off the needles

In between chapters of a perplexing but somehow still-satisfying science fiction novel by Iain Banks, and when I am not holding down the fort at the increasingly hysterical Widget Central, I have actually been doing some knitting. I'm not sure how much more productive I'll be with the needles this week, though, as I have a stack of books on the bedside table that includes Joyce Carol Oates' Wild Nights! With the cast of characters she's drawing from -- Poe, Hemingway, Dickinson -- it beckons me like a hefty, turn of the century 'Us Weekly' gossip magazine. But I digress.

Exhibit 1: Beanie and bootie set. The beanie is Leslie's design and the booties are from the Knitting to Go deck by Kris Percival. I used US 6 dpns for both and the yarn is the ever-delicious Debbie Bliss Cashmerino in sage and dusty lavender.

Exhibit 2: Baby kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting, done in Cleckheaton Fiddle Dee Dee. This yarn is 100% cotton, originally purchased at Wool Baa in Albert Park, Melbourne. This is probably the nicest cotton yarn I've ever found -- it's incredibly soft and nubbly with none of that "dishcloth cotton" feel that some cotton yarn has. I bought two skeins of it when we lived in Melbourne and it sat in my stash for a long time. I finally used it last year, and immediately wished I'd stocked up before we moved back to the US. I had a tough time finding more online when I wanted to knit Snoop something, and paid a mint for it to be shipped from Australia, where it's made. I'm not sure if it's been discontinued, but if we ever go back to Australia for a visit, I'm taking one empty suitcase just for Cleckheaton Fiddle Dee Dee and Tim Tams!

I also have a Baby Yoda jacket in a state of near-completion, with one mere sleeve left to knit and the other pieces on stitch holders. I originally saw this pattern on Sooz's website in a larger size, and on her rave recommendation I just had to knit one too. However, I started it well before I knew Snoopy was a girl, and selected a more coarse, natural colored cotton that I thought would be perfect for the little boy I assumed Snoopy was. It has a very granola, Whole Foods kind of feel to it.

I'm not someone who will select all pink for a little girl, by any means, but I might have to crochet a little flower or something for the lapel just in case she is as bald as I was, and people mistake her for a little boy! (My own mother admits to Scotch-taping bows to my head.)

Comments

[Debby]

Gorgeous!!! Snoop is going to be one well-dressed young lady.

[leslie]

sooooooo nice! i love the sage and lavender combo, just gorgeous.

tim tams and cleckheaton fiddle dee dee, you say? i have it on good authority that a package from australia is going to be on it's way to you very soon... there just may be some added goodies in there : )