Category: Don’t you just love Tiffany’s?

And what Scout asks of me, I do.

Word on the street is that it is Red Scarf Project time again.  I usually donate scratch rather than scarves, but that’s because I’m the world’s slowest knitter.  I guess I could start now for next year, no? 

This is a fantastic project, and I hope you’ll consider donating scratch, scarves, or at least some blog space to publicize it.  If you do spread the word, be sure to leave a comment over at Scout’s blog, and you could win some amazing goodies from her!  Just be sure to do so by Monday, 6 p.m. MST.

Tomorrow, I’ve got a sh*tload of book reviews for you.  Bet you’re not going to get much sleep tonight anticipating that, are ya!

Sixty-four (8×8 for those interested in numerology) bloggers posted in our Free Tibet Awareness campaign. 

Wow.

I spent yesterday running to the computer to visit blogs and thank the participants.  I had tears in my eyes a lot of times.  The power of knit bloggers never ceases to amaze.

There were a few comments that I saw along the way in which folks expressed their thoughts that as the U.S. has so many atrocities to our name, who are we to criticize China (I’m paraphrasing).  Valid point.  My feeling is that with so much attention on China right now because of the Olympics, it’s a right time to raise awareness about Tibet.  The world is filled with things that need to be changed; I don’t think it is fruitless to seek awareness and cultivate our own attitudes of concern and action, whatever action we’re able and/or willing to take.

I was asked to cite the quote "None of us are free until ALL of us are free." This is a challenge as it has been attributed to numerous people.  I’ll go with Dr. Martin Luther King, but I’m ready to be corrected if someone has a more accurate answer.  By the way, when I did a search for that quote, blog after blog after blog came up with it.  Yay, bloggers!

Another commenter asked what to make with the yarn (btw, thanks to all who bought skeins of it!).  I suggested a shawl as I love to knit lace with sock weight yarn.  Pippi mentioned that she’d seen a group seeking knits for Tibetan nuns, and when we looked into it, we found out that the nuns’ vows require them to maintain a particular appearance, so anything knit for them should be burgundy or maroon.

Finally, before I reveal the winner of the gorgeous Free Tibet yarn, I want to share that in the 24-hour period after I posted about the contest, this blog had over 1,000 hits. 

People.  You see what you did?  You sent 999 others over here, and they read the words "Free Tibet."  Maybe they read all the words.  Some of them cried (I know, they told me so), some of them got angry (I read all the posts).  But all those people were made aware, even for a moment, of injustice in the world. 
I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this community.

Okay, here it is.  The randomly generated number: 39:  Bee from Muntu Stitches

E-mail me at  b13armyATyahooDOTcom with your address, and as soon as the yarn is ready, it will be on its way to you!

My deepest thanks to all for participating.  You’re all fantastic!

After a morning of shopping with my mom (the queen of finding stylish clothes dirt cheap), I had lunch with her and my dad at their house.  She’d been cleaning out "treasures" as she looked for some goodies for my brother’s 50th birthday celebration. Among the treasures was this table cloth, crisply starched (you don’t think I got a line that sharp, do you?).  "Want it?" she asked, then noted that my Gram had embroidered it.  Even without that connection, I would have gladly taken it.  "Sure," I said. 

Sunday morning, after the weekly cleaning, I set it on our table.  My mom came to visit with my niece and nephew who are visiting for the week.  She saw the cloth and ran her finger along the crocheted edging.  "This must be at least 70 years old," she said.  She told me that my grandparents had been married for ten years before they had their first child, and during that time Gram had done a lot of decorative handiwork.  It set my mind spinning to think of her, a young married woman in the late 1920s or early 1930s, determined to make something pretty for her home.  There are pillowcases and other linens from her in my closet, but this one, with its cheery flower basket pulls at me.

What do you have that makes you sentimental about a parent or grandparent?  Tell me about it in the comments, or better yet, take a picture and post it on your blog.  Be sure to let me know so I can visit and see, okay?

Not much in life is better than time at the beach. 

We had a fun little get away at the Inn by the Sea.  The place is newly renovated, and there were photo shoots going on for new brochures or web pages.  They didn’t ask me or Neal to model, which shocked us to no end, but I suppose we’re not the perfectly tan, L.L. Bean-wearing blonde types that they’d already lined up for the gig.

The views were pretty great, especially at night on Crescent Beach, when the moon was full.  But I didn’t get any pictures of that.

  We were sad to bid adieu to the  Maine coast, but  we’ll be back, no doubt!

I used a true random number generator (as opposed to asking Neal to pick three numbers), and the winners are:

#70 AJ (no blog)
#58 TJ (no blog) 
#78 Patricia (no blog)

I’ll e-mail the winners to arrange for prizes.  Thanks to all who played.  I’ll be bulking up my Netflix queue–there were so many great suggestions!  It may take a while, but I’ll be sure to visit all the blogs mentioned, as well as take a look at your beautiful crafted items.

Mwah! 

Today is my one-year Ravel-versary, and I want to share the joy with you.  How about a little contest?

Leave me a comment with either 1) a movie that should be on my Netflix queue; 2) a link to a blog you love to read; or 3) your favorite item you have ever crafted (besides your kids…that’s a given, no?)–with a link if applicable.

On Tuesday morning, I’ll randomly select three comments.  The winners will receive either 1) a skein of hand dyed (by me; summer=dyeing for me!) lace weight yarn; 2) a fabu skein of sock yarn; or 3) a sweet tote that I will sew in colors of your choice.

Yay, Ravelry!

ETA:  I’ll close the contest at 10:30 East coast time!

It’s been overcast and rainy today, but the sun just came out.  Do you think I have superpowers?  Because, dudes, I just e-mailed my professor my last paper for this Chaucer class.  Which, incidentally, is the last paper of my MFA graduate program, the last paper of my student career. 

I spent much of the last week (hell, the last two years) sitting on my writing chair, a dog on the footstool, computer on my lap.  While I’ll get back to my treadmill on Monday, I plan to take a nice long break from writing anything this weekend.  Sure, there is still about eight hours of grading ahead of me, but summer is in sight, people! 

I’m going to heat up some spinach pie for lunch and let the mutts enjoy the sunshine. 

I’m done, I’m done, I’m done!  I feel so free right now!!!!!!!!!  Drinks on me, everyone.  Pull up a seat, grab a cocktail, and tell me what has made you happy lately.  Let’s celebrate!!

Want Ravelry swag?  Go grab it fast; the store is open!

I’ve had some goodies in my cart for a few days and lucked out when I checked the store.  Since I have a beta-shirt, I skipped the new t’s and went for a tote, Bob stickers, and the cutest swag of all time:  a Bob pin.

What a great distraction from writing my paper, no?

At a certain point during a New England winter, one must have faith that Spring will, indeed, return.  She’ll prance about with those long green locks of hers, all set about with violets and most likely she’ll have on that hyacinth skirt, you know, the one she wears with the fiddlehead top.  She loves to wrap her shoulders in spiderweb lace (the real deal, not the stuff I aspire to), and I’ve noticed the cocoon necklace she favors.

There have been signs of late, at least in my little corner of Connecticut.  Examples:

1.  Last night I heard my first peepers.
2.  The native lilies have poked up shoots.  They like to take a look around to see what Spring has planned.
3.   The snow is nearly gone.
4.  I am eating less starch, more veggies.  Partly to send that extra winter weight on its way, and partly because I crave less comfort food and more fresh food.

5.  Maddie took her first swim in the beaver pond.

6.  A new pattern has lured me to raise it to the top of my "must have" list.

I’m gah-gah over Camellia, and as soon as I finish my Shetland Triangle, I’m casting on for it.  There are little hearts floating around my head, Looney Tunes style.  It’s romance.  It’s love.  It’s spring!

The Spring Knitty is up!!

I’m off to check it out–let me know what you love from it!