Hello GQ?

May I suggest this very handsome, oh so dignified gentleman as your next cover model?


He'll be skiing in this very picturesque place in January - a perfect spot for a photo shoot.

Whew! It fit and it looks fabulous, don't you think?

Remember, we'll be closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week for inventory. Happy, happy New Year!

The Good News and the Very Bad News

First the good news...Christmas knitting is done, finito, finished, kaput.

Here's Tracy's vest all blocked and beautiful and ready to give to Dad. Pattern: Hillhead Slipover, The Art of Fair Isle Knitting. Yarn: Jamieson's Spindrift.


Here's mine. It's done, it's done!

Kristen has been busy making these darling ornaments as gifts.


Paula finished this sweater for her daughter. Pattern: Roxana Jacket, Simply Shetland 5. Yarn: Cascade 220.



































And, Tammi made this lovely pillow for her Mom. Pattern: Cabled Pillow, Knitted Gifts. Yarn: Cascade 128.


Molly is finishing up these beautiful scarves for her family. Pattern: Trails Scarf, Natural Landscape Terra Collection. Yarn: Tahki Montana.


And there are so many others knitting gifts; I wish I had pictures of them all!

Now for the very bad news. Mr. Ben has been kidnapped. I came into the Shop this morning and found this.












The note says, "I'm tired of sitting around so I'm going on a trip! See you soon! Ben."






Now, I know the note says Mr. Ben went on a trip of his own volition, but unfortunately for the culprit who took Mr. Ben, the jig is up. Mr. Ben can't write. Unlike real monkeys, Mr. Ben doesn't have thumbs so he can't write a word. Plus, since I've taught him everything he knows (including his sassy attitude), I know he can't write. Anyone who thinks I would teach a sassy monkey how to write is crazy.

The table is set for Christmas and this little one reserved a very special place for Mr. Ben. She's all decked out in her Christmas best and you can see from the picture on the right how much she loves Mr. Ben.


































Up until today, I had a long Christmas wish list. Now, all I want for Christmas is the safe return of Mr. Ben. We love you and miss you, Mr. Ben. Come back to us soon. Hopefully, your kidnapper will return you in a brand new, stylish, hand knitted outfit in time for Christmas dinner.

Speaking of Christmas dinner...we'll be open regular hours except on the following days:

Thursday, December 24 - 10:00-4:00.
Friday, December 25 - Closed.

Thursday, December 31 - 10:00-4:00.
Friday, January 1 - Closed.
Saturday, January 2 - Closed for Inventory.
Sunday, January 3 - Closed for Inventory.

Wishing you and your families a safe and joyous Christmas. Sadly, there's one darling little girl whose Christmas will not be joyous unless a very special someone comes home wearing a brand new, hand knitted outfit!

I'm late, I'm late

for a very important date. No time to say hello. Goodbye. I'm late, I'm late, I'm late.


I'll be out of this rabbit hole, soon, very soon.

Would you like some cheese...

with that whine? Yes, Paula, I would love some cheese with my whine, but I don't think it will make me feel any better.

So what am I whining about? A picture is worth a thousand words, isn't it?

Way back when I got it in my head that I was going to make Dad a vest for Christmas that actually fit, I convinced Tracy to make one for her Dad too. Same pattern, same colors, same everything, except size. Tracy is making one size smaller for her Dad. Yes, I emphasized one size smaller in a vain attempt to make myself feel better about how far Tracy is and how pathetically far I still have to go. There isn't enough cheese or smaller sizes in the world to make me feel better about how far I have to go.

As you can see, Tracy is just about to the shoulders. Her neck and armhole steeks are all in place and it looks just beautiful. I must say, though, Tracy whined just a little bit too, thinking she wouldn't get it done for Christmas because she still has to put the bands around the neck and armholes. If she won't get hers done, I don't have a chance in hell. She'll get it done, of that I am positive.

In my defense (like you have a defense, Sister), I am now 8 rounds closer to the armhole than when this picture was taken, with a mere 8 rounds to go.

I couldn't possibly end this blog with all this whining. Instead, I'll give out a little education.

Take a really close look at the picture below. Remember, we're both using the exact same yarn and colors.

Do you see that Tracy's vest (on the right) is ever so slightly darker than mine? We're both knitting two-handed, one color in the right hand and the second color in the left hand. Tracy, however, is holding the lighter color in her right hand, the darker in her left hand. I am doing the opposite - darker color in my right, lighter color in my left hand.

When you're knitting two-handed like this, the yarn in the right hand goes over the strand in the left hand and the strand in the left hand goes under. The yarn that goes under the other shows up more prominently than the strand that goes over.

Why? The strand that comes from underneath travels farther to the needle than the strand that goes over; the over strand is closer to the needle. More yarn is used by the farther strand so there is more of it in the finished knitting.

Since Tracy's darker color is farthest from the needle, she's using more dark yarn and her vest is consequently darker than mine.

Consistency here is the key. If you start out with the darker yarn in your right hand (or vice versa), you must continue that throughout the knitting or it will be very uneven and very noticeable.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some serious knitting to do.