Wonderful

Wonderful is a simple word. It has been part of the English language since the 12th century. The word makes me think of and old commercial for a Wunderbar candy bar. Big burly Vikings landed on the shore dragging treasure chests, opened them, and found them full of the chocolate bars, and commenced dancing around shouting 'vunderbar'.

My weekend was wonderful. I opened boxes and bags of treasures, and I felt like dancing around shouting 'vunderbar' too.

My Christmas present arrived. 4 very good books.

Knitting From the Top Down

Vogue Knitting's The Ultimate Knitting Book

Knitting in the Old Way

Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques

I feel like I barely glanced at them, even though I spent all of Friday evening reading them, looking at them, and pondering them. The big debate for purchasing was stitch treasuries and dictionaries or reference books. As you see the reference books won out. They all look like good solid picks.

On the knitting front, I worked a long time on the Truly Tasha's Shawl. I can tell this is going to be a long project. The very good part is that in my foray to my LYS, I picked up some Addi Turbo circulars, one set with lace tips and one with regular. The regular tips are in use for the shawl and I really like them, but I can see that the sharper tip could easily become a personal favourite. The yarn slips smoothly along the shafts of the needle and they have the most amazingly flexible and strong cable. They are lovely tools to work with, but still I hope that somewhere out there, a manufacturer makes circs with a longer shaft.

I'm impressed with the yarn - Jaggerspun Heather - indeed this whole project. The pattern is just what I need, the stitch is great for the yarn, and it's to the size where I can feel the warmth of it as I knit. I really am enjoying it even if the shawl is at the point where it isn't growing no matter how much I knit.

And I completed these. Lucy Neatby Cat's Pajamas yarn (truly random striping), a basic sock adapted from the Yarn Harlot's recipe, toe up, using Maia's Toe up Gusseted Heel. I'm wearing them right now. This yarn is nice and squishy. It feels like heaven on my feet and the only shame is that this isn't the season to be wearing clamdiggers to show them off.

Mr. Needles gave me this lovely flower for my birthday. I've never had an Orchid as a houseplant before, so this lovely flower is going to be a real treat to learn with. We don't have a lot of places that the cat can't get at plants, so for now its in the bathroom which is lit with a small skylight. I'll probably have to bring it out to the kitchen, but I have to find a safe place first.

I did do some spinning. No, no, that seems to imply that I accomplished something. That I attempted some spinning is the truth. I have a leeeetle teeny tiny problem.

I've got 2 fingers and 8 thumbs. I'm going to look for my proper hands tonight.