Gromit Knits!

'Tis the Season

By my reckoning, I haven't been knitting much this past week.  I realize my concept of "not much knitting" is vastly different than that of the general public, but finishing one Lizard Ridge square, two rounds on Rona and maybe twenty rows on a Noro baby blanket for a colleague of Martin's doesn't count for much in my book and definitely will not be good enough to make my Rona target.

What, you didn't know I was working on Lizard Ridge?  Yes, now that I think about it I haven't actually talked about it here.  I started it while in blog limbo last Spring and have toiled away at it periodically as my mood strikes.  As the weather has gotten cooler and then temperature in the house is more consistently in the lower 60s, I'm feeling the urge a lot more strongly.

At one juncture I contemplated  a queen sized version, but as I am only on square #23, I have wisely abandoned this grandiose concept.  Now I've scaled back to a much more manageable 5x6 arrangement which will more than suffice to cover one or two of the smaller family members while watching a movie or keep me warm at the computer.  I will either make a second version, or lots (trust me -- lots) of accessories with the leftover Kuryeon.

This is not a great shot of the work in progress, but as there is only gray November light available, I'm not sure any additional attempts will be any more illuminating, beyond showing the few squares completed since this picture was snapped.  Besides, you've seen it before.

I'm also puttering along on a Moderne Log Cabin from Mason Dixon Knitting blanket in Classic Elite Mistral and Misti Silk and Cotton that I boldly cast on in the Summer of 2006.  This is also a WIP I don't think I've ever documented here, but I always knew I had time before it was going to be anywhere near finished.

I'm laying bets that LR gets done soon while the Log Cabin is with me for the long haul -- I can even work on it while watching a sub-titled movie.  It'll be good to make it last.

And Rona?  Rona will get some attention tonight after dinner is made, the girls finish their homework and peace reigns in the land...

One Small Step for Knitter Kind

I didn't manage to stick with NaBloPoMo.  Nor did I write 50k words for NaNoWriMo.  Is this failure?

Maybe, but I refuse to see it that way.  I know that during the month of November I met my personal best for posting (10) and I wrote more words of fiction than in any other month after High School.  Signs of victory and hope for next year -- or for sticking to my guns and simply doing more in December.

There is one victory to report which helps me to have faith that I can keep climbing up from my current position:  a new sweater.  I finished Banff within the month of November, thereby completing the one challenge I didn't participate in:  NaKniSweMo!

It's enormous, it's bulky, it's not fashionable and it's exactly what I wanted.  I had a hard time getting it off my body to block it, and probably only did because I got some tomato on it while cooking the other night.  Before blocking I tried the classic bathroom mirror shot with abysmal results (go check Ravelry if you don't believe me).  Today I tried playing with my camera's self-timer (not a core skill) and here's what came out:

Better -- not great, but better.

I also finished my mitts, so my hands can stay warm while I type -- good thing too, the wind is  rambunctious today here in southeastern PA.

Now that's it's December, I am planning on following through on my threat to complete Rona this month.  Marina, are you ready to lead the Fair Isle pep squad?