baktusian

Yikes! I ran out of yarn on my lacy baktus. I weighed my yarn and started my decreases just before the halfway point, I swear. My gauge must have loosened up as I kept knitting, as it was the perfect relaxing project for knitting night at the coffee shop.

More yarn is on the way from the Loopy Ewe... we'll see if it's anywhere near the same colors. Madelinetosh yarn is gorgeous and the colors are almost luminous, but the hand-dyed skeins vary widely between (and even within) batches.

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So what's a girl to do? I cast on for another project for "10 shawls in 2010," of course. This time it's Wandering the Moor, by Celeste Glassel (a Minnesotan!). I'm more likely to wear it while wandering the lakes or perhaps the Mississippi River bluffs rather than the moors, but it's lovely nonetheless.
This is a new-to-me yarn -- orange flower's mcn fingering in "golden honey." It's soft and lovely, and the yardage is generous (430 yds). A slightly more solid colorway might be a better fit for the pattern, but I can always knit another. I'm doing the small size, and I just started the lace edging.

On a related note, Wuthering Heights is my least favorite book by a Bronte. I just don't get it. Brooding, dark Heathcliff does nothing for me (what a jerk!), nor do the hystrionics. Wuthering Heights fans, what's the appeal? The conflict of passion and reason? Usually I'm a sucker for 19th century British novels.

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mistress of the blocking squares

P.S. This winter weather combined with way too much time in the kitchen is taking a toll on my hands. Does anyone have any hand cream recommendations? I'm getting desperate. Bonus points if it's a) affordable, b) easy to find/order, or c) easy to stash in my backpack or purse.