Steve and wee sweaters

Steve Earle is up for two Grammy's this year. The first for best contemporary folk/Americana album and the second for best vocals with wife #7, Allison Moorer. He's also got a small North American tour going on soon. The closest he'll come to me is Chicago, which is about as close as the moon for my practical purposes. Damn. He used to have a thing for Asheville, but now that he's all converted New York City Boy I don't know if it still holds something special for him.

Jared has made some perfect sweater ornaments. I think part of their extreme wee perfection may come from being carefully steamed. Three sweet little sweaters have come off the needles today. Please note, mine are not blocked or steamed - I'm having my sweater ornaments rustic or just-out-of-the-box, if you know what I mean. I'm going to try a different increase tomorrow, but these may be the gift next year. I'm feelin' the love already.

My day off wasn't technically work, but it wasn't rest either. I was a rotten parent last year, and due to extreme stress did not participate much in the classroom, or even donate delicious delicacies to teacher appreciation lunches. In order to make up for my slackness I told the boys' teacher from last year I would bring him a roasted potato tart with rosemary, sauteed mushrooms and melted Gruyere tomorrow. I used to make tarts and sell them, but I stopped when I was vegan. Now that I am back to being an omnivore I recalled how much I like them. Normally, men do not even think they want a tart, but I know Brent and his family are foodies, so it seemed worth the effort. It smelled so lovely while baking.... I may be making another soon.

Hey, want to see my monkeys?

Heh. The Socks that Rock Chickabiddy Monkeys are finished! I heart them... a lot.



News from sock land: I couldn't resist the urge to cast on for me, so I'm working on Conwy socks from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush. The yarn selection is numma numma toasty in black cherry jam. So far, they are yummy. The colors and the stitch pattern are both working well together.



Yea! In other exciting sock news the second of Roza's socks was also cast on last night and the first couple of inches completed. Give me more socks!

In gift making news, I've started Chicky's teacher gift. The soft drawstring pouch from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in Mango Moon's recycled silk. I have almost two skeins leftover, and I know Sarah will like it. It looks like a mass of fuzzy nothingness right now, but don't ya love the Loopy Ewe stitch marker? It's the little things...



This is yet another experiment in small knitted sock ornaments. These two are done in Cascade 220 superwash on size 5 needles. I'm not sure I like them yet.





Tomorrow I get my children back from their father, so I probably won't have much time to knit. I'm enjoying the luxury of my alone time today. I even got sucked into The Way We Were on Oxygen. Babs and Bob - what could be better knitting TV?