The never-ending sleeve

I haven't fallen into a black hole (unless you call the sleeve of a sweater a black hole) - I'm still knitting the alpaca cardi which seems to be taking forever. Once I can show some progress, I'll post. I'm also making wrist warmers for Ben. His birthday is in 2 weeks so I'm hoping to get them done before then. They're not difficult to knit - it's just finding the time to do it!

Apples and More

It's been a while since I've posted - work is just getting in the way as usual! I don't see it getting any better in the next few months either. I was offered the chance to teach a course at the university and couldn't say no. It will be my first academic course. I'm really excited but also a bit intimidated. Anyways...It will be a busy spring.

This fall has also been busy. Last weekend, Sangeeta, her cousins and I travelled to Grave's Mountain for the Apple Harvest Festival. It was the perfect weather for a festival. We ate Brunswick stew, homemade apple butter and applesauce. I bought a half bushel of apples, which Ben is currently making into apple pies (yum!).






On the knitting front, I've started a cardigan (my first adult sweater!) with the beautiful alpaca I bought at the Fall Fiber Festival. I'm using the Ann Budd book on sweaters for my pattern. If I make the small (which is going to be a fitted cardi), then I should have enough yarn. I have over 1200 yards. However, the fact that my gauge is a little uneven - I consistently get either 51/2 or 6 sts to the inch - is making me fret a bit. Alas, I suppose I can always pull it out if it's too small or I run out of yarn!

Fall Fiber!

Sangeeta, Cate, Courtney, Roz & I proved what hard-core, dedicated knitters we are as we braved the very muddy, windy and cold Fall Fiber Festival yesterday in Montpelier, VA! Despite the weather conditions, I had a great time. We laughed,


ate cold fried chicken (yum!), watched the sheep dog trials
and drank lots of coffee.

I bought some great yarn including 2 skeins of alpaca for a sweater, 8 skeins of wool for another sweater, a skein of beautiful sock yarn and 2 skeins of linen for gifts.





On another note, Sangeeta brought me my contest prize Friday night. I received a bottle of wine, a Stitch & Bitch Calendar, 2 Jo Sharp patterns and 2 skeins of yarn!! Thank you Sangeeta!

ISE - Part Deux

Due to various reasons that are posted on the ISE site (other than the fact that I am a perfectionist :), I've started on a new scarf for my pal. I'm using Noro Cash Iroha, which has to be the most delicate, beautiful yarn I ever worked with. I'm making a simple feather and fan pattern from Dianne's Patterns:
Multiple of 10 sts plus 1 Repeat of 2 rows. Begin with right-side row.
ROW 1(Right side row): *K1, yo, k3, (sl 1, k2tog,psso), k3, yo,* repeat from * to *, end k1.
ROW 2: P.