Sugar And Spice

The baby receiving the benefits of my knitting talent these days (and is providing a nice little distraction from the Norwegian Sweater) will be the daughter of an old college friend. My friend was a forestry major and in the Army Reserves and resented anything that reminded her she was a girl.

She didn't want to be a man, mind you, she just hated being associated with female adjectives like delicate, curvy, and hormonal.

I lost touch with her for a couple years and then, in a mass email announcement, I learned she had eloped. Very shortly after that (I'm not trying to imply anything here, it was very shortly afterward) she got pregnant--a delicate condition that creates curves and oozes hormones.

With twins.

Boys.

And I knew the universe was unfolding as it should.

Now she is preggers again, but with a girl this time. Knowing her life is full of boyhood, and knowing she is the antithesis of girlygirl, I thought it might be nice to make this little jacket:


Smock Jacket from Celtic Knits by Debbie Bliss

...in a nice gentle and not very girly color. Like forest green:


Knit Picks Gloss in Parsley

But the green yarn I have on hand wasn't hitting gauge. So off the the yarn shop I went. And I saw this:


Patons Classic Wool in Currant

...and I knew my universe was unfolding as it should.



Or maybe I just need to take a break from green and blue.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes

The first herald of my favorite season? It comes before the leaves change, before the mornings get nippy and before my cat starts sleeping under the covers with me...

...Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte. Tall, nonfat, one pump for me please. Mmm. It appeared a few weeks ago.

At this point, the leaves are changing, the mornings are nippy, and I have lost all the bedspace I enjoyed during the summer. And yet another herald of autumn, which I had forgotten about, appeared in my grocery cart yesterday.

Behold:



The Pumpkin Spice Kiss. It's like my favorite drink made spillproof (albeit with less caffeine). I'm blissfully ignoring the ingredient list because I'm pretty sure it would depress me.

My favorite use for these babies?

I drop a couple in my morning coffee and stir until melted. Then I splash in my usual milk. It's not a Starbucks' Latte but it will tide me over. I also like to drop a couple into some warm milk and let the kids have Pumpkin Steamers.

Oh, by the way:



Looks like I have to go back to my Norwegian sweater. Until my order for this hat arrives.

Baby Sweater on Two Needles from Knitter's Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Dale of Norway Baby Ull, Superwash Merino Wool

Something In The Water (But Not My Water)

My Norwegian Sweater is a chore. How do I know this? It's 49 degrees and rainy outside--perfect knitting weather--and I can't stand the thought of it.



I do have the desire to knit another baby sweater. For a girl this time. I even know the mother a little beyond Facebook, though we never kissed. I'm thinking Elizabeth Zimmermann's February Baby Sweater will do nicely (I've made it in coral here).



I'm begging you, my loyal readers, please don't think of it as betrayal. I'll go back to Norway soon. With a yarn color called "Fjord" it can't repulse me too much longer.

Fair warning--I'm also wondering if I should knit her this one too:


From Celtic Knits by Debbie Bliss