random things

First of all, thanks so much for your encouraging comments about Chloe.
I always appreciate your comments!

Second, yesterday the Elder Hug-a-Bug put up posters to announce her season of plays.

Snow White

Beauty and the Beast
Little Red Riding Hood
and Sleeping Beauty
This morning the sunrise was terrific, as usual, and I finally remembered to take along my camera to school.
I think today is the day for the Annie and the Wild Animals sweater. Only one sleeve left.
I should have made the sleeves first, as I realized yesterday.
If I had picked up the sleeve and knit down as I had planned, the lice stitches would have been upside down. Duh.
Good thing I like Kitchener.
I just did my list of 25 random things on facebook and now I am hooked on non-sequitors.
I like ice cream.
Jess

stash

So I said that one resolution for the new year was that I would knit down my stash.
Well, we had a stash swap at work and I left the store with the yarn for two sweaters.I picked out this pattern already for the Yorkshire Tweed Aran.
Do I already have a sweater in this yarn and in this color? Am I wearing it right now? the answer to both of those questions is yes.
Will that stop me? no.

Then, I got a very generous gift certificate to the store for my work in the Yarnery Family Singers.
Along with the lovely Christmas gift from the wonderful Yarnery managers I ended up with the yarn for two more sweaters.I am planning on re-knitting the Tangled Yoke.
I knit it once before, but it was in fact not at all the right size for me.
I gave it to my dear friend Sarah. I hear that she wears it all the time.

Now, the thing about my stash is that it is primarily single balls here or there of worsted wool.
Now I have actual sweater amounts of stuff I am feeling a little better about the stash.

One dilemma still remains.
Should I use my 13 Mile fantastic green organic wool for cables or fair isle?
Some of my single ball stash is left over Rowanspun DK that I used in my Eastlake sweater and odds and ends of more colors of Rowanspun and a couple of colors of 13 mile.
I think I have enough of these odd balls to make a stripey cardigan with these colors, or I could use the new 13 mile for the body color and use the odd balls in a fair isle yoke.


The green looks really grey here but it is much nicer in person.

That stuff may have to marinate, as they say.

I have made some considerable progress on the Annie and the Wild Animals Sweater, I am finishing up the neck and then all I have are sleeves.
Pics tomorrow, I think, the sun has been down for some time.
Have a lovely night.
Jess

vetoed

Well, I have been overruled on the issue of freckles on the doll.
Here she is sans freckles.

If only real freckles were that easy to eradicate...
During the summer my face undergoes a freckle explosion, I mean freckles on the eyelids and earlobes.
In my youth I had fantasies of a freckle-free face, there are some pretty funny episodes in the Anne of Green Gables books about freckle eradication.
It may be time to bust those out again, I love Anne of Green Gables.
And with that tangential leap,
I bid you good night.
Jess

Chloe Chomplete

We had a free night at Mamas of the Craft last night, and to make it extra fun we started with some yoga.
The tape we were using was paced a little too fast for me, so I dropped out, sad to say, but I did get a lot done with my Chloe doll.In fact, she is finished.
I had a shoe to sew together and a snap and button to put in and, despite some very yummy wine, I got both of those things accomplished.

Now I look at it, the button is a little purple for the dress, but it is under the hair so you don't really see it.
All that is left for this swap is to make a tiny rocket for a 4 month-old, and I can send it off.
I think I need a bunch more of these girls.
The pattern was easy-peasy and she is so cute!
Next on the list is Kit.
Have a relaxing weekend!
Jess

Caritas

As some of you know, I am a member of a small choral group.
Our season begins in February and I wanted to share a little about our group and encourage you all to come to one or more of our concerts.

The mission of Caritas Vocal Ensemble (formerly known as Sacred Voice) is giving benefit concerts for organizations which specialize in offering basic human services - clothing, shelter, health care, help for children in need.
Every year we give 4-6 concerts each for the benefit of a different organization.
This year we plan to give concerts to benefit Parish Nursing, Meals on Wheels, Arc Retreat Center and Southern Anoka County Community Assistance.

Our first concert this year will be for the benefit of Caritas itself.
It is on February 22 at Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer in Minneapolis.

This is my 3rd year with the group and I have had a great time singing with them.
The repertoire this year is both exciting and varied.
We are singing music from Mexico, Ukraine and Georgia (the country), composers from France, Brazil, Canada, Italy and the US.

I do have to say that singing in other languages is really fun for me.
My husband told me that he is impressed that I can pronounce many languages, even though I don't really speak much more than English.

Anyway, I just wanted to give Caritas a little publicity.
We are really nice people, and if I do say so, we are pretty good at singing together.

See you all there in person or in spirit,
Jess

Urgh

What with the Inauguration and the Lost premier I have had a lot of TV-related knitting time.
However, I neglected to orient the snowflake and hearts properly so that they will be centered when I start the neck decreases on the front.
I realized it here- as I was about to start the neck decreases, and now I have to rip back.
I may have to rip the whole thing, as it is a little large for the Elder Hug-a-Bug, but not particularly long.
This is the last time I take numbers from a pattern without measuring the girl.
Oh well, I started this on Monday, so I can rip knowing that I can probably get the sweater done before the end of cold weather if I put my mind to it...
Urgh
Jess

knitting update

In the spirit of cataloging all of my knitting this year I bring a knitting update.
I made this hat for the Hubby.
My kids love to read Annie and the Wild Animals and the little girl in that looks just like my Elder Hug-a-Bug.
So, I am making a sweater for her based on Jan Brett's drawings.
I have had this yarn in the stash bucket for at least 2 years.
It has been so long, that I am in negotiations with someone on Ravelry to trade for another ball of the green.
I hope it all works out...
Jess