Where there's smoke...

There is certainly fire, at least up here. It seems like most of Northern California is on fire, and we're socked in with smoke. Today has been a milestone--I see some actual blue sky peeking out from between clouds and smoky haze for the first time in a week. The old lungs don't like this one bit, nosiree. I've been in full asthma mode, wheezing like crazy with any exertion as strong as watering plants. I guess it's a great summer for sitting and knitting!

The Weasley sweater has a sleeve started! Yay! The back and the front are done, shoulders joined, and stitches for one sleeve picked up, decreases in progress. This is a major accomplishment, trust me.

Yesterday, I made a bee. He's a very cute bee.

Now, the question is, "Is anybody out there?" I have no idea if anyone is reading this, but if so, I have a question.

My stepdaughter learned a cast-on method from her grandmother, years ago, and just remembered how to do it. I've looked in all my books, and I can't find a description of this anywhere. If anyone out there knows their cast-ons, I'd love to know and I'll post some photos of what she's doing.
Thanks!

2 and 7/8 down, 2 to go

Here's a quick update on the hat project--I'm making five of these on commission for holiday gifts. Two are ready for felting, one just needs another row or two. Would you believe that these

eventually (after washing, felting, shrinking, stretching, yanking, pulling and drying) turn into one of these?

I swear, it's like actual alchemy! Felting, for anyone who hasn't done it, is literally like turning lead into gold--you take this giant, shapless mass of wool, and in just a few minutes of hot water and agitation, you've made a thick, seamless(-looking), durable, waterproof, windproof hat. Or bag, or slippers, or whatever. My husband and kids think I'm completely insane, and the wet-dog smell that comes along with big piles of wet wool drying isn't the greatest, but that's why we have a garage.

At least when I'm making something useful, like a hat or some slippers, it doesn't seem too entirely insane. My obsession with felted flowers is another thing entirely sometimes. Our last trip to Hawaii proved that. I've created my own version of knitted Hawaiian blooms--hibiscus, anthurium, heliconia--and I decided, for some reason, that the cool girls we'd met on our snorkel trips needed some little thank-you gifties on our last excursion. Tropical Storm Daniel was making his appearance right around that point, so we had some nice, relaxing downtime in the condo, watching the ocean roil and wind whip the palms. Perfect time to whip up some little knitted flowers, right? Fast forward to me spending an hour at the sink with a little pile of lava rocks gathered from the beach (yes, I returned them when I was done) scrubbing my knitted anthurium until they felted up nice and firm so I could dry them on the lanai.

I don't know about most people, but this is entirely normal behavior around my house.

The mystery of blogging...

Here's the big question--how do people find so much to say?!
I sit here and stare at the screen, and I just can't think of anything vaguely interesting to write about!

Uh...I cleaned a lot, and organized my new sewing cabinet. It's an Ikea cabinet with a fold-down front and doors, so I can hide my sewing machine and supplies inside until I need them. Then I reorganized the bookcases with all my knitting magazines and hid my felting supplies inside the big desk. And I refilled my bird feeders.

Isn't that exciting?

It's really a good thing I didn't learn to knit until after my wedding. I'm thinking about that because we have a wedding to attend next weekend, held at the same location ours was, and it's June, so there are weddings popping up everywhere. I nearly drove myself insane planning our wedding as it was, and now I can imagine myself obsessing over each hand-knitted, felted and assembled decoration, favor and centerpiece. I shudder just thinking about it.

I think my main problem is that I suffer from some knitters' version of ADD, and flit from idea to idea almost as fast as I can think them up. A hat here, a bag there, ooh! let's start another sweater over here! Forget second-sock syndrome, I think I have second-pattern-repeat syndrome sometimes.

The goal of the week is to have manageable goals. (How's that for circular logic?) It's mid-June, and I'm paring down my list of Christmas must-knits as far as I can, but there are just still too many neat ideas and not enough time. Sweaters! Scarves! Felted slippers! People need hats! Recycled t-shirts knitted into reusable shopping bags! Needle felted Christmas ornaments!

I don't know where to start, so I'd better find somewhere to start.

And she's off...

And she returns...

Just in case anyone's watching...
I'll try to actually start updating this. Many projects completed, many in progress, and a photostream available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/26490663@N02/

It's time for Christmas knitting in June! Time to work on Weasley sweaters and warm hats.
More to come...