It's WARM!

Southern Minnesota has once again emerged from a round of sub-zero temperatures, and today is going to be over 20 F.  As a comparison, it was either -9 or -13 when we went to church on Sunday.  The day on which Filius had a fire alarm go off in his dorms at 2:30 AM. (Burnt popcorn)  Brrrr.  Kinda cold standing outside in your jammies in that weather.

It's been a regular knit-fest around here.  As expected, no sooner did I finish up one project than I had yarn for the next.  And that next project was so wee and cute and charming that I actually have photos to share with you!

It's a sampler sweater -- big enough to fit a good-sized newborn or perhaps a 1-month old, but not much more than that.  For learning new techniques, though, it's a perfect size.  I know a new way to make pockets now, and weave in floats with both yarns held in my right hand - knitting OR purling - and put in zippers, and two ways to work a shawl collar.  I am just brimming over with new techniques. 

Speaking of brimming over ... If you are on Facebook, head over to here.  The red and white gloves were knit by me!  As are the greyish brown/white ones in the top leftish box here.  I am just full of Squee!ness.  And if you are as enchanted by Sanquhar patterns as I am, you absolutely have to check out the online exhibition.  If you get as far as page 3, and look at Beyond The Glove (which has a thumbnail of Wendy Johnson's gorgeous Sanquhar Cowl, which I absolutely want to make some day, if not sooner), you will find a pair of socks ... by me!

Which are not these socks.....

I needed to cast on SOMETHING to keep my head from swelling too much this past weekend, so I brought out my Christmas yarn from Filia, decided that the Atlantic Current Socks on Ravelry looked perfect for the self-striping pattern, and cast on.  (Totally skipping buying the pattern, and 'unventing' a new heel because I was feeling adventurous)  I like how the first one came out.  They'll be fraternal pairs ... the yellow of the second sock starts 2" closer to the toe than on this one.  Knitting this week holds polishing up a sweater pattern, contemplating some mittens that need resizing, finishing the second sock ... and finding something else to knit.  So many possibilities, so much  wisdom needed to pick which one to go with!  And I need to get working on the duvet cover (sewn, not knit) for our comforter, too. 

The soup tureen (my precious!  tee hee) was used last night for Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp, and received rave reviews.  The soup, not the tureen.  It will get used again this week for chili, and a carrot soup as well in the near future.