On the Needles

I would like to call this "How Sherry Got Her (Blog) Groove Back," but I can't guarantee I'm really back in the groove. I was doing pretty well at the crafting and blogging, and then I fell off the wagon, and frankly, many of my latest posts have been a) pathetic and b) using pictures stolen off the kids cameras. In an attempt to be able to get my pictures loaded onto project pages on Ravelry I upgraded my Flickr account back to Pro, and was able to see comments people had left on some older pictures I had taken. They were NICE comments, on my knitting and photos and fabric collection. I was favorited. I was asked to post a picture in a group. You know what? I LIKE that kind of stuff.

I also joined a swap on Ravelry. It's a St. Patrick's Day swap. I love swaps. I haven't done a swap in ages. I love putting a good package together, and I love the surprise of getting a package from someone I don't know yet. Some of my swap partners have gone on to become very good blog buddies. I LIKE that kind of stuff too.

So even though I'm still need 3 second gloves and half an afghan from my belated Christmas knitting (this is okay, really, Hamills don't mind celebrating Christmas in February, or July, or even next year,) I'm working on other things. This is St. Patrick's Day Swap Plan B. Plan A involves plain knit mitts, with applied crocheted shamrocks and embroidery, which will be an experiment. Plan B will be sent off if Plan A doesn't work out. If Plan A is successful, I am totally keeping Plan B. I haven't kept a pair of mitts yet, and I could really use them when I'm on the computer and the house is chilly.



The yarn is Elann's Superwash Bamboo, a superwash wool and bamboo lightweight worsted, which I am loving. It is soft and springy and not splitty. I'm loving the "Cedar Green" color, and bamboo has a unique sheen that I like. This is Smariek Knits' Four Rib Braid Fingerless Mitts pattern ( http//smariek.blogspot.com .) Marie writes a very follow-able pattern. Even so, I've ripped it back to nothing from this point once already, because I CANNOT correct mistakes in cabling. I can't. One forward instead of back and it's all over. Sigh. For this reason it is not TV knitting, and I can't do it in short bursts like when I'm waiting to pick up the kids from school. For that, I have this:



This is based on Chrissy O'Malley's "Simple Reversible Baasketweave Blanket" ( http//yellowhousedesigns.blogspot.com ) and is destined to be sent to Afghanistan as part of the latest Afghans4Afghans campaign. I'm having a love/hate relationship with the yarn. Moda Dea (Coats & Clark) discontinued "Cartwheel" and it went on clearance at Joanne's. Cartwheel is lovely stuff, 100% wool, soft, not itchy, not splitty. Some of the colorways are gorgeous. I used "Raspberries" and "Misty" in my last A4A submission. This is "Coral Reef" and was the last remaining color available in the greatest quantity (possibly for good reasons.) Individually none of the colors are offensive, together they don't rock my world. Despite the fact that I'm not loving the colors, several people, including the husband and my dentist have assured me it is "not bad," and it will be warm and soft (and will block nice and flat once I'm done.)

Time to go be productive. . . .