Where IS that desert island anyway?

Okay, I admit it------ I'm way over my limit for the madness. Mind you, I normally do pretty well with a bit of the wack inserted into my life, but this is ridiculous!

Years ago I used to thrive, and even insist if the truth is told, on packing my life cram to bursting and then adding a few more things. It was how I lived life, and it's only been in the past three or four years that I notice that it must have been a coping mechanism of some sort. I'm no shrink so I really don't know, I can only guess. I have become the Queen of Mellow for the most part. I don't like to be overly busy and having too much on my plate has become a major irritant where it used to be both the bane and the balm.

The studio moves tomorrow at 1. Everything has been packed, the extra 'stuff' has been hauled to the basement/storage and there is nothing else to do until it all arrives on the other end. I'm a little nervous, movers give me a rash. Whatchagonnado? I've been burning the midnight oil and it has made me tired, a titch cranky and more than ready for a Day Off. Or two. Although neither is particularly in the future it sure seems grand to think about.

I've kept up my walking, but I do cut off the last 1/2 mile in order to get out the door a couple minutes earlier than I would usually. Today's podcast pleasure was Kelley's KnitPicks podcast, the one where she discusses short rows on the back of the leggings (and the wrapping thereof). I think that by the time I'm ready to move into the Home For Old Knitters I might have my lemongrass leggings to the point where I need to futz with the short rows. And if the ugly truth is told, if I continue eating the bowl of orange and black M&M's that calls me when I pass---- well I will need MORE short rows for shaping the Bubble Butt! Ack.

I have been Snailing along on the Mitered Sweater sleeve cuff (above). It is knit in garter, 84 rows worth and then I-Cord is knitted on both sides before the sleeve itself rises above. I'm I-Cording now and do feel like quite the Idiot, it shouldn't take 3 days to do this cuff! I give myself comfort knowing that I pick the needles up at all!

The body of the sweater has been complete and I have to say that I love two things about it, first I love the way the colors dance along----- fabulous! I am also loving my decision to add squares to one another from the wrong side instead of the right side, that puts the 'invisible' join to the back and leaves the ridge of stitches to the right. I really like the addition of those stitches.

I'm going to have to block the wooly boogers out of the edge to get the points nice and crisp.


Don't you just LOVE that sign? Too cute. The new studio is in a wonderful historic neighborhood and I saw this sign in the window of a little shop and knew that my guestroom must have it. How perfect, Bed and Breakfast, you make both!

I'd surely love someone to make my bed as well as my breakfast! Tomorrow night after the move has been un-ceremoniously dumped into the new space, when I've fulfilled the family obligations that rise ahead and before bed I have promised myself to make a batch of my 'legal' ginger spice muffins. A couple of those along with a nice cup of pumpkin spice decaf on Saturday morning will make for a fine start to the day before bride wrangling begins.

Speaking of de-caf, I literally ran through Border's on Tuesday on my way home to pick up whatever magazines called my name. I'm still mourning the takeover of the Border's Cafe by Seattle's Best Coffee because it means that the Pumpkin Chai Tea that I still dream about has been discontinued and is nowhere to be found. I noticed that they have a new offering, a white chocolate maple latte and I gave in, ordered a venti (sorry Starbucks, old habits die hard) and sat for ten minutes or so and drank my decaf. OUTSTANDING.......... I recommend it heartily. Now mind you, I had mine 2 percent with whip so that did contribute to it's yummyness. In the future I'll have mine skinny no whip---- and without the fab little maple candies they sprinkle on top too. On second thought, that just takes the fun out of the whole thing!

Get Knittin'!

Good Grief and shame on me!

I can't even believe this much time has passed since a blog entry. Shame on me! In my defense, we are moving the Studio this week so in addition to herding brides and taking care of the business I'm also packing and attending to the move details. Blech and phooey I say. It will be sheer bliss when we get TO the new studio---- it is just the getting there that is wearing me down. We'll be in a FABULOUS neighborhood, both historic and upscale and next door to one of my favorite microbreweries with excellent food. Can't beat that.

I have managed to keep up walking in the Return of Summer (ack), what happened to fall???? And I have new fodder for the iPod, the newly released "Notes From the Universe" from Mike Dooley (www.tut.com)---- love love looooooooooooove Tut and the Notes, so inspiring!

Knit wise I can report that the chunky yarn and the Harmony needles arrived to my young male knit friend and he is just beside himself! He has 3 balls of the way cool yarn and so more than enough to do more than another scarf. If anyone has a downloadable/free design for a simple and cool hat, send 'em on please and I'll tell Logan!

I have FINISHED the mitered square section of the mitered square sweater! YAY!!!!! It looks fabulous. So I've moved onto the first sleeve and absolutely can't wait to get it done!!!! The leggings have moved up to the knee of the second leg of the leggings and while it is a lovely mindless knit, I'm most ready to be done with it.

Sock-wise, I've completely frogged back the socks that were languishing on my needles. Gone. I have decided that with this yarn I'd like to knit Coriolis socks instead, maybe just maybe that will give me the push I need to do more than dust around them. Okay, OKAY---- it isn't like I dust a lot mind you, but by jiggy when I do--- I dust AROUND them! :)

Lastly, do you just LOVE the animated Knitter Me on the sidebar??? Too cute for words! It's from Meez and while I don't normally get into that stuff, this one was a must do! I saw it on "Crimson Purl" blog from Stacey. BTW Stacey, I was out running to the Post Office this morning and swung by Target to get that cute sweater first on your blog. I wanted it in the browny gold but had to settle for the charcoal. Way cute! If you start talking about the Cadillac CTS I'm definitely going to have a problem! :)

I will be back with pics, really and truly I will. It's that TIME CRUNCH again! Sheesh.......................

Hump Day

Wednesday dawneth-----company is gone, my desk has a few spots of desk-ness, as opposed to seeing no light at the end of the tunnel. I even managed to knit for a couple of hours last night which was lovely.

The leggings, or should I say leg of the leggings, has almost reached the crotch of one leg and I think at that point I'll cast on and begin the second leg instead of working that one leg toward the hip----- I've become bored to bits with this project and if I don't get going on the second leg I'm afraid this project will be a wip forever!

As far as the Year With EZ goes, I've decided NOT to knit the sweater for next month, not in ANY size. It is a polo style and I have absolutely no interest in it, none! So I'll use the time to finish up the mitered square sweater (which is languishing this past week when I felt as if I was running the B&B) and get the leggings done.

I have horrible startitis calling me I'm afraid, I want so badly to get another sweater going. Silver Belle from Vogue Knits is calling my name as is a simpler mockneck style chunky knit. That's when I know I'm bored beyond reason, all I can think about is what is not on my needles!

One of our younger guests this past week was a 12 year old young man who had just learned the knitting basics at camp over the summer. He was fascinated with my knitting so when I asked him if he'd like it if I would cast on something for him, he excitedly chose a scarf. I dug up some old circs and some yarn from the stash and off he went. It was such a surprise to me that a young man of his age would be such the knitter, but there you go--- no judgments! It was a lovely surprise! When he and his family left for home I went to Knit Picks, bought him some great chunky yarn and a new pair of Harmony circs (lucky kid) and had it shipped to him in NJ. I know he will love it and I sure did enjoy doing it for him.

No photos, please forgive me------ I'll catch up later! For the moment I have another day with brides, thankfully no outdoor engagement sessions in this 90 degree heat! Where in the world did Fall go???

Print the T Shirt

I've decided it------- no two ways around it, I am just going to have to have the T Shirt printed! I was walking (again) in the park (where else?) this morning and I was stopped (as happens everyday) by yet another nice lady I see in the mornings walking her elderly dog. We always smile and say 'g'morning' as I fly by her or exchange a very short greeting based on the weather du jour. Well this morning she actually STOPPED ME. This, I must tell you, is no small feat, I have my iPod in and am zipping along usually in a state of aerobic or anaerobic intervals and I have built up a considerable head of steam. She asks The Question: How Much Weight Have You Lost? She is very sweet about it, she says that she has watched me melt over the past months and she just really: Has. To. Know. 50 pounds on the scale two weeks ago, yes ma'am. I will hop on the scale again tomorrow morning to hear the verdict but my clothes are hanging on me and I pretty much look like a bag lady when I'm all foofed up!

Don't get me wrong, it is VERY sweet of people I don't know to care about my health and well being, I think it is great for me to be able to say that I have lost half a person and they get that 'wow' look in their eyes. I've worked damn hard, and I deserve a bit of rockstar status among those I walk with every day.

So, I need the shirt! Wording has been escaping me............. Not Your Usual Lard Ass? Half a Lard Ass? Yes, The Ass is Smaller??? One Ton Gone, Just Call Me Tessie? Make My Latte A Skinny? Yes I'm Sweaty But I'm Thinner? The options are really limitless! I really don't know which one I prefer! :)

If these wonderful strangers congratulate me on my weight loss can you imagine what they would do if they had been watching me knit! :) Woo Hoo!

Speaking of knitting, although I am photo-less today (on strike, I'm tired) I have 6 mitered squares left on the left front of the sweater body----- almost ready to start the sleeves. I have put maybe 3 more inches on my leggings but the sweater is really calling my name. As I sit and knit, once again I remember that knitting is a rather sedentary sport and this is the reason I walk!

And, the answer to what podcasts do I always have on my iPod as I de-ass? A rather eclectic mix no doubt about it!

Knitting:

• Knit Picks with Kelley Petkun
• Cast-On with Brenda Dayne
• Ready Set Knit
• Socks in the City
• Stash and Burn

Misc:

• Northland Community Church
• We're Almost There with Wendy and Marty
• Annie Smith Quilting Stash

From time to time I toss another one in the mix and am ALWAYS looking for something great, so if you know of one I didn't mention-- let me know.

Knitterly Friends Make You Healthy...

What? Like you are telling us something we don't know??? Puh-leeze. I'm working from home today so the Today Show is the mindless sound in the background. Since they just added HOUR FOUR, like we don't get enough as it is----- I had my favorite Ann Curry just chit chatting away on the telly and I heard about her upcoming story. Apparently this evening on the news with Brian Williams (love him!) she is doing a special piece about this group of older women who have been friends for over 40 hears and how their friendship has kept them healthier. Heck, she goes on to say that all women should have great friends to share their lives with!

This is my thought.... if having a few friends in life divides the sorrows and makes you happier and healthier then just how enormously huge is the online knitting community??? Not that onliners replace our local friends--- but wow! I think we should all embrace this as:

• we should never feel guilty about reading Knit Blogs!
• local knitting groups are GOOD for our health!
• Ravelry is practically a prescription for pete's sake!
• KAL's are probably as good for you as just about anything!
• Podcasts are also tremendously important for health and well being!

Thanks to everyone I read (and the list is long) as well as those I listen to, I knew you all enriched my life but now I feel positively smug about it!

On a separate but sort of related topic---- I really don't mind that Fourth Hour of The Today Show I suppose, I very rarely will be able to watch it anyway. You can tell their focus and audience will be Women At Home, and isn't it nice that there is something on television that isn't Judge shows, but I wonder about the online chemistry. I love Ann Curry as I said before, and the new host Hoda Kotb is wonderful, she's a good fit with Ann. But Natalie Morales? That chick bugged me from go and having her in the soup is really irritating.

Okay, I'm done.

Get Knittin'!

My KVVS Tour

Well, as I posted earlier Saturday was a tough day to get through! It took me a day to shake off the last wedding and the rude and stupid bride, groom, wedding party and grooms family. I've moved on! The saving grace of the day (and maybe the week+) was the box from Alethea, my secret pal/tour guide for the Knitters Virtual Vacation Swap. She was amazing, everything about the box she made for me was so well thought out and just SO fantastic!

She created my very own tour space within her blog---- well photographed, lovely tour, orchestrated treat opening-- who could ask for more! I went to New York City!!!!

The box arrived so well packed, everything wrapped in pristine white tissue paper, the purple card on the top saying OPEN ME FIRST!

I opened the card and found the URL for my tour. We had just come in from the wedding from hell and were downloading cards and getting repacked for the reception so of course I let everyone else work while I opened (and photographed) my box from Alethea! The photo above was my first screen shot, WELCOME!

We went to Dean and Deluca and the instructions were to open the first package!

POTATO CHIPS---- c'mon to a tired cranky girl, could there be anything better? I think not! I had not tried these and unfortunately for me, I LOVE THEM! New York Cheddar, yum. I'm not normally a cheese chip girl but these were so good! Not too cheesy and with that hand cooked crunch. SO yummy. In case you are wondering, no I did not share. Not even one!

As we wandered around Dean and Deluca came the instructions to open the second package---- oooooooh candy it said!

Get serious!!!!!!! Chocolate!

Dark chocolate little orbs of delight, with a small bit of a crunch and a chewy center. They are really really good. And no, apparently I have discovered the nasty selfish side of myself because I didn't' share these either! :)

After a walk by of Balthazar's, the instructions were to open package 3 from a street stand near by.

Okay, I'm ready!

How fabulous! A very cool coaster! I sit next to my laptop for a zillion hours a day and always with something from the beverage family next to me. This coaster will be my companion there, thanks!

Isn't it amazing with a laptop screen that dirty and gross that I can see out of it at all? I assure you, I didn't see it until the flash went off on it! Yikes.

The next package to open came from MoMa, our next stop! How great, love the postcards, the informational pamphlet, the very cool markers and little notepad and subway themed magnets, and the keychain is way cool! I have it loaded with my keys and it will go with me every day!

We gave lunch some thought as we toured around NYC--------

And then the question, do I know where we are going? No---- but I'm enjoying it all! We've seen so many cool places and I loved the graffiti shot!

Habu Textiles! With a package to open! SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are jealous, admit it, I know you are! the light colored package in the middle is bamboo tape, it is absolutely fabulous, the coolest thing ever! The natural colored yarn in the back is a raw sexy silk and the red (my favorite color) in the front is bamboo. I have never used any of these and can't wait to play with them. I took them upstairs last night to the stash shelf and the other yarn seemed a bit standoffish! I think it was all feeling puny next to the Big City Yarn! :)


When the tour ended with a really nice note from Alethea, I had the biggest smile on my face! It was a wonderful treat and I was so grateful! Thanks Alethea, your hard work and dedication on my behalf was/is so very much appreciated!!!! I hope you know that I'm going to steal this great presentation idea and use it for my next swap!!!

Alethea on her blog just finished her first sweater, and it is WAY CUTE! Her first sweater, how really fab is that? I hope you pop over there to give it a peek and tell her that she did a wonderful job!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh.....

We shall not speak of the bride that was married today. We shall know that despite the schmudge of it all, two mitered squares were knit. That is the Happy Focus. The bride was really, really pretty but what can I say--- sadly it was Skin Deep.

Let's dwell for a moment on LAST weeks bride, who was beautiful, lovely on the inside (where it matters after all!) and sweet as pie. Loved that wedding! I'm bringing promised gown photos. The photo above is Jenn's dress, the bridesmaids kick butt dresses and the roses to match. Just fabulous!

Jenn rocked out in her Vera Wang, even the slip was Wang!

As was the veil. I have to say, the photo does not do the veil justice, it was perhaps the loveliest veil I've seen. Ever. The cut was really nice and the way it MOVED---- poetry. The edge matched the dress, hand sequins. The wind kicked up every once in awhile and the photos of the veil doing it's thing are spectacular.

The weather today was rainy. VERY rainy and so humid it was just hard to draw breath. Yuk. No bride (and this sounds really mean) deserved the weather more! :) They were late for getting ready photos because they were unorganized, so they got few. The limo got a flat tire on the way to the church. When the flower girl kicked the bride and got mud on her dress I knew for a fact that yessirreebob we were in some sort of a Bad Karma Loop. The wedding party were the biggest whiners I have ever encountered and the bride and groom were just, well deserving of rain. The groom forgot to bring the brides engagement ring because he thought now that she was married she wouldn't want it. Riiiiiiiight, that makes sense! So they didn't have it for photos and the bride bitched about it all day. By the time we were into location photography (which was tough, remember RAIN) the wedding party were pretty well drunked up. Lovely. I ducked out of the reception early---- glory be! I'm just glad it is over!

Bride duty next week should be really great, I'm looking forward to it, she is a doll and her fiance is really great.

I would LOVE to write a book about brides Jenni------ it would be simultaneosly hilarious, sad, unbelievable and amazing, punctuated by pants wettingly hysterical moments that continue to surprise and delight me! You know Mama was right when she said that you just can't fix stupid! :)

When we got home before the reception tonight just to download images and freshen up gear (and ourselves, remember RAIN!) on the front porch was my KVV pal's package! I was delighted. I took photos as I opened it (the rest of the staff was delighted by my loss of focus). I will share the photos and details of my unmitigated glee tomorrow. I'm too tired to do it justice tonight. Thanks Alethea........ you're the very best!

No Reality Please!

It started earlier this week, I'm exhausted because I've been working on a project non-stop and there has been no time for anything other than work work work. It's been raining for 3 days and I haven't been able to walk and (who knew) I miss that incredibly much. My little girl dog Hana has been sick, and that makes me sad. (She is better today, yay!)

Today was just a crappy day and I mean that quite literally. Not. A. Good. Day. Period. We did however, go out to dinner with some great friends, the best Italian I've had in--- well maybe forever. Shrimp and scallops cooked perfectly done speidini style (lightly breaded) and in this amazing really light lemony sauce, it followed a couple of ice cold Amber Bock's and a plate of perfect calamari with two yummy sauces. Dessert was tiramisu, who could pass that up, it was sex on a plate. Okay it was better.

I had promised myself since we were going to be home early that I was going to by jiggy sit and knit this evening, just relax since tomorrow is a 12 hour day of freakin' Idiot Bride Duty. (Can you tell I'm not looking forward to this one?) I don't know who is worse, the bride or the Mother---- fabulous!

Anyway we walked in the house and ohmygosh the smell was horrendous. The basement was full of raw sewage. Delightful. It was 9 p.m. I plunged I swept I did what I could. It started raining again and all headway made was quickly replaced by even more yuk. Beyond yuk. The end of the story is that two hundred dollars later Roto Rooter (Jacob the lifesaver) came to fix the mess. He left and I swept and hosed and cleaned and then drowned the whole affected area with Clorox. Lots of Clorox. After a shower and a run of email and some prep for the wedding tomorrow I am just going to call it a day and go to bed.

Thanks for letting me vent! G'night! Tomorrow will be better and brighter.

Oh---- Dana? I know you want a peek at the 18K Vera Wang, when the pics get ready to be posted I'll pull one for you! I look at it and cynical me can only see a car!

Collections Cheesoi

Okay, I admit it! Why yes I do have a collection. And, as many collections go it is cheesy. I prefer to say it is "cheesoi" (cheez-wa for those who require pronunciation). I have been collecting thimbles for a really long time. Notice the little thimble shelf--- that should give you a pretty fair idea! But collecting thimbles is a natural if:

• you sew
• you overpack and overshop (which generally means that luggage space for the collection is at a premium)
• you love haunting gift shops for state related goodies

My thimbles are as common as Disney World and as far afield as Belgium! I love them all, each and every member of the Cheesoi Family!


You will notice one of my absolute personal favorites in the center of this photograph in all it's lovely enameled beauty-- it is from the Corn Palace! The Corn Palace is in Mitchell South Dakota and as the name implies (no, I'm not kidding) it is a large building featuring murals on each side MADE OUT OF CORN and about a zillion bushels worth, plus grain, grasses, wild oats, brome grass, blue grass, rye, straw and wheat each year! As if this wonder isn't Gee Whiz enough, they remove the corn from the murals each year and MAKE ANOTHER ONE! They're quite complex and really just flat out amazing. It's no wonder that the Corn Palace is the ONLY one in the whole wide world, and that folks from near and far gather there for sporting events, and stage shows.

You can understand completely why I had to have a thimble from there as well as why it is my favorite. My daughter was 12 at the time and she was really less than impressed that on our cross country road trip she had to stop at the Corn Palace. Like all things I am certain that with some wisdom and womanly aging she will come to understand that making this trip to Mitchell South Dakota was one of the highlights of her life. She only remembers that she had a hamburger in town and that (far younger than 16) I wouldn't let her drive! ACK!

The photo above is from the bonafide website of the Corn Palace and I say thanks!

The older I get the less I find interest in any new collections, actually with 'stuff' in general. I mean, the more you have the more you have to dust, it's true. My Mother used to say that and I just thought she was old and crochety but I have to admit from MY womanly aging that she was spot on. (As usual.) I've been cleaning out the vintage stash of stuff (otherwise known as The Crap) over the summer and have managed to find homes for a lot of Old Stuff that was dusty. I'm feeling lighter of spirit because of it----- just get your hands off of my fabric and yarn, that is sacred ground you know! Oh and purses, you can't get rid of purses no matter how goofy, I mean stuff comes BACK you know?

I'm working on the same work related project that refuses to die and I'm beginning to feel like a very boring drone. In the past 24 hours I think I've logged about an hour to knit and that was divided between the nether leg and the mitered sweater. Hence, neither project actually grew enough to brag about. So I won't.

What I should do is follow my own advice---- Get Knittin'!

Off to School

Not only watching school begin and the buses roll with eager faces but reading a lot of knitting blogs, well, it has all made me think of those days of getting kids off to school. I couldn't help leaving the following message on A Bluestocking Knits blog: "I've been tearing up a lot the past couple of weeks. As I walk home from the park I pass groups of little ones going off to school, their new clothes and freshly brushed hair, their brand spankin' new backpacks and their expectant faces. That look is counterbalanced by their Mothers' sorrowful expression, almost panic in some cases. It takes me back it does, all the way back to when my children went off to school, but most especially when the baby left. She is 22 now but I still get misty when I think of her early days at school. "

May I go a bit further down memory lane? When kitty girl (for I still think of her as that) had her first day of school we were living in Minnesota, outside of Minneapolis. Her dad was a reservist who had been activated for a tour during Desert Storm so I faced the first day of school alone. My daughter and I had been talking about school for the summer and she was looking forward to it. New clothes had been purchased, lunches decided on, hair cut and new shoes at the ready. Her backpack was carefully chosen from the rack of many and she was good to go. The first day of school dawned bright and we took off for the bus stop, three houses down. Kitty Girl was being filmed by my friend with a video camera and she was chattering excitedly. When the yellow bus drove up and stopped for us, KG began a bit of a fit. That quickly escalated into screaming and abject terror. The bus driver, bless her heart, had experience with First Day of School Trauma, and helped get my child on the bus and off it rolled. One of the last things heard on that video to this day is the sound of my sob. I walked the short distance home and barely made it inside the door! I sunk to the gold and brown ugly tile in the foyer and laying my face against its' coolness I cried for what seemed like hours. When the recalcitrant child came home at the end of the day and I met the bus she was all smiles and giggles and I was more relieved than I can say.

Yes, school starts every year and as time passes I find myself getting more and more nostalgic for The Day. I'll walk each morning and smile at the kids who are waiting for their bus to school, and have a bigger smile for their Mom's who will soon discover that after the sadness of packing a child off to school fades will come the realization that time is a new and precious gift.


photo from http://www.thephilosophyofchange.com/art/first-day-of-school.php which is actually a pretty cool pageview.

Happy End of Summer...

Happy end of Labor Day weekend! I labored all weekend, well with a slice of time on Sunday when I pretty much said 'screw it all' and sat down to knit a bit. I hauled my mitered squares with me on bride duty Saturday and got all of ONE puny row knit. that was 16 stitches folks, 16 tiny non-sustaining, leaving you wanting more stitches. The bride was a doll, absolutely beautiful, wearing an 18 thousand dollar Vera Wang bridal gown. It was completely lovely but I kept thinking of all the things I could do with 18K. Cynic that I am!

The mitered square sweater has gotten to this point, the center/back is done and I'm about ready to fill in on the right front (growing up the right side). So pretty, I can't wait to get it done but of course, the sleeves are next and to my thinking anyway there isn't much more boring than knitting sleeves.

More squares.........
Horrible photo, shame on me. I was trying to sneak around the corner and in the process didn't have the camera on auto-focus when I thought it was. Bummer! That is Mr. Prince (short for Princeville Nohea) laying on my mitered square sweater in progress. I had laid it on the tile floor in front of a nice sunny window and when I walked off to set the camera down and answer the phone Prince decided that it was most kind of me to lay down something pretty and comfy for him to lay on. My dogs are THAT spoiled so of course it was perfectly logical for him to think that.
I did get the nethergarments (leggings) from the EZ year cast on yesterday. I turned the tube inside out so you could see the knit side (don't tell the purl side but I think it is sometimes prettier!) These will be traditional EZ out of the book, garter ridges to start with and then stockinette on the body of the legs. I'm particularly pleased with the symettrical and neat increases on each side of the two stitches marked out for the center back. I had forgotten that particular trick and doing it again was a nice refresher. That is one of the reasons I decided to go ahead and knit up the September project----- I always learn SO much sitting at EZ's knee that it's always worth it (and more) in the end. I'm about halfway to the knee when I'll increase again towards the thigh, then again towards the hip. Not quite sure about the magic of grafting the crotch stitches and working it all on circs but I'm sure it will be enjoyable. At the very least, these have become much more portable than the mindless squares (until I have sleeves to work on) so it will be the knitting I tuck into my B4Bag and take along with me. LOVE the yarn too, I didn't want anything less than practical superwash but I did want it to be soft, warm and pretty. The Swish from KnitPicks in Lemongrass has been a treat, I'd knit another project with this yarn in a heartbeat!

Closeup of the nethergarments in progress. It was such a treat to finally have enough stitches (barely) to get it on 16" circs. I manage quite nicely on dpi's but I do love the Cruise of the circs.

Now that Jerry Lewis has sung "You'll Never Walk Alone" on the MDA Telethon, it means that I have to put my white pants, purses, shoes and handbags away. Darn shame as it is still over 90 out there and summer shows no signs of the heat abating any. Remember, I am a RULES GIRL, and after Labor Day you just don't wear white! I'm still wondering where the heck the summer went anyway!

I think I will make s'more's tonight just for an end of summer blast---- the gourmet version! I have a couple of homemade marshmallows purchased at St. Louis's finest chocolatier, a few squares of graham crackers and of course a couple of nice little disks of Dove chocolate. YUM!

That said, happy Labor Day, go make your own s'more's and Get Knittin'!