No new loom... yet

My loom that I ordered on March 23 (not that I'm keeping track) is backordered. Sigh. It was a good thing I went ahead and loaded up the loom for another project. See how even the selvedges are? Yep, this is the END of the scarf. For the previous two-thirds of the scarf, it didn't look good at all.



To illustrate very clearly, here is a photo of both ends.



The final measurements end up being 3 1/4" x 79". I was very careful when I had to reload my shuttle, but somehow the stripes were altered. It is a hand painted yarn, so that could account for the variation, but I spent quite a while trying to figure it out and fix it to no avail. Still working that learning curve!

It has rained here so much I'm beginning to grow webs between my toes. Things are blooming and it is a nice contrast between the blooms and the dark gray sky but I'm desperate for some sunshine. Cloudy days are fine for photography, so the dog and I went for a walk at Ayr Mount last weekend. No one else was there (I like that) but it is hard trying to take pictures while holding the dog's leash somewhere out of the way or having the dog lurch at some good smell while I'm mashing the shutter button. Despite the technical difficulties, I had fun.



Saw beaver handiwork at the edge of the trail.



New growth in the cemetary.



And a relatively new tree scar.



The baby cape is almost finished - I'm on the hood! I'm making myself finish it before I cast on for the Whisper Cardigan. I bought the yarn almost immediately after I got the magazine. It's not often I buy the exact yarn in the pattern, but it looks so scrumptious and lightweight, I knew I had to do it. Can't wait to wind those skeins!

Noro... YUM!

As soon as I saw b r o o k l y n t w e e d 's (I know it's not really his) Noro Stripe Scarf I was smitten, but kind of forgot about it because of all the other projects I had going on. Then The Harlot got on board, and I went, "Oh yea, I wanted to do that!" So I did, and am still doing it. The scarf is almost half done.



The mittens are a mitered variation on the theme (EZ's pattern in The Knitter's Almanac). This mitten is the second mitten I've knitted. Where is the first, you ask? Good question. I hated the color line up so much I frogged it. I rewound one ball the opposite direction in hopes of making it more pleasing... time will tell.



The hat hasn't been started, but it will soon. I have the yarn already.

My felted clogs are done. After three trips though the wash they're perfect! I lurve them and will only be taking them off to leave the house! Before felting they're rather unattractive.



But after felting all their floppy hideousness is GONE and they are transformed into warm, sturdy, beautiful clogs.



This is the first time I have had my children for more than five days in many months. They all came with me to the Annual Thanksgiving Feast at work (I made Lynne Rosetto Casper's Fast and Crisp Roast Turkey for the third year and it is a huge hit. I am a believer in brining a turkey, this one has quite a few extras in the brine, but the juicy flavorful bird after the roasting is worth it. If you do look at the recipe, it really does roast at 450 degrees for a fraction of the time it usually takes to roast a turkey.

On actual Thanksgiving I made another smaller bird for the four of us, and tired to duplicate my friend Becca's amazing sweet and savory dressing. After two more turkey based meals I made a huge vat of soup (with veggies roasted under the bird for that very purpose) and put it in the freezer. Maybe we'll be able to eat it in a week or two.

We went for a walk at Ayr Mount it's only about a mile from our house and the poet's walk is a nice path through the woods and by a pond and ends up at the house. The Kirkland house was built in 1815 and was the first in the federal style in the area. There are 265 acres and we've only seen a small portion of that so far, but since it's close and the Eno River flows through it I'm sure we'll go often.









One more day of knitting and leisure and then it's back to the regular grind!