Now Norma Knits

This Hat's a Hit!!!

O.K.  I'm not *just* blowing my own whistle here......only slightly. 

We just got back from the campus to see our daughter in a play -- SUCH a funny play and SUCH a great, meaty role, and SO well acted by her.  That was just a gratuitous bit of bragging.  Hey, I'm entitled -- this is my dime!!  ;-)

BUT here's where you come in:

Looking for a gift that will be a HIT for a teenage or college-age girl?  Look no further:

http://nownormaknits2.typepad.com/photos/completed_2004/abbiehat.html

Every girl on campus (well, a LOT, anyway) wants one.  People were telling me (girls and boys alike) that I should knit them and Abbie should sell them for tuition money.  We decided that, given the mindset of kids that age and of that, shall we say, socioeconomic group?  (Yes, we shall.)  -- that I should put a pricetag of $125 on them, since we all know how much more desirable things are the more expensive they are, right?  But seriously, people have been telling her how much they want that hat, she's been telling them her mom made it, I was approached by several while at the play.  Nuff said. 

If you make one, though, don't forget to line it, as I did here, because the sequins-on-a-string are picky on the inside of the hat.  I used microfleece. 

You Say TomAYto, I Say TomAHto

"Things I Learn from Stephanie."

This is going to be the title of a new blog I'm starting.  I doubt my bandwidth could handle all the "things."

Thing one: 

It's pronounced "PAYT-uns," not "PATT-uns." 

Anybody else feel stupid? 

On the Home Stretch

I have ZERO time to knit.  I am so deep in the work hole I may never get out alive.  I am feeling so much guilt about the work thing I may never be able to breathe again.  Work keeps piling on.  It's the "birth of the glacier" Stephanie talked about a while back.  (Seriously, I don't need to link to her, do I?  Everybody knows who I'm talking about.)  In addition to my workload being heavy and my work ethic having eroded considerably, there is this little vision thing going on.  And there I was thinking that I had developed ADD and that it was because I was distracted by the knitting and blogging.  It may actually have its genesis in a legitimate eye health problem.  I kept thinking it was the screen of my new laptop, and it may be, but a routine doctor's visit suggests that, much to my surprise, it may also be a physiologic thing that needs to be taken care of, and soon.  Expect whining.  I'm not as stoic as I used to be. 

And on top of it all, the computer of one of my colleagues just crashed, so guess who got to take her work for yesterday, a day I so desperately needed for catching-up purposes and for perhaps even resting purposes.  Part of what's been going on is too little sleep, as well.  And even MORE backlog piled up on top of the backlog. 

This is not a good time, therefore, to make a visit to the college to see our One And Only in a play.  But we'll be there, with bells on.  She's got the lead. 

Quickly overtaking the serious guilt and leaving it far behind is a feeling of guilty pleasure and guilty relief.  I have to be in the car for at least five and a half hours today, and again tomorrow.  I cannot use the computer in the car (I've tried that, and it's a sure way to make me very, very carsick.)  But I can knit.  This has been proven.  I must *try* to be moderate in it, though, because I should not exacerbate the vision thing. 

Looky what I can work on:

Eminently finishable, maybe by the time we reach the High Peaks Rest Area, a very favorite rest stop on the Northway.  Something to be added to my 100-something list:  I love the High Peaks Rest Area on the Northway.  Another thing, slightly related:  I measure car trips by the rest (read: "toilet," for you Europeans) stops. 

And evidence that I'm frickin' insane:

This is just a sampling of the things I "need to knit now."  Clockwise, starting at the left:

1.  The beginning of my gold Rogue cardi.

2.  The pattern I picked up yesterday (yes, yesterday) for Fiber Trends' "Everybody's Favorite Hat and Scarf."  I know some people (I won't name names) will laugh at me buying a pattern for those two items.  Those people could whip either one of these things up without a pattern.  I know, I know.  And I probably could, too, but I'm too lazy.  And I saw one knitted up in...

3.  (WHAT WAS I THINKING) a brand new skein (one of three I bought) of Noro Iro.  I usually am not that fond of Noro yarns, but I wanted to eat this orangey-scrumptious color.  Can you believe it's jumped the queue ahead of all the other umpty-bazillion things I want to knit NOW?  But such is life.  And it's portable, for the car.  You know, it's only just for the car.  Not for me.  The car.

4.  Skeins of manly blue yarn to make Abigail's boyfriend the Canadian Winter hat & mittens.  The black multi yarn sort of in front of them will be double-stranded with it.  It is, say it with me, now: "mmmmmmm".... Mountain Colors in the colorway Granite Peak.  I really only got this for Abigail to knit him that set with.  She chose it.  But I hardly ever knit anything for myself in blue, and it's an excuse to use blue.  I love blue. 

5.  Skip back in the clockwise sequence a bit.  I got out of sequence.  Sorry.  It's the Denim People book that I bought myself yesterday.  I was just feeling sorry for myself yesterday, and the yarn store I dipped in had just got it in.  Totally LOVE those patterns, even though I have an allergy to Kim Hargreaves.  But I do love her designs.  Too bad she hates writing patterns. 

Kim H. to Norma:  "You don't like it that I don't put directions in my patterns?  Fuck off.  Figure it out yourself.  I'm going to take a smoke break."  <---this line shamelessly stolen from the blog of Kitten Avec Whip many moons ago.  I always totally loved that line.  She was talking about somebody else, but I like it for the voice of Kim Hargreaves.  End of story.

6.  The skein of Cascade 220 in the same color as Abigail's Rogue.  Destined (very soon) for felted mittens with suede palms.  The suede palms are somewhere in this photo.  I'm all out of the clockwise sequence now, so go ahead and play "find the suede palms."  Sorry, there's no prize for this.  Just the personal satisfaction you will get in finding them.

7.  The dark gold skein on the right side of the photo:  a Sophie bag for my hairdresser.  I know, I know, I said I was going to make her a clone of my brown bag with the brooch.  I changed my mind.  I've ordered a set of gold/brown/amber beaded handles.  I couldn't resist.  I may not even give it to my hairdresser when it's done, but it makes me sound very giving to say I will.

8.  I fucking walked into this dumb little LYS that is my least favorite in the area, only because it's the closest to where I worked yesterday -- and I reiterate, I was feeling sorry for myself after work -- and what is the first thing I saw?  The reason I'm not as fond of this store is because they are really understocked.  But what's the first thing I saw, right inside the door?  Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, 40% off.  They have NEVER had D.B. Cashmerino before.  Need I remind you about the whole Cashmerino for the daughter's boyfriend thing?  Need I tell you that I ordered four skeins from The Knitting Garden yesterday morning before I left for work, at full price, plus shipping?  Arrrrrgh.  But they didn't have the color that The Boy wanted -- lilac.   This store is weird.  I am starting to get the distinct feeling that they buy up odd lots and sell them.  There was this yarn, 40% off, and they had two skeins of the light gold you see in my photo, four of navy blue, ONE medium purple, maybe six or eight hunter green.  This is weird.  I've seen other evidence of my theory before.  I don't get it.  But whatever. I bought the two light gold and the four navy.  I'll do something with them.  Don't know what yet. 

9.  The white skein is a skein of the special Rambouillet from which I made Plain Vanilla.  I want to double-strand it with the Cascade Ecological wool I have for a bulky pair of mittens with a cable running down the hand.  I got the pattern from Green Mt. Spinnery.  Or maybe THIS will be the felted pair with the suede palms and the salmon pink will be the bulky with the cable.  You never can tell with me.  Or it could very well be neither.  You NEVER EVER can tell with me.

10.  And last but not least in the photo, the gorgeous homespun merino from someone special.  That stuff needs to get around my neck NOW.  I have designed my own special dressy scarf for it, but I.NEED.TIME.TO.KNIT.  If I don't knit it soon, I'm just going to start draping the skeins around my neck and wear it that way.  I'm pathetic.  Just pathetic.  At Christmastime, I can put a glass Christmas bulb on a hook hanging from the center.  That would be cool.  Pathetic. 

Of course this is only a smattering of the projects I have dancing around in my head like sugar plums.  But I know you all know this is perfectly normal.  Thank goodness for you-all. 

Now, just for shits and giggles, I leave you with this.  This should inspire some conversation.  A true impulse purchase, and I never EVER pay full price for a book, but I was in Staples the other day and walked out with this:

I just couldn't resist the title.  So far, just flipping through, I might think this book is a bunch of shite.  I'm not sure.  I'm just not really one for psychobabble, which this looks like it is. How do I deal with people I can't stand?  Steamroll 'em.  Or shoot 'em.  Wait, can I say that in my blog?  Nahhhh, I don't really shoot 'em.  Or do I?  Poke 'em with my knitting needles?  What do you think? 

It might have some good stuff, but what the hell was I thinking?  It's like recovery from addiction or alcoholism.  If you want to "deal with people you can't stand," first you have to WANT to.  I guess the answer is in the title.  They don't say "get along with people you can't stand," or "like people you can't stand," they say "deal with" people you can't stand.  There's a distinct difference.  I guess there is the "have to" aspect. "Have to get along with people you can't stand," as in the workplace.  That's where this is directed.  Thankfully, as a freelancer, I seriously don't have this problem.  I really don't have to work with people I can't stand.  Well, ok, sometimes I do, but it's only for a day and it's over.  I've hardly even figured out that I can't stand the person, and I'm gone. 

Okie-dokie.  Congratulate me.  I've just successfully killed an entire evening (I wrote this what will be "last night" by the time you read it - does this make ANY sense?) I could have been chipping away at the mountain of work I have.  Great.  That will help pay the bills.  Oh yes, it will.  Thank you, thank you.  Yes, I'm very proud of my accomplishment. Have a great weekend.  *bowing*

Young Men and Moms

A couple days ago, this was in my in box:

...I am trying to figure out my Christmas shopping for my mom, and I want to get her some knitting stuff...like needles and thread and maybe a helpful book or something.  Do you know of any website I could get this stuff at and/or any suggestions?  She tries to knit for like 10 min. but then messes up and loses interest.  Thanks.

Does that just melt your heart, or what?  Go ahead.  Get a tissue.  I'll wait. 

The writer?  My daughter's boyfriend.  20 years old, six-foot-three.  That's all right -- get another tissue.   

Wait.  I have to get one.  *snorrrrrt*

The last couple of times he was around me, he looked at me with interest and clearly had observed the sense of serenity I had when knitting, as well as my obvious excitement when I finished an item.  I actually finished Plain Vanilla in his presence, and I could tell he was really REALLY interested in what I was doing, but more importantly, in how I was feeling and acting. 

On more than one occasion he has said, "My mom needs a hobby like this," and other things along those lines. 

Am I all farklempt, or  WHAT?  So of course I did what you all would do -- and don't you deny it!  I offered to be his personal shopper.  (to get his needles and "thread" and stuff.)

Today I got an admonition from him, later from my daughter, that his mom has REALLY sensitive skin, and that the superwash sportweight merino that Abigail knit him a scarf in last year, that he loves, is too scratchy for her.  Well, geez.  I don't know what is much softer than that merino, except cashmere.   And straight cashmere....well, you know....wicked expensive, and maybe not the best thing for a very-beginner knitter, with not a lot of attention span and knitting patience, to cut her teeth on. 

I consulted one of my personal oracles, who used her super-sensitive-skin spouse as the personal tester, and she threw out a few names.  We did a couple of online searches together (well, she did most of the work) and I ended up with Debbie Bliss Cashmerino as my choice.  Approved by Mr. Cassie. 

I sent The Boy a list of colors from which to choose.  I was going to go with the Super Chunky, because he said she'd just want to start with a scarf (don't cringe, Stephanie -- he said it, not me.  Stephanie doesn't believe in first-time knitters starting out on scarves because of the boredom factor.  I kind of agree, but that's why I was somewhat inclined to get the superfat yarn, so it would be over quickly.)   But I agree with Cassie -- contrary to popular belief, it's actually harder for beginners to knit with super-chunky and big fat US11 needles.   And besides, this is not ice cream, it's yarn.   So I'm going to go with the aran weight.  Cassie certified that it's just as soft as the super-chunky.  Since she just happened to have some of each in her home.  Errgh.  I can't imagine what that woman's stash must look like. 

But anyway, about the book in his request.  I took the liberty of choosing Sally Melville's The Knit Stitch, on discount at buy.com.  I think it is so well photographed and clearly written that it is a wonderful book for a beginner, and it still holds my interest now that I'm an advanced beginner - dare I even say intermediate - knitter.  I have the advantage of being relatively new at this game, and although I've progressed fairly far fairly quickly, I can still remember exactly what it was like to try to understand the basics.  And Sally does it so well.  Also, the writing about knitting is so inviting that it might transform someone from "I mess up and lose interest after ten minutes" to, "Hey, this looks cool.  She's so nice and she'll help me, so I'm going to try some more."

I'll round out the present with a set of nice wooden needles, a gauge, and one or two other little odds and ends.  But isn't it wonderful to see a young man who cares about his mom so much?  It makes me all warm and fuzzy and starts to restore my faith in mankind a little bit -- and by that I mean "male" kind.

I Wasn't Going to Blog Today

...but then I thought this email to a dear friend would make good material, and what the hell, it's already written.  Hail to "cut and paste."

I just sent the job out by email.  12:14 a.m.  Argh.  Have to be at a deposition site 45 mins. away at 9:15 tomorrow morning.   I mean THIS morning.  What the fuck am I even going to wear?  Do I have ANYTHING clean and ironed? 

Please send flowers.  (I forgot to say, "Please send chocolate.  And Diet Pepsi."  Desperate times call for desperate measures.)

I won't be blogging tomorrow.  I'm now only nose-deep in shit.  Before it was up to my eyes.   By the end of tomorrow, though, it will be back over my head.  This is not progress.

N

P.S.  My eyes hurt.

Pink Purse: Present Pluperfection

  There's a hot new item in my gallery: 

Finally!  I finished the pink felted bag.  This will be a gift for someone who may or may not read this blog on any given day, so I have to be a little bit careful.  I think that person is so busy right now it's very doubtful she'll bother to check this out, but just in case, shhhhhhhh.  Don't tell her it's for her. 

The bag and the handles were finished before Rhinebeck.  My compatriots at the inn all got to see the bag then.  The holdup has been to get some hooks that would work appropriately to attach the handles.  That has been a bit of a journey.  My biggest problem was that I jumped the gun a bit and went ahead and installed grommets. 

I originally bought D-rings, thinking I could pry them open enough to slip them in.  Nope.  Welded and totally unopenable. 

Then I thought I had outsmarted even myself and found the hooks in the bottom center of the photograph.  I found them at www.bagworks.com.  They are sweet, and I was so excited to receive them I could hardly wait to tear open the package.  I thought, "these are perfect!"  But alas, they also did not work.  The spring mechanism opens almost, but not quite, wide enough to properly fit through the grommets.  I actually tore the bag around one of the grommets a little, trying to force it to work. 

I will, however, use these for a purpose-built bag, so called.  I will knit some tabs into the next purse I make, install the hooks through the tabs before felting, then felt.  I will then hold my breath and hope to hell it works out the way I think it will. 

But yesterday I received a package from Universal Mercantile Exchange.  And friends, we have a winner!  The setup on the right bottom of the photo.  They are part number HK-R34-nickel. Two pieces.  The rod on the bottom screws into the hook on the top.  Just perfect!  (add a drop of glue to hold it from unscrewing, the instructions say)

They also come in goldtone, and they come in different sizes and shapes.  This one is the 3/4-inch size.  If you go to their site, it is rather challenging to navigate, but I think I eventually found and clicked on "handbag hooks."  It took a while to find it.  They sent a catalog, and that is much easier to understand than their website.  They are really in business for large orders, I think, and they sent me minimum packages of 10 of the two types I ordered.  I think I read something in their site that they limit these "sample orders" to a small number of orders before they require you to order a big wholesale-type order.  But anyway, I've got what I need, and I highly doubt I'll be making more than 10 felted bags as gifts. 

Anyhoo, here's another photo of the finished product, with a Coke can shown for scale.  The color is actually the exact color of rose quartz, if you are familiar with that semi-precious stone.  In fact, some of the beads in the handle are exactly that, I believe. 

I was very excited to find out that, with this attachment, the handles are just long enough to be able to fit over the shoulder and look really sleek and urban-chic.  I was kind of worried that it would only be a true handbag.  I'm really a shoulder bag kind of gal, and I think that is more practical when you're shopping.  So I was very, very pleased to find out that it will work over the shoulder. 

I'm thinking of further adorning the purse with a button closure or something, but I might just leave it plain.  What do you think? 

The specs:

Pattern:  Sophie.  However, I doubled the yarn to make a more substantial fabric.  The handles, I was warned by their maker, are rather heavy, and they require a more stiff fabric.  Before even receiving the handles, I took a chance and doubled the yarn I used, and it came out JUST the way I wanted it.  I wondered if it would felt properly and small enough, but to quote Baby Bear, "It is jussssst right." 

Yarn:  2 skeins Patons Classic Merino, Color 210, Petal Pink.  I used every last string of the yarn, and there would NOT have been enough to make handles.  If you intend to knit and felt the handles, you will need another skein.  This yarn is the same weight as Cascade 220, so to make this purse I would also recommend doubling the Cascade.

Handles:  Gibson Girl Design, custom-ordered.  I sent her a piece of the yarn and told her "pink and brown," and she created the beautiful handles. Here is a closeup.

Highest recommendation:  Abigail came home from school.  This was sitting on the front hall table, even before I attached the handles.  "I want one JUST LIKE THIS!!!"  she said loudly and repeatedly.  And throughout the weekend, it was stated LOUDLIER AND REPEATEDLIER.   (Yesterday Claudia reminded me that I am creative with language, so ..... )

Also an aside on "why we proofread and/or edit":  My No. 72 from yesterday:   "I have one lovely child, a daughter."  After I reread that, I thought it looks like I have one lovely child.  Who knows how many hideous children I have.   Yes, for those of you wondering, we have Abigail, and then we have ogre children.  But we don't usually let them out of the attic.

So one pink bag with beaded handles is on the way for her birthday present, JUST LIKE THAT!  Poor kid has the unfortunate luck of having been born on New Years Eve. 

Oy Vey - Do I Dare?

Booga J broke down and did it, so I guess I can.   

100 101 Things About Me At This Moment in Time

1.  I'm nervous about revealing too much about me.

2.  I am therefore going to censor myself, I just know it.

3.  I hate censoring myself, or being censored.

4.  I won't tell you everything about me.

5.  I am obviously obsessing about this.

6.  I don't usually obsess, and so this alone is unfamiliar territory for me.

7.  Hmm.  Revealing, huh?

8.  I love the smell and taste of coffee, not to mention the buzz.

9.  I can't drink it because it raises hell with my blood pressure.

10.  I had a semi-serious scare with my blood pressure a few years ago.

11.  I waited too long to be seen by a doctor for this.

12.  Thankfully my hardy constitution and generally good health (and maybe some good luck and my relative young age) prevented me from having a more serious event at the time.

13.  After the health scare I mentioned above, I started following the Eat Right 4 Your Type diet, and had a complete turnaround healthwise. 

14.  I'm still eating that way.  It is a permanent lifestyle change, I believe. 

15.  I took matters into my own hands, because the doctors were about to put me on several medications that I didn't want to take.  I stunned them with the results.

16.  I'm a big believer in natural health. 

17.  It required me abandoning vegetarianism to become an omnivore again.

18.  My blood type is O positive.

19.  The Red Cross used to call me every 57 days to donate blood.

20.  I can no longer donate to them because I lived in England.

21.  I was pissed about this, but I understand why and I forgive them.

22.  I used to be a morning person, but I've turned into a night owl.

23.  I have a wicked sense of humor, but sometimes I'm dead serious. 

24.  You may never know when I'm being serious or kidding you in my blog.

25.  I have probably offended some people because of this.

26.  I sometimes don't care if I've offended you.

27.  Sometimes I care deeply whether I've offended you.

28.  I'm quirky like that.

29.  I've had a near-death experience.  They're just like you read about them.  And they are life-changing. 

30.  I'm a quick and determined learner.

31.  Lately my work ethic kind of sucks, but I enjoy my job.

32.  I have super-human hearing.

33.  Soprano voices therefore physically hurt my ears. 

34.  My daughter is a contralto soprano. 

35.  My daughter is a gifted actor. 

36.  My daughter is the pride and joy of my life.

37.  I am an environmentalist.

38.  I don't believe in poisoning my lawn with chemicals.

39.  I am an organic gardener.

40.  I eat dandelion greens that I harvest from my lawn.

41.  I even plant them in my vegetable garden.

42.  I imagine this bothers the neighbors. 

43.  Ask me if I care.

44.  I drive a 1994 Toyota Camry with 188,000 miles on it.

45.  It still runs like it's brand new, and gets 30 mpg. 

46.  In 21 years, I have bought two new cars, both Toyota Camrys.

47.  I am proud of this, but I would sort of like a new car.

48.  I prefer to drive standard-shift.

49.  I am an optimist and a pragmatist.

50.  I cry at the drop of a hat in movies, but not in life.

51.  I like antiques.

52.  I like pottery.

53.  I had a deprived and abusive childhood, with no social life.

54.  We lived out in the boonies, on a lake. 

55.  We had a lot of animals.

56.  I loved the animals.

57.  I also was a great nature observer, and would sneak up and "commune with" blue herons, tame wild ducks, turtles, etc.

58.  It was a beautiful setting, but the beauty was lost on me at the time. 

59.  The first time I went to a museum was when I was 19 years old.

60.  It was the Louvre.

61.  I still find this comical.

62.  I went with my now husband.

63.  I had also never been on a plane before then.

64.  Not to mention a foreign country, unless you count Canada, which I don't. 

65.  My mom was Canadian.

66.  My maternal grandmother was an educated and liberated woman.

67.  She was a registered nurse.

68.  My father died at the age of 28. 

69.  I put myself through college.

70.  I was the first person in my family to go to college.

71.  I have been married only once, and for 21 years.

72.  I have one lovely child, a daughter.

73.  The most important thing to me is to be able to give her a great education, excellent role-modeling, and a safe, stable, happy life.

74.  I think I've done a great job at that.

75.  My husband is my best friend.

76.  I went through a period when I was an avid traveler.

77.  Since 9/11, I have not cared to travel too much.

78.  I feel a great sense of loss about this.

79.  I lived for 15 months in London.

80.  I traveled around the British Isles every chance I got.

81.  In order for me to have this experience, my husband was a single dad for a year-plus. 

82.  This was the most wonderful gift he could have given me.

83.  BBC Television gave me even more gifts. 

84.  They allowed me to work for them, and they gave me family travel allowances so we never had to be apart for more than six weeks at a time. 

85.  I have been to Paris twice -- once for three weeks, another time for a month, and I loved it.

86.  I love reading about history and visiting historic sites. 

87.  I love the Smithsonian.

88.  I studied the Torah for a time, as an adult.  It didn't seem like new material to me, but review. 

89.  From this, and from other life experiences, I have got the feeling that I have lived before.

90.  I skeptically believe in reincarnation. 

91.  I do believe in old souls, and I believe I have one.

92.  On tests, I have always been able to guess or intuit the answers, often without being able to explain why or even sometimes explain the answer. 

93.  I am areligious.

94.  I have a strong internal moral compass. 

95.  Much stronger than many people who say they are religious.

96.  I abhore hypocrisy.

97.  I abhore intolerance.

98.  I am intolerant of some things, though.

99.  I used to have a disability with remembering names, but not anymore.

100.  Doing this list was a cinch.  I couldn't be more surprised.   

101.  How did it get to be 2 a.m.? 

Sunday

Everybody should watch the movie, "Control Room."  My husband rented it, and at first it didn't register with either one of us.  My number one criteria for renting a movie is if Siskel & Ebert Ebert & Roper give it two thumbs up, and he (hubby) has learned that it's a safe bet that we will meet on common ground moviewise if he brings home a Two Thumbs Up movie.  I have found that, with maybe one exception so far, I have agreed with their assessment. 

About halfway through the movie, I suddenly remembered that I had heard a Fresh Air interview on NPR with the Army lieutenant in this movie.  I should say ex-Army lieutenant.  This man intended to be career military, and it breaks his heart that he had to leave.  Had to, I say?  Yes, because his superiors made his life hell because he took part in this documentary openly, and as honestly as he could.  He is now speaking out somewhat, but tempered by his love of the military (and probably further pressure he is receiving).  Here is a review.  Here's another one. 

So much for my Sunday sermon. 

Now for some truly religious content:

1.  Abigail's hat now has a soft, cushy lining:

I love this photo.  I think it looks like some exotic sea creature. Or something else. Let your imagination run wild.

2. The first sleeve of Rogue is almost done, but not without some ripping-out first.  I was sailing along, and I said to myself, "Wow, I'm getting really good at M1's.  You can't even see them."

~~ pause ~~

Wait..a..minute!  That's because I had forgotten to DO some.  Mock me at will.  (sorry, Stephanie, for borrowing your phrase, but really, I do deserve it.)  Hell, just go ahead and laugh mercilessly at me.  I can take it.  I deserve it.  What a fetchin' idiot. 

But look at 'er now: (no more laughing)

With another 11-hour drive today to take Abbs back to school, I should complete this one and get well and truly started on the next one.  Which is a good thing, since I have already cast on for my Rogue.  Here's the ultra-exciting photo of the first 5 rows.      

I'm doing the cardigan version with the skinny hem like Claudia's.  The yarn is Rowan Magpie, Color No.  301.  I have already joined the live stitches with their corresponding cast-on loop, as in Claudia's modifications. I'm very excited about this project, because the Magpie is something I bought on a whim on eBay back last spring, before I knew what I was doing.  I got it at a bargain, as nobody seemed to be interested in this color.  Silly people. Smart me.  Even before I had a clue.  I have a few worries.  I'm still making the 35.5" size, which is what I made Abigail's in.  That one fits me nicely, even though it also fits HER nicely -- and we REALLY are not the same size.  I think it's because of the Cascade 220 and the resulting fabric being so soft and stretchy.  My gut feeling is that the Magpie fabric is going to be a really different animal, and what if it's too tight?  Argh.  I'll deal with that later. 

I really have no business starting this now, anyway, since I have a half-finished Kirstin sitting over there.  I think I'll work on them interchangeably as the mood at any given moment strikes me.

Seems fair to me.  You?