After another evening spent not finishing the front of the Ribbed sweater, it was time to take the plunge and block the back.  All along, I’ve bravely told every laughing one of you ( disbelievers all) that it WOULD block to fit.  It would.  It DID.  Sometime ago I bought myself one of the least expensive steamers on the market, about $20.00.   It’s worth it’s weight in gold.  I love blocking with it, or sort of blocking, my half assed, not measured, not pinned kind of blocking.  No muss, no fuss, everything comes out flat and easy to seam up.  Later, when it’s all sewn together, I soak the project and do it right.  Somewhere today, I saw mention of the Eurosteam iron.  Bet it works great, too.  The downside of the flattening was that I can see the pulls.  This yarn is a very soft, beautiful 10 ply, cabled merino.  It splits.  Never, will I be able to pick up the cats wearing this sweater.  Hmmm… hrrummph!

Today, aside from bows…

four finished boxwoods, ready to go

At 6am this morning it was dark as pitch.  It was raining and looked like the middle of the night.  It was all I could do to get myself moving.  The coffee maker was set up, all I had to do was have C push the ‘on’ button as he passed it.   Even before the coffee had finished brewing,  I could hear the school bus.  You know what?? when it’s this dark, I can’t figure how parents are able to motivate their kids into getting ready and out there on time.  I can hear my neighbor driving hers up to the top of their driveway.  I know we all did it,  but whewwwwy!  Back to my morning… the delivery truck was due for 7:15 and the guys had better would show up before then.  So, armed with a BIG cup of dark roast, I made my way to the office (thank God it’s in my basement and NOT a long commute.. another kudos to you all who do it) and cranked up the volume on the newest Santana album: All That I Am.  There is just something about Santana that can really set me up right.  And, there is a cut on the album with Steven Tyler that grabs me everytime I hear it.   Now, here it is 3 1/2 hours later, poinsettias have been unloaded, reloaded, two trucks are out on deliveries, another set to go, and I have NO idea how many bows have been made already.   LOTS!  Works for me.

My plan last night was to work until 9pm, then quit and go up to get a bit of knitterly relaxation.   I’ve had the ribbed V-neck sweater on hold, at the split for the V for nearly a week.  All it needed was for me to get into my stash pile and pull out another ball of yarn.  That’s all.   Instead, I had gone on to the little Lady’s Hat.  Check that one off.  This sweater has the back and front joined at the shoulder seams and the stitches for the sleeves picked up and knit down.   From the looks of the front and back, it would be a really good idea to block it out first.  The ribbing has the pieces pulled in so that they look like it will be a tight fit for a child, impossible for me.  I’ve been joking about it, but its looking pretty serious.

I managed to fit in a visit to a woodworker friend.  He had been working on bobbins for my Dixon.  When I picked it up there were only two, not nearly enough.  I know that everything can be wound off onto larger bobbins, other bobbins, all kinds of bobbins.  Nothing takes the place of enough bobbins of the kind that fit the wheel your project is spun on.  Nothing!  I had asked for three more.  He made me EIGHT!  This man even machined the little brass inserts that fit into both ends.  All cherry.

All along,  there has been a problem with my Typepad.  I do not have any ‘stats’.  I’ve been using their incredibly slow Help Ticket system for no help at all.  They send me a question back each day and no offers for a solution.   Do any of you Typepad users have any suggestions?? Everyday my stats reflect a change in the overall count, but it always says, ‘0’ page views for today and there have never been any stats for referrers.  Weird, huh?

This time of the year I spend an inordinate amount of time in my office / studio.  I’ve already discussed with you the cause.. red bows, small trees, preparations for all kinds of holiday installations, orders, re-doing orders, re- redoing orders for those who just can’t make up their minds, and all of the other crapola that goes along with it.   Now, let’s get onto the effect.  These activities place me in close proximity to my computer, the one with broadband.. Hallelujah!  This has given me the chance to download and listen to as many Podcasts as I have found.  I am placing a new list in my sidebar giving the links to the kniting and Fiber related Podcasts I’ve come across.  Knitcast is not new.  Marie Irshad has been broadcasting since last February.  So far, there are 17 ‘issues’ of her online knitting magazine.   Cast On started broadcasting the end of October.  Although Episode 2 has just been released, it is in name only.  Episode 1.5: A Snow Day was so beautiful that I wanted to get a glass of wine and curl up to listen to it one more time. All in all,  I count 5 broadcasts.  The newest in the fiber lineup is Fibercast.  This podcast  is broadcast from right here in New England.  I subscribed to all three in my itunes.  They download automatically to my ipod and I have been able to listen to them while I’m walking or whatever.  They all use Podsafe music.  If you haven’t checked it out, go do it.  There is a lot of music you won’t hear elsewhere; groups that aren’t known, with independent recordings, and such.

It’s all fun stuff, and it’ll get you over the hump, so to speak.  hrrummph!  That’s all folks, I’ve got another 20 bows to tie before I can sit in my chair tonight and fall asleep knit.

there’s more..

• Unraveled, Shannon’s new podcast  (I’ll have to leave this one for tomorrow)