Triumph over technology

Ha!

I finally convinced my camera and my computer to talk to one another. It was a close call; I almost had to call in a counsellor, but they've agreed to work things out for the moment. We'll see how long it lasts.

How sad is it that I feel such a great sense of triumph simply because I managed to upload pictures successfully onto my computer in the way that picture-uploading is designed to be done? Pitiful, I tell you, pitiful.

Nevertheless, it is done, which means that I can post with some actual visual content, such as it is, rather than simply inundating you with a wall of words. It sounds like all of those links worked on the last post, so I won't go through all that again, except to share a good skiing picture with you.
They clearly enjoyed themselves, no?

And to give you a sense of the colors of yarn I ended up with. Here's the lovely Woolen Rabbit bamboo-blend sock yarn.
The green is more saturated and springy than it comes through in this picture. I can't wait to clear all of my needles of ongoing projects so I can get started. Also, here's the Sanguine Gryphon yarn I got for myself.
Mmmm.... cashmere blend....

I also received the most wonderful package in the mail from Anne this week. It came as part of the pay-it-forward challenge that we both signed on for last year; I am woefully behind and need to get into gear on this one -- I keep thinking that I'd like to have all three things done and sent at the same time to their recipients, but the pleasure of receiving this package suggests to me that I should probably just get moving and send what I've got. Look at this absolutely stunning scarf she sent me!
What you can't see in this picture is that the yarn is both a richer shade of teal-y blue, shot through with lovely little silver sparkles, and that it's long enough to wrap around my neck several times, which I love -- a cold neck is the worst thing ever, and this is the perfect antidote. Isn't it beautiful? It's so soft and squishy, too. And that wasn't the only thing in the package. There was a desk calendar, and EZ's Knitter's Almanac (which shall be kept out of reach of Tilly), and beads for knitting, and coloring books about herbs for the girls (perfect timing, as they planted their very first own-garden last weekend and are both obsessed with herbs in particular). I would have taken a picture, but I was having too much fun tearing everything out of the box. Thank you, Anne!

I have also been knitting. Mostly, I've been working on the Dofuku kimono (from Knit Kimono), and I'm definitely making progress. My goal is to finish this up, and then to finish all of the second socks that I have hanging around (three, at last count) so that I can make a clean start on some new projects (including the second sweater I want to knit for myself this winter). The kimono is progressing fairly well, and I'm most of the way done with the first sleeve. After that, I just need to knit the second sleeve and the collar.

I spent the time while knitting the two fronts and the back wondering whether I was going to knit the sleeves flat (stitches picked up from the shoulders) as called for in the pattern, or whether I was going to just join them and knit them in the round (as I so very much wanted to). As I saw it, the two potential areas for concern with regard to knitting them in the round were a) whether I might knit at a different gauge when I'm knitting every row than I do when purling the wrong side, and b) whether I'd regret not having the seam for structure. The first question was fairly easily disposed of, as I tend to knit at the same gauge flat and in the round, or at least close enough not to make a difference. The second was harder to judge. But the two sweaters I've knitted for myself so far both have sleeves knitted in the round, and I have had no trouble with the lack of seams, so I decided that in the interest of maximizing the mindlessness of this knit, I'd choose to go in the round. And I did.
That's the trim yarn that I spun up before Christmas to use in this project there at the seam between body and sleeve.
I think it's working out pretty well.

So, that's it for now. I hope to have this finished early next week, if not sooner, and I'll post some modelling shots then. Meanwhile, I'm off to knit and read, or maybe to watch some reruns of Law and Order (deep, meaningful TV that it is). Happy Friday to everyone!