Lazy daisy knits . . . lazy knitting for the masses: Happy Thanksgiving means . . .

A Happy Blogaversary!

Actually, I started my blog slightly more than four years ago (on November 14, 2005) but I always associate it with Thanksgiving so I make that the celebratory date.

I recently went back and checked out my long-ago blogging goals.

"To start writing what I've thinking about. And that's knitting. What's on the needles, what I wish I was working on and what I've learned in the process. Probably that there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish all that I want - and still get a nap."

If it's humanly possible, I'm thinking even more about knitting. I've been trying to finish up some longstanding projects - think brown sweater! - as well as some trying out some new ones - I highly recommend the Bella Mittens!

Foolish Middle Daughter - she's modeling the mittens but she's wearing shorts!

I also think my foray into two-at-a-time socks has been going well as well.

"It's the other things that keep my projects creeping along. Husband and family, an active church life, as well as a growing exercise regimen (mostly swimming but also running and cross country skiing) plus reading and spinning are too distracting. Must Say "Time to sit down!" more often."

Well, with this cold for the past few weeks, I've had plenty of time to sit down. And lay down. My exercise regimen has completely fallen by the wayside. But things are looking up and since it hasn't really snowed yet (or snowed enough for cross country skiing with GFMelissa!), I don't feel too bad about it. Who knows, I may become one of those odd people who go more often to the gym between Thanksgiving and Christmas than the rest of the year?! Husband, family and church life - they are definitely the same but since no one is being confirmed, graduating or breaking a leg this year - it's all good.

"I am not a slow knitter, just an overscheduled one. I keep finding the next project - and starting it. Interfering with completionn of Baby Sweater #1 were one shawl, a pair of beaded mittens, cabled socks and a beautiful shawl from Kristmen's Design Studio called 'Glorianna.'"

Well, I finished that Babies & Bears sweater as well as the Beaded Mittens but I have no idea what shawl I meant. I think it was the Kiri Shawl which I was getting ready to knit for the Knitting Olympics in February 2006. I did enjoy making that shawl. I think I frogged the socks though - the Cabled Rib socks from Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave Press. I went on to make the Retro Rib socks several times as well as the Go with the Flow Socks so I don't feel too bad about that. The "shawl" was actually a scarf and it was frogged as well. I like the pattern just fine but it didn't seem to go with the yarn. Maybe I'll pull that patten out again this coming year . . .

Since 2005 I've had a lot of fun projects as well as a few epic fails. I'll be taking apart my sister's blue Mission Falls Bay Cardigan and making it a bit smaller - possible the Bay Bolero? - sometime in the next year or I'll be hearing about it forever. Ditto the Big Brown Sweater, Aka., Mr. Daisy's River Grass Gansey. I just don't like the twisted stitch section at all.

In celebration of all these goals - met and unmet - and of our anniversary over here at Chez Daisy, I'm setting up a little contest. In almost a complete rip off of Knittymama's* anniversary contest, I'm launching the Pattern Review Contest:

Contest rules:

1. Review a knitting, sewing, spinning….any kind of pattern, really, on your blog. It doesn’t have to be detailed but, please, give us the down low. Hard to follow? Good charting instructions? Timeless? Trendy? Worth buying or should we search out the free on-line version?

2. Leave a comment here leading to your pattern review.

3. Post a link in your review that brings us back to the contest here. That way your readers will be able to read the comments section here and put in their two cents. Did they hate it? Love that pattern? Think you're crazy "but in a good sort of way" for attempting it?

4. After that - you'll just have to sit on your hands until the end of the month. The day after Christmas (December 26, 2009) is when I'll assign each of the pattern reviews a number and then toss you all into the proverbial hat - the random number generator - to award a prize. Two prizes actually. **

One is a copy of Charmed Knits: Projects for fans of Harry Potter by Allison Hansel.

Remember this Sweetie?

and

One copy of 2-at-a-Time Socks: Revealed Inside. . . The Secret of Knitting Two at Once on One Circular Needle Works for any Sock Pattern!, by Melissa Morgan-Oakes.