A Pleasant Diversion

View from Neakhanie
Originally uploaded by littlekidd.

Here is a little eye candy, compliments of Mother Nature and the Oregon Coast. This is the view from about halfway up Neakhanie Mountain, a little south of Cannon Beach. Just looking at it helps me to slow my breathing, which is a good thing today. (Jim, don't read any further! Christmas intelligence will be compromised.)

I'm hyperventillating because I've just discovered that I'm not going to have enough yarn for mu ultra top secret (well I haven't been knitting it right under his nose, anyway -- except that one time) big red gansey for Jim. I have one skein left -- about 210 yards -- and one sleeve to go. There's no way.

I wrote to Bartlett. They don't have any more in the dyelot. Mabel's is the only LYS out of the 20 we have in Portland that carries it, and they're out! Please pray to the Dyelot Gods that I can get away with cuffs and a neckband in this year's run of the color. It's Bartlety 2-ply, "Mountain Berry," lot 824, in case you happen to be the only person on earth who has some, and by some even more microscopically small chance happen to be reading this.

I'm just kicking myself. I swear I bought at least a skein MORE than the pattern called for -- and then went and got an extra skein just in case! Do moths eat entire skeins at at time in the dead of night, leaving other nearby skeins untouched?

Maybe I hid it. Maybe I'll go have a look in the piano.

Shameless exhibitionism

Front and Back
Originally uploaded by littlekidd.

This morning I was stunned and delighted to find a comment in MY humble little blog from the fabulous and talented Yarn Harlot! Wow. What an honor. I bow daily at the feet of her thought-provoking wit and grace, not to mention her stories that are just freakin' hilarious. To think she took the time to check out my site!

Her encouraging words helped me climb aboard the blogging bandwagon again. I even considered posting pics of secret Christmas presents already in the works. Unfortunately the camera didn't cooperate.

So, in a moment of weakness, I'm posting my old "Knitting Olympics" project in case Her Harlotness decides to stop back again. This is the "Ruby the Dragon" vest I made for Zack, using the pattern for the dragon from Scarf Style. Even though it's an old project it is a new picture for the blog, and it shows the Barbara Walker lace castle on the front of the vest. The tail that wraps around the front is a little wonkey, (note to self: freestyle intarsia is a risky proposition) but I didn't feel like undoing the castle just to fix it.

Here's the finished product on the boy...


Thanks for the inspiration, Stephanie. See you in Portland in a few weeks!