You know you're obsessed when...

.....your cat throws up but you stay seated on the sofa because you just have to finish the row. He looks sorta innocent, doesn't he? Don't be misled.

I was in the middle of a row of lace, knitting the Rowan Birch shawl, and I heard Nigel letting go of his breakfast. Do I get up and clean it up, and possibly screw up the shawl, yet again? I'd already frogged it once.

No.

I figured...we have hardwood floors, old hardwood floors, what harm will it do? So I finished my row.

What would you do?

And how do you know you're obsessed with knitting?

My first woven scarf

Weaving is growing on me. Santa brought me an Emilia 19" loom last Christmas and I wove the scarf you see here. 10 dent, 10" wide weft, and long. Very long.  Used Pagewood Farms sock (turquoise) for the warp and Malabrigo lace (lettuce) for the weft.  My beautiful friend Kim bought it at the 2011 Holiday Boutique and happily paid $125.  This encouragement fueled my weaving muse to start another ( I'll post pics when it's finished) using Wollmeise 100%. Guide to Galaxy, leftover from knitting Travis a sockhead hat (photo below, as well) for the warp and Vamp for the weft.  There's so much to learn about weaving. My fella Ravelers have been such a great help.

Kim wearing my first scarf

Travis's new sockhead hat

A shawl finds a good home

Photo: Jeff Rovner (jeffrovner.smugmug.com)

Marrie Stone bought this shawl at our 2011 Holiday Boutique for her mom, Valerie Stone, and here Valerie is, wearing the shawl and beaming.  See--shawls make you happy.  The Shetland triangle shawl (pattern on Ravelry, and elsewhere) was knit with Malabrigo Lace, and beads. I loved the shawl, but you can't keep everything...can you?

Nut horns on Christmas eve (with persimmons, my favorite)

These nut horn cookies from Budapest date from the year 1686. The Turks apparently were invading the city, digging an underground tunnel for their invasion. Bakers working through the nice heard them and grabbed the police. To reward the bakers, the crescent moon shape decorates the Ottoman flag. Props to bakers everywhere!

The recipe

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1/4 cup of sifted confectioners sugar, 2 cups of sifted flour, 1/2 pound of butter and 3 ounces of ground pecans or almonds. Shape into little crescents and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes and when cool, sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Makes 30-45, depending on how big or small you make your crescents.

A yarnie's Christmas tree

How to wear scarves

Knit more scarves, now that you know dozens of ways to wear them.

And yet more Beaded Beauties

SOLD Vintage black glass beads and a vintage heart

SOLD Turquoise and gold vermeil

SOLD Clear and white glass beads....teapot clasp

Two views of Pinky....

The best thing about knitting

I love this guy....met him at the Orange County Fair. I love his hair!

Something my friend Toby said the other day stuck me and has stayed with me. We were at a end-of-session class party, standing in Ellen's New Orleans-style back yard.  I was saying something to Toby's nice husband about a knitters' obsession and she turned to him and said, in that sweet, observant Toby way: You know, the best thing about knitting is buying yarn, and I said, You're right! and  (inwardly said YES).  We are never so happy about a project as before it starts, at the buying-yarn phase. Well, maybe when we see the end result in the headlights, we're excited, too, because we are almost there. Why is that?  The newness of it all?  The possibility of perfection?