full steam ahead

In between sneezy stretches of working on my Liesl sweater, I'm also chugging along on holiday gifts. Yarnville is threatening to reach maximum capacity, so holiday knitting is really a gift for me, too -- the gift of space.
Here's a start on a Juliet scarf from Louisa Harding's Knitting Little Luxuries (also available as a free download from the Interweave website). There's something very captivating about this pattern -- it's hard to put down. It's more like a lace sampler. You don't get tired of doing pattern repeats, since you're moving on to a new stitch pattern. I was tempted to use my new light blue Fairy Hare, but since I actually have enough yardage on that for a shoulder shawl, I resisted and dug out some AslanTrends Invernal (also an angora blend) that I scored for 75% off at a Loopy Yarns sale. Strangely enough, a friend at knitting night was working on a gorgeous sweater in a different color of the same yarn, and it had a completely different, even softer texture.

--------------------------

I'm so pleased with how my Manos Mini Shawl turned out. It just needs to be washed and blocked! I highly recommend the pattern -- easy to follow and perfect for movie/football knitting. The Faroese shape makes it fit very well despite not being very long.

--------------------------

These dark autumn mornings mean that the ladies are often on the hunt after they get up [they sleep in Cat Prison AKA my study]. They tear around the apt, pouncing on each other, shadows, and my feet as I try to get a little more sleep. Then once the sun is up, they forget their quarrels, and snuggle up together for some much-needed shuteye.