Awesome Calmer

Well it's now Sunday and Thanksgiving weekend has ended. It was fun while it lasted and as the story goes, everyone ate until they became a stuffed turkey. Latkes, latkes, and more latkes. And chocolate mint birthday cake, pumpkin pie, bread pudding, and pumpkin cookies.

Here is a peek at Joshua and Rachel and Joshua's birthday cake (actually his half-birthday is coming up December 8th.) Joshua is letting me get off the hook for seven missed birthday cakes with this one special blue-green edition.

Joshua (my oldest son) and his girlfriend Rachel were so, so kind to help set me up with this blog. Much thanks to them for everything.

They left to drive back up to northern California to get back to work and school bright and early for Monday.










Here's a picture of our sweetie pie niece Brianna who is absolutely adorable and cute as a button. She is now 4 1/2 years old and acts like she's ten!



















Now on to important knitting content of this blog (which thus validates the posting title and indeed, the very existence of my blog). Yes, yes, yes - I am going to show you the lavender colored Rowan Calmer yarn that I am working with. It is so soft - I just love it. It has great elasticity and give. However, I find I am getting an occasional loose looking ribbing stitch. I can live with it. Just warning you about the closeups - I am okay with the hand-knit look! Did you also notice the new present? It is the Lantern Moon Rosewood knitting needles, also known as the Cadillac of straight knitting needles. It is the ultimate in luxury to knit Calmer with Lantern Moon needles. You have to try it to know what I am talking about. The yarn glides so smoothly over the needles. Pure bliss. Not Debbie Bliss, but just plain 'ol bliss.






See what I am talking about. Here's the closeup with the occasional loose stitch. Again, I can live with this. We will not mention this part of the ribbing issue again (for now). I am looking forward to finishing the ribbing at 20 cm and then start the lace yarn-over pattern that capitivates every one who has knit this beauty.








Have I forgotten to show you the Rebecca Cardi pattern that I am knitting up? I guess I just assumed everyone knew how enamored I was with this Rebecca Magazine pattern #25. It is actually known as the Apricot Jacket. Many, many others have knit it quite successfully with a variety of yarns. I knew that I would have to re-calculate the stitches because I am not using the GGH Java that the pattern calls for at 4 stitches to the inch. But that's quite alright - I can do the math for Calmer which I am knitting at gauge at 5 stitches to the inch on size US#8 needles. I swatched it on a US# 9 but thought it looked too loose and sloppy. So US 8's it will be. (My Lantern Moons, of course !) I will definitely be showing off the progress on this project. I am having knitter's confusion and dilemna big time right now, what with three on-going great knitting projects. Oh well, I guess I can deal with this in light of so much spare time on my hands at the present.