Gray Is the New Black

I finished my cardi, the epic project of this fall!

gray coat 1

I know, the color choice is radical. But I wanted a gray cardigan, to go so well with all the handknit shawls and scarves.

gray coat 2

gray coat 4

It's warm, and comfortable, and it fits. There are one or two issues with it, mainly the size of the hood, but I'll take it as a learning experience. There is, in fact, no need to knit a hood so big an entire football team could fit in there. And play.

gray coat 6

gray coat 3

Otherwise, I can't think of anything negative about it. The broken rib band around the front edges and the hood nearly did me in - 530 stitches of worsted weight yarn on a 32" needle will take your soul, your will to live, your will to knit (gasp) and nearly, but not entirely, your love for gray yarn.

gray coat 5

I do love the color. I don't know why, but gray is, and will always be, a favorite. (Ask me again next week, and it'll be green. Or blue. Or yellow!)

gray coat 7

The coat was finished just in time. Last week, we had fall. This week, we got winter. Brr!
snow storm 4

Amazing Travels and Beauty in the Morning (Marathon Post)

(Still no knitting. Forgot to block. And photograph.)

Last week, on Thursday to be exact, I turned 30. It didn't feel any different from any other day, except that a friend bought a beautiful wheel and I taught her to spin. To celebrate, I went on a road trip and drove nearly 900 miles, to see friends and knit. A group of 40 knitters met for a weekend of knitting and spinning and yarn and fiber and books and tea and wine and such.
lankaa

I also taught a class on the sweater method. We had fun.
samma

I had fun, and I think the class did too. The picture above of one of our amazing organizers, Samma, was just too hilarious to miss. It was all very cordial, I was nice to everyone.

I swear I was.

In my class, the knitters were fun, smart, amazing artists. I was honored to meet them all. (I loved the Shetland shawl, it looked so warm.)
villasukka

It all required a lot of concentration.
keskittyminen

Their beautiful hands knitted very very fast. And they were all such a joy to watch.
beautiful hands

I am so happy I got to meet my fellow knitters. It was a weekend of sheer joy, I hope there'll be another knitting retreat very soon. (I also may have bought another spinning wheel. More of that later.)

On my travels I also got to meet some animals I had not seen before. Lizards, and some snakes.
boat 4

They were very scary and wild, all 12 inches of them.
boat 2

These Columbian rainbowboas were truly most amazing animals: beautiful, strong, primitive, and an absolute joy to watch.
boat 5

The green iguana did not approve of my photographing him.
seppo 1

But the little ADD lizard did not mind, at all. She was awfully cute!
sylvi 2

Now that I have shocked you with lizards and snakes, let's look at some yarn. These came home with me. Green mystery lace yarn and blue Drops Alpaca adopted from fellow knitters.
d alpaca sin ja mysteerihuivilanka

Burgundy Drops Alpaca. What can I say, I love the yarn. And the color!
drops alpaca burgundy

And then I went crazy. First, just a little.
tapsalta

And the I went completely bonkers.
keltainen isoveli
Yes, I am aware it's yellow. But what a yellow it is! Mustard yellow, in all of the richness of the fall yellow that is only there this time of year! I had to have it. All of it.

Speaking of fall, it's here.
oct 02 morning 2

oct 02 morning 8

frozen mushroom

oct 02 morning 4

oct 02 morning 10

oct 02 morning 6

frozen water on VW

Enjoy your fall days!