I’m visiting my Mom this weekend and it is certainly snowing ! It’s hard to believe that a few miles down the road there was absolutely no snow.

My only New Year’s resolution was to live in the present – that includes the little things such as being aware that I have turned OFF the coffee pot;  enjoying the project that I  currently have in my hands and  NOT thinking about the next few projects I want to make.  It really is hard to stay in the present while planning the future !  It is even more difficult when I have 3 large projects going.  My norm is to have one sweater on my needles (and maybe one in hibernation) plus a couple of small ones.  I started Beth Brown-Reinsel’s Top Down Aran Cardigan and it really is going to be a fun knit.

As you can see I have just started the back.  I’m using Wendy Aran in the new tweedy color.  I decided, though, that I needed to use a magnetic board.  It really does help to keep track of rows.  In the mean time the Knit Swirl sweater is humming right along, but the crochet wrap is at a bit of a stand still.  I feel like a “plate spinner” on the Ed Sullivan Show;  especially because I have more “plates” to add – such as a shawl/scarf out of Shibui Cloud and Staccato).  It really is hard to stay in the present – I’m not even sure what the present is anymore.

Did you ever look up the origin of  Murphy’s Law ?  (Actually – some of the other “law’s mentioned are duly appropriate;

“The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle.” – does this apply to my Canopy Cardi Wrap ?  Hush up Meghan.  It’s progressing.).

Meghan, by the way, couldn’t let the dust settle on the Acadia.  She’s making Kate’s East Falls Hat from the new issue of Knitscene.

Laura Nelkin told me she is working on “new things”.  I told her to keep working because I just love her jewelry patterns.  I bought a piece of jasper at a bead show recently and thought it would look great in her Beignet pattern.  I’m using Hempathy and size 6 Myuki beads.  ”Beignet” is this week’s jewelry class.

Mona Lisa

Illusion Knitting resembles a hologram – Meghan – want to teach a class ??

Here I go again – going on about crochet.  BUT this time it’s different. I love the pattern and I love the yarn AND I love what crochet does with the yarn.  It’s the Lace Canopy Cardi Wrap from the Fall Issue of Interweave Crochet.  I even have some partners in crime at the shop !  Canopy Fingering,  from The Fibre Company, is wonderful blend of  alpaca, merino and bamboo .  The drape is beautiful.    I’m hoping when I finish this that I will not be intimidated by any crochet project !

You will also see Meghan’s knitting on Madeline Tosh Chunky to the right !

The ladies who knit and crochet for St Luke’s Cornwall Hospital have been very busy. Join us the first Tuesday of the month at the Cornwall campus at 10 am or drop off your donations (yarn or items) at the shop.

Carol wasn’t kidding when she says knitting is good therapy. She gave Meghan these finger puppets.

I remember that my Grandmother had a “doghouse” in her kitchen and you never knew who would be in it when you entered her kitchen. We now have to decide whose turn it is on the couch!!

The holiday season is over and I’m still hoping for some snow.  I think everyone knows how cranky I have been about feeding us at the shop.  Seriously, though, there are just so many calories one can or should consume;  and this holiday was all about perfecting the pie.  My Mom is a fabulous cook and baker.  My sister & I swear she could roll out a piecrust of the wall or ceiling.  I, however, always made a flour mess in the kitchen.  So I had the bug to find a pie crust recipe that I could use (yes, I’ve used all different shortenings, added an egg & lemon, used a pastry cloth, different flours; – the list goes on and on )  Well – I FOUND ONE!  It has a LOT of butter in addition to shortening and maybe I will try to decrease the amt some, but hey;  how many pies do I eat a year ??

Here is the link to Cook’s Illustrated Pie Crust

Now my sister had/has an obsession with perfecting meringue.  She wanted the perfect meringue without having to worry about the eggs not being “cooked” to the appropriate temperature.  After many attempts, she found  Chefmaster Meringue Powder.

And her gluten-free pie crust doesn’t look too shabby either !!

Now back to knitting …….

I just love making these earrings!! This is my first project knitting with wire. They literally take less than one hour. Make your first pair with yarn and you will have a new addiction. Class at the shop on Saturday.
I just have to put the finishing touches on the second one.

I made the hangers so I could finish the porch wreath. If you want to make sweaters for your wreath (they also fit Barbie) check out Berroco free holiday patterns. I used Comfort DK.