The pleasant land of counter pane

A favorite book of my childhood (and my own children's, I hope) sprang  to mind today - A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson. 

As I was knitting along on my Color Affection Shawl, I had a chance to look at it in extreme close up and I realized that it looked just like the hills and valleys of Stevenson's little world. A knitted one, to be sure, but it was easy enough to imagine little roads and rails running along its ridges.

A Color Affection shawl in progress

A world in miniature - hills and vales

Perhaps it's time to look at things from another perspective again . . . .

I gave this a try after coming home late last night from a dinner out with the ladies. All I could see in my dingy winter alleyway was the fabulous moon. Alas, all the camera could see was the street light down the block.

On another note, the Rolie Polie Cowl was released into the wild. I wore it to all my hockey games this weekend - very cosy and warm! Exactly what I was wanting.

Sometimes the worst photos tell the best stories

Who would ever have guessed that this little cutie . . .

would ever grow up to be such a reluctant sock model?

And one who wears such big socks already? Youngest Child is on his way to being renamed Biggest Feet! This was a carry along project this winter so it was only worked on here and there - hockey games, meetings, lunches, church services, etc. Thankfully, I finished them before his feet grew anymore! 

The yarn is some inexpensive Premier Yarns Serenity Sock Weight Solids that I picked up at a general craft store. It is not a bad sock yarn and very reasonably priced. It is a little thin for my taste - I like a more circular, rolled sock yarn. 

Now that's a phrase no non-knitter will understand! I mean a rounder yarn because it's usually a three ply sock yarn. This one is just very thin feeling - not soft or lofty at all. But, it seems very hard wearing so it's a good yarn for boys' socks.

Also, a little FYI for knitters: I've had these sock blockers for over five years and have used them about twice. Don't bother with them!

The worst photo this week is the traditional "hat in progress" photo. Too small to wear yet too big to put on the dog . . .

This is a quick Winter Wonderland Hat from Kristin Nicholas. It uses one strand of worsted weight yarn and two strands of sock yarn. A good way to use up extra sock yarn and it's a quick knit! This one is for a charitable event this weekend. The pattern wasn't in my library until recently but I really enjoy Kristin's work and I highly recommend her blog - very lovely photographs and boy, is it colorful! She has a new book out as well that I'm looking forward to reading - Crafting a Colorful Home.

Now, back to those mittens before Youngest Child's hands get any bigger . . .

Snow days and work days

Unfortunately, as a mom, snow days are work days! 

When the weather looks like this . . . 

. . . a knitter's mind is drawn to socks. 

This particular pair is for Youngest Child - but his feet are growing so fast, that I think I'm doomed to keep knitting and knitting and knitting. Actually, this has been my carry along project for months and I'm just picking it up here and there when I need something mindless to knit. It's my long tern library go-to pattern for socks - Wise Hilda's Basic Ribbed Socks - and it's a dandy pattern. I think I'll be finishing up this week.

Now, if only my model would hold still and use his courtesy feet!*

Feet are bursting out all over here!

On my own personal knitting front, I'm almost done with my Rolie Polie Cowl.

It's going to be huge - but perfect for cold spring days. I think it is a bit sheddy right now for wearing over knit turtlenecks but it will be great for wearing over long sleeve tee shirts this slightly-less-cold spring.

Outside of knitting, I've been starting up my running again in order to get ready for some spring races. I like running because (like swimming) it's a very introspective sport. Lots of time to think things over by yourself!

A little treat for you here - a video made by a local photographer featuring running in Saint Paul as well as music from one of my favorite bands, Cloud Cult.

*In Korean pop culture, courtesy legs are when a much taller celebrity widens their stance so that the shorter celebrity standing next to them can be photographed better.