Multitasking Sunday

Just moved the laundry to the dryer. Put the kettle on. Checks are printing for the work account. Downloading statements from the bank. Uploading to Flicker. Stew is slow cooking. Gathering bits of yarn from all over the house on my way to the kitchen. Oh, here is that skein of Austerman Step I was looking for. Why did I come into the kitchen? Back to the bedroom to try to remember. Ah! Yes, I need the scissors to show my son (4.5) how to cut a paper heart for valentine's day. “No mom, let me show you!” They already did it in pre-K! Water boiling. Make some green tea. Aahhhhh! Checks done printing. Son helps with stuffing them in proper envelopes and stamps them. I hope we did not mix the checks… Going over the statements that downloaded as I talk to my dad (“aha. Sure. Really? Oh…”) “let me talk to grandpa!” Add some mushrooms to the stew (they cook the fastest, add them last). Turn on the rice- cooker (best kitchen appliance after the cuisinart!). Back to my cuppa’. Tea is cold. Where was I?
All this and still have time to ride our bikes with my son- priceless!
Next: his naptime. 1-2 hours. What should I do? Nap too? (I NEED it). Knit? (I have 3 WIP). And yes. you are seeing a lot of blue. I am part of Project Spectrum 2. First colors: Blue, Grey, White. Oh, that purple on the edge of the bird nest shawl? Did I forget to mention I also got 10 skeins of Virtue in Prudence, at the same sale? And that is a good thing, because a quick calculation of yardage made it clear I will not have enough for the BNS (Bird Nest Shawl) with just Faith.




Blog? Blog surf? Return my cousin’s phone call from Tuesday?

Some blog housekeeping:
By popular demand here is the "easy as pie but great bang for the effort" Elizabethan neck hug:
Yarn: I used Esperanza yarn, from Schaefer Yarn, 70% lambswool, 30% alpaca, in the Memorable Women collection (Any Worsted/ bulky/ chunky yarn)
Needles: US 10, 10.5
My finished dimensions: 5.5” wide X 14” long, But: You should measure your piece around your neck to personalize!
CO 20 stitches
[Note: I P the last stitch of every row and slip, K wise, the first st of every row, but you can do any edge st you like]
Rows 1-4 seed st.
Rows 5-8 stockinet st.
Rows 9-12 reverse stockinet
Repeat rows 5-12 until your hug almost overlaps with the seed st band. End on row 8 or 12.
Next row: seed st
Next row- button band: k3, YO,K2tg,K5,YO,K2tg,K5,YO,K2tg,K4 (or you could match it in seed st.Next 2 rows: seed st
Bind off.
Go to your button stash and look for the “just right” buttons. I ended up using just two buttons, cause I like the folded over look.

The cashmere was indeed THE bargain of 2006 private sale by Jodi from Collectors Crafts they have a website with very little content, so contact her.

Alpaca- Dave asked: “Do we see the beginnings of a herd?” coming soon: Confession of an alpaca herder [or is it hoarder?!? (and we DON'T want to get into the definition of that!)]) or “honey, you ain’t seen nothing yet…