Here is my next spring cardigan. It's the Debbie Bliss cardigan and I really am moving right along.

But I did take a break for this...
The March KAL on www.knitpurlhunter.com using Trekking yarn.
Here's last week's clue.

I've got both tops knit now and just got this week's clue this morning. Since they are only the heels I don't think they will take very long.

Mmmm. White Russian cookies.

Spinach and mushroom lasagna with cauliflower-tofu "ricotta".

I am off to take part 2 of the Planet Purl class on toe-up socks. See you soon.

Busy knitting and cooking but here's a yarn haiku to tide you over until tomorrow!

Yarn so soft and warm.

Want to roll around in it.

Take out needles first.

Sweater is finished! I really like it. I've never worn a short sweater like this but it's nice. A fast knit and I will definately be wearing it quite a bit.
This is the sweater I'm casting on now. It's the Debbie Bliss sweater from Knitscene wnter/spring 2011. I'm knitting it in a pale green and I think it will turn out to be a nice spring sweater.

Although the red is nice as well.

Dinner tonight is warm mushrooms and cranberry salad with horseradish dressing. mmmm. Lunch was a lovely creamy portobello soup and homemade cornbread. Perfect for a chilly,overcast day!

Been busy knitting away. Finished mom's vest (whew!) and decided to make myself a short-sleeved cardigan for spring. I had some Lion Brand Pound of Love lying around and thought I might as well get some use out of it. The color is Bubblegum and the pattern is from Lion Brand's website...it's called the Weekend Retreat Cardi and is knit from the neck down. So far I think I will really like it. A fairly fast knit and pretty mindless so I can watch videos while knitting.

Just finished watching PBS's "1940's House" and I quite enjoyed it.
Had some lovely weather this week, which is unusual for this time of year. My birthday was the 17th and I actually wore a short-sleeved teeshirt. Last year we had over 10" of snow. Got some fun things for presents....some yarn (gasp-what a surprise!) A skein of Noro Silk Garden and a pattern from a local designer for a funky, spiral-y scarf that looked really cool on the sales clerk. Very intriguing looking pattern. I'll keep you posted.
Also bought some Mango Moon recycled sari silk. I've been looking at it for years and finally caved. I found some shawl patterns on Ravelry for it and I think that I will make one of those with it.
Went over to Borders this morning. The really depressing news is that they are closing that store and they are having their going out of business sale.
I would have thought that this was the store they would leave open, out of the 3 they have here. It's the largest, most centrally located one but, no. I shop there all the time but no more. There is a Barnes and Noble right around the corner but I always preferred Borders. The rewards were free and they always sent really good coupons. I was going to go over yesterday and use my 33% off coupons but when I got there they were already having the discounted sales. 20% off all books, which meant I couldn't use my coupons :( . Plus (and I am not exaggerating at all) there must have been at least 150 people in line. They lined all the way from the front registers around all the stacks and through to the back of the store. No thanks! So I ran over this morning to be there when they opened. They told me the wait yesterday was at least 45 minutes to an hour. Some people were in line with just a magazine! I understand that they were 40% off but I wouldn't stand that long for just one little thing!
Well, the weather today is freezing rain today and chilly so I am brewing a pot of Blackberry Sage tea and I am going to try and finish my sweater. Keep warm!

Mmmmm. Potato skins. Amanda made a bunch for her friend's Super Bowl party and she saved me the outsides and a bag of "insides" and I went home and whipped up some vegan skins. Yum. Sauteed some mushrooms and onions and mashed it all up with some "sour cream" and Daiya cheddar cheese and chowed down. Thanks Amanda.

No knitting pictures right now. I am knitting but it's a long sampler vest for mom out of Peaches and Cream cotton. I'm trying to get it finished by this weekend since the weather is warming up slightly. Today it was 27*. I know that we will still have some cold weather...it alway is cruddy around my birthday but some warmer wouldn't be amiss. Supposed to be in the mid-40*'s by the beginning of the week so that will be a relief. Although, I have to say, I haven't really minded the freezing temps so much. I've just hunkered down with alot of hot tea, knitting, dvds and podcasts. Oh and some cooking as well. Yesterday I made some vegetable tomato rice soup and a grilled ''cheese" sandwich with some Daiya cheese and it was the perfect cold weather lunch. As a matter of fact, I may have some for dinner tonight since it's supposed to go down to 9*. Brrrrr.
Stay warm and get some knitting done.

This is another pair of the two-color cabled socks with some more Cascade 220.

Ta-dah! Quant is done and I love it. I really like entrelac and can't wait to knit a pair of socks. I have the pattern and yarn ready to go but am going to finish what's on my needles right now before starting.
I am knitting another sampler vest for mom and finishing off the cabled socks so my socks will have to wait.

On the weather side.....gruesome. Ice all over and when it started to melt off the driveway we then started with the freezing rain. So now the trees and grass are covered. Let's hope we don't get much more.
But it's good knitting weather and definately baking weather.

These are crispy,chewy oatmeal cookies from "The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur" and sooooo good. I have been craving oatmeal cookies for a week now and what better time to make them when it's icy and a good day to be inside.
I also made mushroom fettucini and broccoli for lunch 'cause Amanda stopped by for lunch. Thanks sis!

Okay. Just made a fresh pot of tea-Blackberry Sage from The
Republic of Tea and I am going to pop in an audio book and knit.
Stay warm and safe and knit alot.

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.

I made this for Christmas. It's called puppy chow and it's the BEST vegan snack I've had in quite some time. I think it's called muddy buddy mix but all I know is I had to send it home with Amanda because I couldn't stay out of it. I just may have to make a small batch for later. ...It is New Year's after all.
Bad puppy chow!

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEdf10/PATTrodekool.php I have joined a kal on Ravelry through thehttp://www.ravelry.com/groups/crystal-palace-yarns-kals-and-other-things Crystal Palace group that starts tomorrow and I now am thinking that maybe I'm not quite up to the challenge. I did the last kal, which was a cowl and easy and fun. Plus, I won a lovely skein of Mini Mochi yarn that I was going to do this Brioche Rodekool scarf. I am going to look at the video tutorial again and see what I can make of it.

Now that Christmas is over I can show you my big stealth knitting project. This is the Clasica sweater from Interweave Knits Fall 2009. I like to knit one big sweater for Amanda for Christmas and this one was a hit! Thankfully there was a KAL group on Ravelry so I got some help because I sure did need it at a few times.
The yarn is Red Heart Super Saver Burgundy Fleck and should hold up pretty well.

I think she likes it!

I spent some time this week finishing up a ufo that's been hanging around for quite some time. This is a (cover your eyes knitters!) store bought sweater that I got several years ago. It's a man's sweater so plain and a lovely dark gray but it needed some jazzing up. So I pulled out my cross stitching supplies and some duplicate stitch patterns and voila! a sparkly butterfly. I was going to put 3 on it because the pattern was really nice but the count on the sweater is sooooo small I just quit after doing one. So I knuckled down and finished it the other day. Happy dancing all around.

It's always gratifying to finish a project that has dragged on and on.
Went to Main Street Yarns yesterday to get a ball of Mini Mochi -color "Rainbows" for a kal that Crystal Palace Yarns is holding.
We are going to be knitting the Rodekool Brioche scarf from

Knitty Deep Fall issue.www.knitty.com.

Looks like it will be an interesting knit and I will learn a few new techniques.

Made some veggie fried rice the other day from "1000 Vegan Recipes" by Robin Robertson and it is delicious!

I hope everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas! Happy knitting.

The weather has been gruesome (ice and freezing rain today) so stayed in and did some baking/cooking. This is a East Coast coffee cake with strawberry jam from "Vegan Brunch". Yummy. I also made some Christmas Tamales from Alicia Simpson's "Vegan Celebration". I thought that it was going to be difficult but turned out to be quite easy. And tasty. Going to have lots of appetizer-y type things for Christmas plus a stuffed hazelnut cranberry roast from www.fieldroast.com. I made one for Thanksgiving and it was sooooo good. Plus, it made the best sandwiches on ciabatta rolls with Daiya "cheddar" cheese. Yum.Not a great picture but here's one of the things that I'm working on right now. It's a cabled sock from "The Big Book of Socks". I'm using Cascade 220 in orange and fuschia. I learned how to do a two-color cable which is kind of fun.
Okay. Off to have a cup of Trader Joe's Candy Cane green tea and put on my jimjams and knit. Stay warm all!

An actual knitted project finished. I love them. They are made with Patons Classic wool and nice and warm. Plus, they were an easy knit. I really like the color too.

I used this yarn to make myself a balaclava to wear when I had to shovel snow and my face gets so cold. I got almost all the way finished with it when ....duh...it dawned on me that it wasn't going to work because I wear glasses. What a doof! I finished it anyway since it was a pretty cabled pattern and someone will get to wear it.

Bought myself some yarn for Christmas. This is a lovely lace weight that I bought at Fiberge. It was so hard to decide which color. They were so great. Now the hardest part is going to be picking which pattern to knit.This is a wonderful yarn from Cherry Tree Hill called "Bing Cherry" that's a sock yarn. I got it from www.discontinuedbrandnameyarn.com. I really like this site and they have great sales. It was hard to hold myself to just a few. I also got a skein of purple lace weight for some kind of shawl.

Freezing cold again. Although the sun was out today and it felt a little warmer. Tonight it will be 6*. Time for jimjams and a nice warm robe! I have a hot pot of Berryblossom white tea and a new dvd to watch. Plus, a new knitting project. I decided to use my Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool to make a nice vest and I will get a few more skeins to make the cabled cardigan later. I buy them at Joann's with 50% off coupons, which is always nice. Good to save if you can.

It's good to have some projects planned out because it sounds like the weather this coming week is not going to be the best. Ice and snow and freezing rain,oh my! I have several series on dvd that I haven't watched and a few audio books to fill in the blanks.

Off to refill my tea so have a great night all and stay warm!

Mug o' the day shot. It's my new Christmas mug (and I got it for $3.95 at Starbucks the other day....sweet!). Tonight it's filled with Caribe from Harney tea ...www.harney.com.

So good. I ordered my winter's tea and it just arrived yesterday. The hardest part is deciding which one to have first. The Hot Cinnamon Spice is fabulous and very warming, which will definately be nice on Sunday since we are supposed to be having some wicked weather. Snow and wind and maybe 2-4". Sounds like a day to sit inside and knit with a hot cuppa. I made some Cranberry Autumn and .....sooooo good.

Stealth knitting is all finished now and I'm trying to finish a pair of socks for mom and then I'm going to make a few things for me! I got some lovely Fisherman's Wool by Lion Brand to make a cabled cardigan that should be nice and warm.

I also bought a bunch of Cascade 220 for quite cheap when Yarns and Fabrications went out of business. I am starting a pair of cabled socks from The Big Book of Socks and they look like a fun knit.

Had to buy a new washing machine the other day :(. Poor front loader finally gave up the ghost. They delivered the new one today and it has been merrily washing since. Luckily the laundry didn't pile up too much!
This is a pizza I made the other day for dinner. Yum. All kinds of veggies and Daiya cheese. Definately tastes like a cheesy pizza. That's the best cheese substitute that I've had yet. It melts great and tastes even better. It even makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches. Cheese was the food that I missed most when I became vegan so I was used to not having it at all. A very nice surprise when it came out on the market.

Okay. The laundry is done so I am off. Have a great weekend and stay warm and dry.

Brrrrr. Cold today. I suppose that it's just the start of it though. We had snow yesterday....well, just a dusting but still. The roads froze and there were some nasty accidents all over. Praise Jesus that it didn't start freezing until we got home from running errands. I didn't mind looking out the window at it but had no desire to be out in in!

These are the gloves that I've been working on. Nice and toasty warm, made with Deb Stoller wool yarn. Her colors are so bright and I really like knitting with it as well. The tea today is Comfort and Joy from Republic of Tea and it's lovely and "holiday-ish". Very tasty and warming. We are in for a cold snap this week and it's not supposed to get out of the 20*s. Sounds like good knitting weather to me! I have some audio books ( I am looking forward to listening to the best of Garrison Keillor) and a few projects to finish... it will be nice to get those done.

Okay. Off to refill my mug and sit down to knit. Stay warm and get some knitting done for yourself!

Actual knitting content ahead....cover your eyes if you don't believe me! Teehee.

This is the scallop shawl pattern from Bernat. Very fun and cool to knit. I definately recommend going to their website and download it. It isn't quite as big as the picture but it came out a decent size. I am happy with it. These are a pair of gloves from Kristin Nichols' book. I can't remember which one but they are wild looking.

The fair-isle slows me down a little but they are a pretty fast knit. I like to make them longer so my hands stay warm. Plus you can't go wrong with longer gloves!

We will definately need them this week. Today was in the 20*s and snow flurries. I guess December arrived with a bang. At least we didn't get inches of snow. Of course, we had over 2" of rain on Tuesday so we really didn't need any more precipitation. I am glad that the drought is over but did it really have to catch up all in one day?

Okay, off to finish my glove. Stay warm!