There's an FO!

• Ravelry Project Page: Abulón Cowl
• Pattern: Abulón by Isabell Kraemer from the Stillness Collection
• Yarn: Make.Do Realize Sport
• Needles:  5 US
• Start to Finish:  October 28-November 19, 2017
• Mods:  I knit as written except FLAT (because  LONG STRAIGHT NEEDLES), then mattress stitched the seams. I bound off so that some of the contrasting edge showed (also, if I remember correctly, I think I ran out of the multi-colored yarn and had to improvise the ending).

I'm fiddling with it a bit in that first photo because it's just a bit bigger/drapier than I like my cowls to be.

So my photographer (thanks Kate!) & I tried a different arrangement. I'm not sure I like this, either, it looks like a bib or something... maybe it needs a pin. I need to play around!

One thing you can't argue about is the beauty of that stitch pattern; combined with an eye-catching backing layer, it is next-level!

By the way, I first noticed that stitch pattern, sans background, in Melanie Berg's Open Waters Shawl and Cowl, published in Making No. 2 / Fauna. I am going to knit that shawl someday! Gorgeous!!

Anyway, I toyed with the idea of casting on another of these cowls with fewer repeats, but there's too much other stuff happening right now. One more look...

And that wraps up another NaBloPoMo! It's been a fun month blogging and reading. Thanks for being part of it all!

It's been almost two weeks since the remodeling project got underway, and a week today since the shop was closed!

Since then, the Coffee Camper has been set up right outside, and it sure is adorable.

Offerings & hours are very limited, and there's no place to sit (it's chilly, besides), but the tavern owner next door has opened his doors wide and welcomes the morning kaffeeklatsch!

I  my little city!

The plumbers have been first on the scene, arriving as I stop each morning for my tea; the lights have been on and I snapped a few photos.

Yesterday:

This morning:

The two new bathrooms are at back right, and the doors (leaning on the wall toward the front yesterday) installed. There's a hole in the wall to the left of the window in back for the relocated air conditioner. The new kitchen area is being framed in & dry-walled, and the space between the new bathrooms & kitchen will be a dedicated kids' nook. The cement block has all been plastered over, and looks fantastic!

There is so much more to come: tiling, decorative plastering, painting, casework, ceiling & lighting!! Keep your fingers crossed and good juju flowing for a fabulous on-budget finish in little more than a week!

Also, it's UNRAVELED WEDNESDAY!

Joining Kat & friends again this week...

Another Sleepy Kitten will be on the needles before long, but currently...

I am all about the Freak Flags!! I am currently on Flag #8. Potato chip knitting... super fun and I can't wait to deck out the reopened shop with them.

READING. If you can believe it: 

• Population 485 / Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time - pages. Even though I'm slow, slow, slow, I might be enjoying this book more than the first time.
• Yellow Crocus - audio. I love this book, even though it seems like it's taking forever! I've less than an hour of listening time...

(Still)(Still) On Deck:

• You Don't Have to Say You Love Me - audio.

Happy 7th Birthday Parcheesi!

My annual thanks to Feral Knitter Janine Bajus for sharing this great pattern! It is available as a free Ravelry download, with a request/in exchange for a donation of any size to Heifer International.

BTW, today is a FANTASTIC DAY

to MAKE A DONATION

as it's GIVING TUESDAY

and EVERY GIFT IS MATCHED!

This blanket remains my favorite knitting project! It is used and cherished as much today as ever.

The itchy part? Well, I have recently been reading about the Fringe & Friends Logalong...

I was taking photos of Freak Flags yesterday when I heard the geese and looked up...

...all (almost) TWO of them!

I am loving the textures!

The bucket o' yarn that I used for knitting Arrows was still handy, so I'm pulling from that (stash-busting!). I used my Embellish-Knit machine to make the I-cord tie, which worked out great. (That's one of the best investments ever... I also made a handy I-cord string for a pair of Jün's mittens.)

After a few hours of more-exciting-than-expected football knitting last night, I finished the second flag... and the third, and the fourth, and have begun the fifth! Potato chip knitting at its finest!!

Freak Flags is one of the patterns by Cecelia Campochiaro in Mason Dixon Field Guide No. 5: Sequences -- all of the patterns are on my short list! So interesting. There are still a few copies of Sequences (and more!) available, now 15% off & $5 flat shipping -- email me at makedotdo@gmail.com

I wasn't intending to post the play-by-play as I finished this sleepy little kitty...

...but here we are! I lengthened the dress and added eyes & mouth; nose & whiskers are still needed... looking for the perfect pink.

Meanwhile, Junah (along with Ali, Gin & I) attended his first open house at the local model railroad club. They have a pretty sweet set up in an old radio station -- trains on two levels, and even movable bridges that allow them to run through all of the rooms.

Um, can I knit little dresses for little knitted kittens for the rest of my life?! Haha.

This sleepy kitty still needs a face, and this dress is more like a top (oops! I will be fixing forthwith), but OMG how adorable is that?? 

Kids, woods, family, thankful.

I am thankful for my husband! He made pies this morning, carved the turkey this evening, and is doing clean up!

I am thankful for my daughters! Maddy & Kate, along with Rusty, took the kids on a walk in the woods this afternoon so that Ali could take a nap!

I am thankful for my grandkids! They are more delightful every single day... and come March, they'll welcome a sibling!!

There is so much to be grateful for, but nothing tops this. Happy Thanksgiving!

KNITTING.

Currently on my needles is a Sleepy Kitten! On my list since I first cracked Making No. 4 / Lines, I started on Sunday. This is where I stopped last night, and will be knitting in the arms when I pick it up again tonight. I've had more than my share of false starts when it comes to knitting toys -- the fiddly bits aren't so bad, but the SEWING UP is where I lose it. Susan B. Anderson designed these kittens in such a way that the fiddly bits are knitted in as you go... brilliant!

(Abulón Cowl is finished, awaiting glamour shot... in daylight!)

READING. Here's what's on my list right now:

• Population 485 / Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time - pages. I am re-reading this oft-recommended long-time favorite memoir set in New Auburn, WI. Author Michael Perry is also a cast member in the stage adaptation of his book, and we have tickets to a January performance in Oshkosh! I've been wanting to pick it up again for a long time, now, and there could hardly be a better reason.
• Yellow Crocus - audio. If all goes well, I may finish today!

(Still) On Deck:

• You Don't Have to Say You Love Me - audio.

COOKING.

My house smelled amazing last night! I'd never heard of Make-Ahead Gravy until Carole posted about it the other day. Personally, I prefer butter on my potatoes, but Rusty loves gravy, so I thought I'd give it a try this year. So far, so good! Also, pork chops and zoodles w/fire-roasted tomatoes was what's for dinner.

Check out Kat for more Unraveled Wednesday...

As you know, the exciting & long-awaited remodel of KC&T and Make.Do @ KC&T is underway! We can't wait for the reopening and are so excited about all of the updates & improvements!

As exciting as that is, it also means that the shop is closed until approx. December 7th! The KC&T Coffee Camper will be out front every morning 6:30-11am during the closure, with limited menu/merchandise, but we're missing a couple of important holiday shopping weeks, including Small Business Saturday!

In an effort to salvage a bit of the season, selected Make.Do merchandise is... 15% off + $5 flat-rate shipping*

ONLINE ORDERS/U.S. SHIPPING ONLY thru 12/7/17

(*free local pick up can be arranged!)

KNITTING NECESSITIES - The newest tote bag from Fringe Supply! $20

2018 Wall Calendar, featuring a year of illustrated sheep & natural dye plants (they're gorgeous!), from making. $26

Field Guide No. 5 - SEQUENCES, brand new from Mason-Dixon Knitting. $14.95

Also: Field Guides No. 1 - STRIPES, No. 2 - FAIR ISLE, No. 3 - WILD YARNS, and No. 4 - LOG CABIN. $14.95 each

Making No. 4 / LINES. $24

Also: No. 3 / DOTS, $24
No. 2 / FAUNA and No. 1 / FLORA, $20 each

ALL QUANTITIES LIMITED

 Email makedotdo@gmail.com with your desires! Thank you!!

As mentioned yesterday, I did a little cleaning & organizing. I identified two specific areas in desperate need of attention.

This is a lovely old but rickety bamboo shelf unit in a corner of the kitchen that used to see a bit more action because it's where the phone is located. You can see a couple of phone books; they've never been cracked, so they're now in Recycling. There's also a personalized Phone List, which I had on the computer and used to updated on the regular, but it's been YEARS, so also recycled. Pens, pencils, paper, calendars, recipes, a few (ahem) greeting cards, cycling stuff.

It's not perfect, but it's better. I added a LOT to the recycling bin yesterday. The phone is still "located" here, but it's unplugged more often than not. The only reason it's still on the wall is because it would leave a mark if removed, and I'm not prepared to deal with that right now. Because of "bundling," it's cheaper to have the phone than not... it's probably even cheaper if I added cable TV back in... but all I really want is internet. The phone drives me nuts, even with Nomorobo activated, and it makes me feel ill when I think about surfing through all those cable channels that I don't care about; it's been 6 or 7 years since I cut that cord, and I don't miss it a bit.

This is an old drop-leaf table that Rusty had when we got married. It's located just kitty-corner from the shelf above. It usually starts out with some sort of display, but quickly becomes a catch-all!

I even found some Christmas stuff (from the contingent in Spain) from last year!

I finished seaming my Abulón cowl at Knit Night on Thursday, and gave it a soak yesterday. It was on our bed to dry, but it's going to take a while, so moved it to the upstairs bedroom. Maybe a Unraveled Wednesday debut??

How was your weekend?

With grape jelly, or maybe with an egg and a strip of bacon.

I'm doing a little cleaning & organizing today, and in doing so I ran across this:

An artistic collaboration between Rusty ("Grape Jelly," top) & Ali ("Afternoon Breakfast," below) -- her piece is dated 1998, so she'd have been around 10-11. I'm not sure how it came about, or whether both pieces were done at the same time. Ali, in particular, used to charmingly reproduce some of her dad's work; this is a little different, though.

Anyway, I've removed a picture that wasn't sparking joy anymore, rearranged a few things & repositioned a nail, and now I'm much happier with my current kitchen decor.

Except for picking up & pitching walnuts with the kids -- something that happened again today with Jün -- my yard/garden clean up has been pretty slack this year. I don't mind that, sometimes, and perhaps soon there'll be some snow atop this spent hydrangea. (It was so cold today that there could have been snow!)

I know that Thanksgiving is less than a week away.

And Christmas fast approaching.

I've watched since the trimmings of the season began edging out school supplies.

And yet, I'm constantly doing a double-take when I see actual lights, decorations & full-on displays. I'm not ready for all the holiday hubbub.

I feel as though I'm in a bit of a bubble... an Alabama bubble!

Happy much? (Thanks for the photo, Kym!)

There's so much other stuff going on, even besides the holidays... but all I really want to do is clear off my work table and start sewing!

I would begin with an intense poring-over of Natalie Chanin's new book, The Geometry of Hand-Sewing, which I haven't had time to do yet, though I have been using it with great success to practice my "feather stitch" technique on my sampler.

I'd pre-ordered my copy and picked it up at the workshop. We met with Natalie on Saturday, and she signed it for me... with a little laugh!

It's an incredible book with detailed instructions for working the stitches from either left-to-right or right-to-left, photos & diagrams --  including photos of the back of the work! -- and two die-cut plastic stitching cards/templates with various grids. Genius.

Though my Grandma Koenig had passed long before I picked up a needle, my mother would channel her, always asking to see the back of my project, intoning, "The back should be as neat as the front!"

They practice what they preach over there at Alabama Chanin! Those are shots of the back & front of approximately the same area of a piece from a sample book.

If you're interested in learning more about this type of work, Natalie & The School of Making have a new class on Craftsy (with, I'm told, more to come!) -- The Swing Skirt: Techniques & Construction.

Three Things on Thursday:

"...they came to our house to share stories, fabric, sewing, laughter, family and food. It was a time of celebration and the friendships they forged lasted a lifetime."

_ _ _ _ _

Visit Carole for more Three Things on Thursday posts.

We interrupt this broadcast with breaking news of the happiest sort:

The long-awaited remodel at KC&T is underway as of today. Re-entry is a bitch -- a bit more than usual -- but this certainly makes up for that!

Also, I have my Alabama Chanin sample swatch with me today and it makes me happy to think of it, look at it, touch it, and dream about it. I might carry it with me for the rest of my life.

Boarding a plane late this morning, arriving home sometime this evening.

We had an incredibly low-key & relaxing day in Nashville yesterday, mostly hanging out at our Airbnb house. We did venture out for lunch and to visit a couple of fabric stores, on a quest for some marking tools.

We also stopped at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams and I don't need to wonder what the fuss is about anymore. That's Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso. Yum.

Stitch Sampler, not unlike a swatch!

I got up this morning and did payroll for Ali -- to Wisconsin, from Alabama...

I packed up my stuff and wondered why in the world I didn't have my project kit & a few other Alabama Chanin incidentals shipped...

My suitcase has been expanded and is at capacity!

We (Kim) drove to Nashville (I am Navigation!) and Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. We had a very nice walk through the Seasons, Herb, and Japanese Gardens, as well as a little hike through some of the Sculpture Trail.

There was a lovely exhibition on the sculpture work of William Edmondson, and of Bryant Fleming who designed the estate.

Posting this at nearly the 12th hour and internet is not so great... more later!

This how my worktable looked at the beginning of Friday:

Fairly neat and orderly.

My project kit was the last to arrive, partly because I chose an obscure paint color for my stencil, but mostly because the Production Team at Alabama Chanin made sure it was perfect before presenting it to me; in particular, Corey, who mixed the paint and did the stenciling, worked the most amazing magic!

Inspiration is everywhere at Alabama Chanin, from the iconic sign...

...to the bathroom decor.

By the end of the day, my worktable looked like this (the neatened up version):

I am working out a few things on a swatch that is in my actual pattern & colors.

Tomorrow is another day -- sadly, the last workshop day! The time is flying by and we are having a wonderful time!

Workshop Day 1 was amazing! From Alabama Chanin, The School of Making and The Factory, to Te-lah-nay's Wall, to Judy Hood, The Gold Record Room, FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, to Odette's, and our pretty great Airbnb. Yeah, we did a lot, and we're pooped.

Tomorrow we SEW!!

I'm not at work today, I'm in ALABAMA! If I were at work, though, this is what I'd have seen about half-way. Actually, I doctored this photo a bit -- removed a few signs and a couple of cars -- so this is what I'd liked to have seen about half-way, everyday. This was on Monday, the sky was so pretty and there was daylight due to the clocks "falling back" on Sunday morning.

The County garage and landfill are on the right -- ho-hum.

There's always something about those three trees on the left, though, whether I'm coming or going. They're oaks, I think, and suffered some storm damage a couple of years ago -- they were prettier once! I almost always see wildlife in the field beyond -- usually, turkeys and/or a small herd of deer. I look forward to this little stretch during every commute.

*Scheduling this in advance in case I'm too caught up in Alabama Chanin things to post!

As this goes live, I'm winging my way to meet Kym in Nashville! We will hop into a rented car and drive to Florence, Alabama, for a long-anticipated 3-Day Workshop at Alabama Chanin! We've been planning this trip for well over a year, and... SO EXCITED!

I've been on my Alabama Chanin journey for a while now, and thought today would be a good time to share the story of one of my recent (unusual and crazy-fun) projects:

THE WISCONSIN BLINGFISH

Kay Gardiner, aka Mason-Dixon Kay, began working on her "newest oldest" sewing project, the Alabama Chanin Flag Quilt, on July 4th. It's a spectacular piece! It's also a bit overwhelming, even as a pre-cut and pre-stenciled kit.

After a week of immersion sewing, Kay was considering ideas to infuse her quilt with some personal style... by changing some of the thread & fabric colors, by adding embellishments, and by somehow involving friends.

I've "known" Kay for about as long as we've all been blogging. We met in person at Rhinebeck 2006, I think, and then again 10 years later. In between, we've chatted a little bit via Instagram & blog comments about knitting, of course, also about other projects & the kids & family & events, and quite a bit about Alabama Chanin projects these past few years. I was delighted when she asked if I'd be game to stitch a block of her quilt.

Um, YEAH!!

She sent her "Wisconsin Fish," along with a spool of thread, and a small bag of iridescent semi-dimensional sequins marked "bling (optional)" -- which, HELLO, were never considered "optional" for even a second.

BRING THE BLING!

I immediately pulled out my own collection of sparkles to see how it all might work together -- adding a variety of seed beads, bugle beads, and more sequins to the mix!

SEQUINS THIS WAY?

SEQUINS THAT WAY?

Everything was kept quite secure with Wonder Clips, of course!

THE PLAN FOR BUGLE BEADS WAS IMMEDIATELY CLEAR.

Eventually I did a little sewing. And some cutting... periodically laying out beads & sequins to see if I still liked them this way, that way, or another way.

My daughter Kate was starting her new job at the time, but frequently stopping home, and every time I'd call out, "Come and see my fish!" I'd show her what I'd done and run through ideas...

I started off with mostly reverse applique, running stitch, knots on the back; with some beading and a little bit of satin stitch with embroidery floss. (FYI: satin stitch is harder than it looks!)

The sequins, though! It was obvious to me that they needed to be fish scales... but how? My only experience with sequins was on my Catamount Tunic, and the inspiration for that project made it pretty simple & straightforward.

Obviously, I needed to expand my sequins knowledge, and my treasure trove of sequins inspo for this project turned out to be "sewing for belly dancers."

• 1 - Sequins Line & Fill
• 2 - Sequins & Beads

I used a combo of sequins and sewed them on in rows to make scales.

Initially, the rows were too far apart, so I filled in, and continued in a more dense pattern. I'm sure that looks tedious to some, but I really had fun doing it! Perhaps, as Kay says, we "have a skewed sense of what is fun..."

It was fun to figure out the little details as I went along... filling in bare "scale" spots with plain sequins; using red beads for the eye, outlining it with some metallic thread. I love the dimension and bit of sparkle and shine.

I wanted some "lines" for the fish tail, so pulled out some more embroidery floss and sewed in some random sequins.

I used only sequins -- fairly sparse -- for the belly (just beginning, above).

I stitched "lines," too, for some of the other fins -- with and without sequins.

I had originally thought of using the metallic thread to work satin stitch the dorsal, pelvic & anal fins (*bling*)...

... but holy cow, each of those things separately -- satin stitch & working with metallic thread -- is challenging enough! Instead, I used the metallic thread to back-stitch the outlines of the fins and sparsely fill in with running stitch.

Finally, I signed my work.

Then I had to photograph it and send it back to Kay!

Catch & Release... The One That Got Away... Some Fish... the Wisconsin Blingfish!!

I can't wait to see the whole quilt come together!!

Junah was, like, "WHAT?? A new FRIDGE?" They loved checking it out last night! Hopefully, the enchantment with the freezer will wear off, or potential energy savings will surely be offset.

We are loving those French doors and everything in the fridge at eye level! The lighting is pretty great, and I'm also a fan of the glass shelving. There is certainly some rearranging to be done, but we're getting there.

It's a Samsung. A little narrower than our old one, and a few inches deeper -- these offset and there is no perceived change. I was worried that our already narrow gateway to the laundry room would be affected. I think the very slight curve of the fridge helps, too.

Side views: from the sink area (above) and laundry room (below).

We removed a cabinet above the fridge as a precaution -- we knew it was going to be super close, and it was the only variable over which we had any control. Trying to find a fridge to fit our area/specs has not been easy. So, anyway, it will be replaced -- new & improved, for sure -- and Rusty might even get started on that this weekend.

The old fridge was plastered all over with magnets, photos & clippings. I tossed a bunch of it, filed a few things, and rearranged as I redecorated. So far, I've kept the front of the new fridge clutter-free and am aiming to keep it that way!

What made the cut?

This is the most visible side, other than the front. These things all spark joy!! I have some travel reminders, and some adorable drawings of Mack's that my sis had made into magnets; the hummingbird was Sharon's, and the vintage fruit & veggie magnets were my grandma's; I love my photo calendar and am looking forward to making a new one for 2018! This one is from Parabo Press, and I love that the pages are perforated, so I can tear off and keep the photos! I'm not an affiliate, but I do have a link to share that will save you $10 on your first order and earn me $10 -- just use the code AHMKGG! You can order online, or... there's an app for that!

There's been an addition since I took the photo:

(So freakin' good.)

On the other side, more joy! More travel, more politics, more flowers, and more photos -- and I want even more photos, but most of what had been displayed was decidedly dated (not in a good way) and in need of editing.

This is a work in progress!  ;)

Dear November,

I'm still on a Hamilton high!

The show was wonderful! We loved the cast, knew every word, and really enjoyed the nuances of the live performance!!

Dinner at The Dearborn was fabulous! We had to begin our meal with The Hamilton cocktail, of course!

Then we turned on the soundtrack in the car and sang all the way home!

Also, I finished Maddy's Hamilton ornament!

It's been a stellar month so far -- newly resurfaced street on Friday, long-awaited refrigerator delivery on Saturday, Hamilton on Sunday, today's my birthday, (Tuesday is a day of rest - haha! not really... I'll be packing!), and departure on Wednesday for the AC Workshop!!

The workshop is technically three days, but we'll be gone/traveling for a week! OMG, I can't wait. I've never been in that part of the country before.

Anyway, as Kym has said, it's a BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA!! Well, hell, my 59th is only gonna come around once...

And I like the way that my 60th year on the planet is starting...

Begin as you mean to go on!

Here's to a great year!

Love, Vicki

WOW! IT WAS AWESOME!!!

They're not yet finished in the neighborhood, but they're finished in front of my house and ya-freakin'-hoo.

Now I'm awaiting the call "30 minutes prior" to refrigerator delivery. I'm not sure I'll be able to have all hands on deck right then, but it'll be here.

Meanwhile, the kids were over for a while today.

Hahaha!

And I rearranged the upstairs bedroom (back the way I like it) (new comfy mattress coming soon).

{{{drumming fingers}}}

BREAKING NEWS...

They were firing up equipment as I left for work this morning; Rusty sent this photo a little while later. (That's my house with the bunting still hanging.)

Anticipating... So much good stuff!

1. New refrigerator delivery on Saturday (finally!) (y'all will be so happy when this is not.a.thing anymore)
2. Hamilton on Sunday (matinee) with Maddy and her BFF Katy, followed by dinner at The Dearborn
3. My 59th birthday on Monday (!!)
4. A long-awaited vacation that begins on Wednesday:
   1. To Florence, AL, for a 3-Day Alabama Chanin Workshop
   2. Along with my first visit to Nashville, TN
   3. All with KYM!!!

Looking forward to... OMG. Alabama! The Factory! Muscle Shoals! Finally!!

I've long dreamed of attending an Alabama Chanin week-long workshop(s), but it just wasn't ever going to fit in financially or time-wise, so when the 3-day version was introduced last year... I pounced. I signed up practically the minute it was announced in September! Bonus: it was happening right around my birthday. Happy Birthday To Me!!

It wasn't long before Kym decided to join me... and the Airbnb booked by the first week of October! EXCITED MUCH?? I'd have booked travel then, too, but it was too early. I did put a reminder on my calendar about it, though.

Sewing... something EPIC as soon as I get to Alabama! I'm thinking Coat, but reserving final decision until we're actually there. We get to try on garments and see examples of finishing techniques. It's all certain to be incredibly inspiring... hopefully, not to overwhelming. I'm counting on experienced hands to guide us...

Listening... Hamilton soundtrack & and my "Alabama" playlists!

Wondering... What's up with you right now!?

1 - What's old is new again!

This funny old table used to be in the coffee shop a long time ago. I used it at home for a while, and had a plate glass top made for it. Eventually, it moved back to the coffee shop, but in the upstairs work area. Lately, it's been hanging out in Ali's garage... and she'd been trying to find a new home for it.

Well, guess what?!! I have a home and a need and... this is why KonMari-ing, Death Cleaning, purging, etc., CAN BE SO HARD!

2 - Ali also has the perfect 2-basin stainless steel sink in need of a home... I am so lucky.

3 - I should have taken a before photo, but I didn't...

This is currently the only thing hanging on our refrigerator and, well, that bare naked almond fridge it's practically blinding us every time we turn around. I am so ready to take delivery of a new fridge on Saturday!

Joining Carole for Three on Thursday -- check it out!

KNITTING. I mentioned the Stillness Collection a little over a month ago; I'd ordered it, and have since received it. On Saturday, I wound some yarn and cast on the first-favorited project -- the one that initially stopped me in my tracks -- Abulón by Isabell Kraemer.

Naturally, I'm knitting it on straight needles instead of circs. I'm using a bouncy, squishy yarn that I call Realize Sport; I recently dyed the yarn for the outer layer to complement the orange that I wanted to use for the inner layer. It's really fun knitting, and the design would be easily customized as to size by varying the yarn and/or the number of repeats. I predict that this will be finished in no time!

READING. Here's what's on my list right now:

• Still Life with Bread Crumbs - pages. I'm nearing the end of this one, and it's good.
• Yellow Crocus - audio. It looks like I'm about half-way with this book, and I like it a lot!

On Deck:

• You Don't Have to Say You Love Me - audio. This memoir by Sherman Alexie will be my next audio book.

One more photo...

Another result of all the work around here is that in addition to "discovering" my dye studio, I may also have discovered my new favorite place for taking photos!

Speaking of that work, there has been nothing but "back-up beeps" and the clanging of dump trucks & bobcats today as they prep the road for BLACKTOP!! YaHOOOOO. At latest, the actual application of the blacktop will happen tomorrow.

Joining Kat & friends this week for Unraveled Wednesday!