, I don't think he should charge me. We shall see.
Okay, off to cast on for some new projects. Stay warm and safe.

Here is my replacement (as much as it can replace my lovely mug) for the broken mug. One of my clients' gave me $50.00 in Caribou gift cards, which was super thoughtful but I was surprised because she was always such a big Starbucks fan. As am I. But a soy chai latte is fine as I don't really care for their coffee. But I was getting some drinks yesterday for myself and Amanda and I saw this on sale by the register and figured, why not?

I like to have a tangible reminder of the card so a new mug it is. Right now it's filled with Harney's Cranberry Autumn, which a lovely choice on a cold night.

It's warmer some today---30*- but when it warms up is when I seem to get really cold. Luckily a hand knit sweater or shawl is waiting right here to be thrown around my shoulders.

Here's what I made the other day. Puppy chow cookies. They were good but I think I prefer the puppy chow loose and not on a cookie. Eggnog cookies are next. I got some of the Silknog on sale and the cookies sound great. Plus, I get to drink whatever is leftover!

I've been busy trying to finish up all my projects on the needles so I can start some more! I finished my vest and a fun scalloped scarf/shawl (the pattern is on the Bernat site and is the scallop scarf)and a huge crocheted afghan that was a gift. I am not the best crocheter and can't really watch anything while I do it so I popped in an audiobook and hunkered down and finished it the other night. Now all I have to do is one half of a sock for mom, a pair of cabled socks that I am half done with the first one and the KAL that I am going to work on tomorrow. I WILL break the pattern. I just have to have quiet and concentrate but I'll get farther along on it.

Yes,yes, I know I still have the Celtic poncho but I thought that I could work on it in the spring because I probably won't get it done in time for this year. But I will get it finished this year. No more ufos.

Here's Rufus peeking out to say hello.

And Binkley and Rufus having a cleaning!

Sad mug day....I broke one of my favorite mugs the other night. :(

I bumped it against the table at just the right angle and bang! broken. I had the matching green one several years ago but it got broken also. (Mom!) It seems that the handles were not as strong as the rest of the mug,which was odd because it was a fairly heavy mug. I didn't throw it away though as it was still pretty good for holding pens. I have been busy knitting. This is the vest that I just blocked last night. Still have to pick up stitches around the armholes and the front and bottom. I like the yarn...it's Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool and it's quite nice.
Lunchtime! I had lemony chard stuffed shells, mac 'n ''cheese", and steamed veggies. Delicious and very good on such a cold winter's day. Yesterday I made crumb topped apple pie muffins, and scones. Also tempeh simmered with tomatoes and sauerkraut, and rice and cabbage with apples and caraway seeds. Very good. I like casseroles and stews/soups in the winter with lots of bread.

Which is what came out of the bread machine! Onion soup caraway bread. Nothing smells as good as baking bread. Except maybe dessert...teehee.

This is the Rodekool kal that I have been slogging away on lately. It's one of those patterns that I keep knitting and frogging and knitting and frogging with lots of muttering and "stupid pattern"s going on at the same time.

As I was slogging through the pattern for the third time the light bulb went on...duh. Then the pattern made perfect sense. Obviously it was the pattern all along and not me.

But I was really glad to have figured it out because I did not want to give up but I was going to anyway because knitting shouldn't make you want to throw the project at the wall and then stomp on it.

I am going to finish the few projects I have on the needles and then put together my own sock club of the month for the year. I think the hardest part is choosing just the right pattern for the yarn. But I am going to buckle down and choose.

Okay, I am off to knit on the swirl shawl. I only have 6 more pieces to knit and then that is finished. So I will refill my tea and knit. Stay inside and keep warm and knit!

Okay I am going to go now and cast on for the Rodekool kal. Wish me luck.