One for the road...

A new Baby Bobbi Bear WIP.

Last night in a knitting frenzy (and while watching Dodgeball - don't ask) I obliterated the evidence of my modification/improvement - the provisional cast on! You should have seen it.

Illustrations are here, here, here, and here. Uber cool.
Worked like a dream and now he is totally SEAMLESS!

In other news, don't forget to stop by the Ester Knit-a-long site.
Still time to sign up!

Bearily, I say unto you...

One bear down, two to go.
He's a little sloppy but I learned tons and look forward to making more.
That Blue Sky Cotton! It's all good. The pattern is theirs too.


Z thought he was great.


And immediately found his "ROARING" voice.



Baby Jack, Bear's intended, regarded it all very warily.
We're sure they'll be fast friends in the not too distant future.

Man, I'm stuffed!

Baby Bobbi Bear progress.

He's so stinking cute, even while doing his Edward Scissorhands impersonation.

Will complete tonight and start the next one.
To my beret obsession I've added bears.


The next beret. Nice spring colors. I highly recommend the Koigu KPPM.
And knitting berets :-)


KnitPicks Main Line arrives for the Ester KAL.
Three Musketeers thus far. Christina Marie has joined! I'm so super excited!! Excessive-use-of-exclamation marks excited!!!!!

Check out her blog. Email me or comment if you're in. Strength in numbers. That kind of thing.

Reminder - we cast on May 1.


Also picked up some of their discontinued "Dancing" fingering weight. I love this for socks and am really disappointed it is no longer.
It's slightly tubular (like, totally) and springy.

Got enough for 2 adult pairs and 1 kids pair per color. Then I'm on a quest for a cost-efficient replacement. I love the Lorna's but it's a little tough on the wallet. Suggestions?


It's snowing AGAIN! But a couple of days ago - a veritable flurry of robins. Our whole yard was peppered with them. Too bad I don't have a wide angle lens.

Ester KAL

Aside from the fact that it snowed night before last (Hello! It's April)

and I live just about as far from wisteria as possible (sadness)

the news in nuttnland is the making of a Knitalong.

(or should I say a "nuttalong"!)

Jessicah from Spinning a Yarn and I have been brewing it for a while now.

Time to pull the proverbial trigger.

Ester KAL!!!

New to knitting and want something to stretch your wings??

Cable experts who want to cable w/o cable needles?

Just looking for kicks and giggles?

Come one, come all.

Won't you join us? We'll be so happy.

My yarn is ordered (blueberry, baby!).

True to the pattern notes, we've both chosen purplish yarns.

But don't feel constrained.

Tell your friends and neighbors! Blog boldly.

Email me (nuttnbunny at hotmail dot com) or comment to sign on.

Registration deadline is April 30. We cast-on May 1.

NO big pressure here. The goal is to complete for use this fall.

Stretch it to winter if you like.

Say "May 2" if you need that kind of deadline.

If enough folks enroll we'll create a blog for us all. Otherwise I'll track participants in my sidebar and post progress on folks behalf

(unless someone wants to counsel me otherwise).

Check the listings for 2007 Knit-a-longs and Swaps

(thanks for the tip Tiennie!)

Holy Mother of Tasty Yarn Cakes!

A present from my Mom. A dreamy drop spindle kit from Louet.
Can't wait to give it a spin (sorry - couldn't resist). Thanks Mama!!!


A thrifted sewing book...

Gift for Littlest Sis, mother of Moonpie (soon-to-be-two-years-old).
God knows, Mama's deserve gifts! Happy Almost Birthday, Moonpie!



WIP for aforementioned Moonpie b-day. As soon as this is posted I'm heading off to knit. I'm guessing another 2 days.

You'll be please to know that this is the Blue Sky Alpaca Cotton discovered via the Yarn of the Month club.
I had sworn an oath of utility and am following through.

This yarn is the stuff of dreams.


Lastly - Ordered some yarn for a KAL which will be announced shortly. Any advice/tips for starting a KAL?

Ham, I am

Gearing up for Easter!! If you're not ready, call Oscar's Smokehouse.

You're only three days away from the ham of a lifetime.

Socks knit using MagicLoop. Loving it.

You can learn too. Thanks, Tiennie, for the tip!

The socks pictured are for Hugo, big bro to Baby Ares whose finished socks have been delivered. Hopefully his Mama will email me a pic of him wearing them b/c in my BBQ induced fog I forgot to document.

Basically they look like these, finished, smaller.

This yarn is the KnitPicks Dancing which, apparently, is discontinued. Why?!?!? It's such a great consistency and wears beautifully. Get it while you can, folks.


Another finished beret. Thank God...


...because the Koigu berets are causing me some grief. Need some more yarn (and yes, I did swatch this! and yes, I'm knitting to gauge!) The pattern called for one skein. Humpf.

While in Austin, visited Hill Country Weavers.

SO much yarn!!! I took a couple things off their hands (I'm a giver that way) ;-)

Colinette Yarns Jitterbug 100% merino easy care in Toscana.

Might make a good toque for 10%! Anyone have pattern advice?


Be Sweet Extra Fine Mohair. A great yarn supporting a great job creation program. Check it out!

And yes, this will become a beret. I just can't help myself.

Stay tuned for a KAL announcement. You know you want to.
Because you just don't have enough to do! :-)

Another beret!

First it was lunch bags...

then socks...

now, it seems, I'm on a beret kick!



This a baby beret from a pattern by babyknits.
Added the little "nubbin" on top for continutity with the others I've knit.

No heads small enough to model (we tried on Z and it just wasn't happening) so Buddha kindly obliged.

Of course.



Been doing some work on my blog. Hoping it will better serve gaining traction against my goals.

Feedback? Advice?

Aspiring to skills matching my inspiration

After repeated attempts to photograph myself modeling the completed berets, I've booked a facial and a haircut. Maybe, soon, it will all work out.

In the interim, recently arrived Japanese crafting goodness...
(good god, I love yesasia.com!)

and some WIPs.

YOTM swatching

Can you guess what this will be?

Little baby cape

New Knitty is up. Some really exciting patterns.

I'd like to try: bmp, ester, and (definitely) clessidra.

I should make a sidebar list of all the things in my must-do list so a I can prioritize and structure my time well.

There are some birthdays coming up and I'd like to not deliver late! :-)

Now, that's more like it

Feeling human again. Such a nice recharge.

Back to business.

Two Purl Bee berets - started and finished on the beach. Will model as soon as my hair is washed.

It's still a little "beachy", if you know what I mean.


Continued thanks to Miss Julie for the gift that keeps on giving.
YOTM for March was waiting in the mail box.
Four supremely beautiful lace weights in addition to the newsletter and scarf pattern .

(listed clockwise from lower left)

1. Pastimes by Conjoined Creations, 100% Soy Silk
2. Meloso Lace by Lanas Puras, 100% Wool
3. Misti Alpaca Lace by Misti Alpaca, 100% (you guessed it) Baby Alpaca
4. Merino Oro by Ornachi Filati, 100% Wool

I am your swatching servant.

Lastly, in answer that nagging question, "Can you mail a coconut?" we answer, "Yes, indeed"!

Muchas Gracias, Miss Julie! Te Amos :-)

Shrug and Snacks

C'est fini! I may add a little more embellishment, some flowers or bows.

You'll also have to imagine the sweet babe occupying that space.
Everything is cuter when it's wrapped around a kid :-)

Have to say that I don't LOVE garments knit mostly in garter stitch.
Maybe I'll make another and *gasp* amend the pattern.

Alas, perhaps not as "fini" as I thought :-)


Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte. A recipe for certain demise.

Reminder: It's only 1 lb. chocolate, 1/2 lb. butter, 6 eggs. "Only"!

One of my favorite things about baking cakes for folks (besides baking cakes for folks) is delivering them is this luscious carrier gifted by the famed Miss Julie.

Used to have another vintage carrier that lacked an effective securing mechanism.
The blasted thing had the habit of unleashing its contents in transit.

Many cakes were traumatized.

As was the baker.


Banana Walnut Muffin Magnetism - one of the strongest forces known to boy.

This recipe from the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.
Highly recommended (both the muffins and the book).


Chinese Five Spice Kettle Korn. Traditional stovetop popcorn adding a little salt and couple tbsps sugar to the oil and kernels, straight in the pan before popping. Sprinkle and stir in Chinese Five Spice powder when popped.

I'm embarrassed to admit I got this recipe from Rachel Ray.
Luckily, the snack has no residual perkiness.

Dishcloth Frenzy

1. Tiny Cables
2. Thick and Ribby
3. Not Quite Authentic Turkish
4. A textured Pattern from the Big Book of Knitting by Katharina Buss


All for Karla and our mini-swap. I'm way ahead of my self-imposed deadline here!

These knit up so quickly and I enjoy having a reason to try some new stitch patterns.
Very little commitment, very big payoff.
She'll be sending me some in return.

Now, if I could only convince Hubby to use dishcloths instead of buying those little scrubby sponges.

Can't wait to hear from her so I can mail these out. As INFJ as I am, I really need that final step :-)

Hearty Heartkins

Beautiful flowers from Hubby yesterday. I heart him.

We three traded cards and candies. The card Hubby gave me plays "Wild Thing" and Z enjoys an accompanying interpretive dance. A real showman.

If I figure out how to get the blasted videocamera onto the computer I promise to share. A veritable living room moshpit/Martha Graham.



Some Knitty Gritty Goodness from Keri. See that touch of pink in the roving? Notice the sinful alpaca yarn? Adore the lovely little lined bag (of which I was unable to get an interior shot showing the perfect contrasting fabric and pockets)!! What a total joy!

A little post V-Day mush here: What a great community this is...

Thank you Keri - shipping a little something your way tomorrow. :-)

Now - who has advice on hand dyes and spinning? Think I need a drop spindle and would like some recommendations. And dyeing - before or after spinning? I need your knowledge, please.


Swatches of YOTM complete. All knit to projected gauge this time.

(reporting clockwise from bottom left)

The Aurora 8 is very tubular, which I like. Super soft but I'm not wild about the colors in the variegates. Lots of choices in the solids, though.

Soft Tweed by RYC is delicious for a chunkier knit. The most complex composition. Beautiful, subdued colors.

Country by Rowan. Superchunky. Knits so quickly. The colors are subtle, to say the least, but I think that's a Rowan thing. "Birch" is a beautiful colorway.

And lastly, the come-from-behind-kid. This Smooth DK by King Cole really surprised me. Don't usually go for the "un-naturals" (call me a snob if you must) - but this stuff was great. Would be perfect for someone with wool sensitivities.

All four had wonderful stitch definition and I enjoyed swatching them. Not sure I'll be using them in the future though. All in all - good learning and good fun. I really do recommend the YOTM club.


Bottom left here is the baby shrug on which I posted last go-round. Love the vintage patterns. Have made good progress and anticipate finishing this weekend. Think I may add some embroidery along the collar or bottom edge. Again, advice and/or opinions welcome.


Also got the yarn to make the little cape in the middle. Light green for MC and the light brown for the CC. These Plassard patterns are adorable! Made the little kimono sweater on bottom left last year and it was dreamy.

Just pulled a Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte from the oven. My Firm holds a fundraising auction during the Holidays and I offered up a cake. Delivery is tomorrow.

Seriously, this thing is built from 1 lb. of bittersweet choco, 1/2 lb. butter, and 6 eggs. God help us all.