Tickled Pink

Wow! I can't believe how many days have passed without posting! I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving (if you celebrate). I, for one, have had my fill of pie for at least another 25 days...

When I arrived home on Friday morning, look what was waiting for me!!! Another package from my Secret Pal!. Hello Kitty Band-Aids (wrapped cleverly in a printout of this post). So cute!! A Hello Kitty notepad (how did she know that I am nuts for notepads?), Pretty variegated pink yarn, deep deep dark chocolate (ordinarily, it would be gone by now, but I'm feeling a little fat from feasting), and the cutest little sweater knit just for me (but not to wear)!! It's definitely going to be hanging on my tree this year! The sweater came with a copy of this post with a note that I could make teeny tiny sweaters when I get tired of the big ones. I love it all! Thanks so much for your thoughtfulness!

Knowing that I was going to be spending Thanksgiving with another knitter, I brought along another Soule Mama hat (pattern here) and finished it Friday morning while everyone slept. It being a bit chilly here these days, I've been wanting a new cream hat. Not just any hat though, the RIGHT hat. This wasn't the right hat, even though I like it (Gak! I need Botox!!!). For inspiration I turned to a store bought hat that I have (I know, but it was on sale). This is my version, worked in the Malabrigo color "natural". This yarn is so incredibly soft that I want to make pajamas out of it! OK, maybe just a big cozy sweater. I'll be posting the pattern in my knitting gallery soon, but first I need to knit a gauge swatch and try a longer version. This one comes just shy of covering my ear lobes. I haven't stopped wearing it since I finished. I like to wear hats in the house. I'm weird like that (our house is cold).I pretty much followed the pattern of the original hat, but I omitted the sequins. This crown is worked differently than usual for a cabled hat. Instead of decreasing gradually, all cables stop with a major decrease and, after several rows of stockinette, the remaining stitches are drawn together. I like the result. It reminds me of a starfish. Here's a comparison of the two. Even though my version looks smaller, they fit pretty much the same except for the length. The purchased hat has a fleece facing sewn inside the band. I was too lazy to do that. I'm still on the cream hat kick, though. I'm thinking I'll try Shedir next, especially after seeing this one by Pat (I'm assuming that's her name by the blog title - I found her post in the Fall Cable 2006 KAL.) In Pilates, there is a move called the Teaser (no that is not me demonstrating). It is one of the most challenging moves, mostly because it comes late in the series of mat exercises when you are already pretty tired. You start the move laying flat on your back and then, using your "powerhouse", you 'float' up into the posoition shown. Some days it works like a dream and you fold up like a piece of paper. Other days, it feels like your legs are made of lead. In knitting, this is a teaser.... (much easier)I've finished the neckline and one sleeve cap of Coral Crossing. A-l-m-o-s-t done. I had a lot of trouble sewing the set in sleeve this time until my friend Aimee recommended that I start at the center of the sleeve cap and shoulder seam. Ahhhh....such wisdom. It worked perfectly. Now I just have to do the other sleeve.

Just for giggles, I found this little quiz while cruising the Secret Pal 9 participant list yesterday and forgot to make note of whose blog I saw it on. Anyway, have fun.

You are the World

"I am the World, I am the Children......" sorry, makes me think of that song.

Completion, Good Reward.

The World is the final card of the Major Arcana, and as such represents saturnian energies, time, and completion.

The World card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. Everything is finally coming together, successfully and at last. You will get that Ph.D. you've been working for years to complete, graduate at long last, marry after a long engagement, or finish that huge project. This card is not for little ends, but for big ones, important ones, ones that come with well earned cheers and acknowledgements. Your hard work, knowledge, wisdom, patience, etc, will absolutely pay-off; you've done everything right.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.