Hallelujah! They're done (but not photographed)

I've finished my two sweaters! The drop stitch cardigan turned out lovely (thanks to 100purewool) but I am determined to know how the hell a v-neck cardigan is supposed to have a collar. I looked through some books and can't find any pics of one and the pic in the magazine is a great example of Maggie Righetti's theory of knitting magazine subterfuge -- why oh why, is there not a front view of the sweater? Because the collar is ugly, that's why.

Anyway, the Lace Leaf pullover turned out well too. I thought I had really screwed up in using handspun (Malabrigo) to kitchner a sweater together right smack in the middle of my torso, but it blocked out great. This one took me 4 months to finish, but if I was a monogamous knitter it would have only been a couple of weeks -- it's a really easy and fun knit minus the honking needles that wore a hole in my finger. I'm one of those pusher people and that bulky wool and size 13 needles just don't work well for me.

Last night I cast on the MDS in another skein of 100purewool and I'm in heaven. It's such an easy, fun, thoughtless knit that looks so wonderful. This one is for Chris. Here it is posing by my favorite lamp.



In spinning news, I am awaiting an order from Hello Yarn -- a beautiful niddy noddy, two bobbins, a brake band and the missing lazy kate for my wheel. And then I joined another HPY co-op, still trying to get that elusive blue/brown merino I crave. I ordered some roving with it as well. Maybe that is what I'll spin up for my handspun secret pal.

And here are some garden pics, some beautiful late fall color and texture along with hunter kitty extraordinaire, Sophie.







This is Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon'. I love the range of colors -- right now the leaves range from dusty purple to tangerine orange. It seeds like crazy but it's hard to resent such a beautiful volunteer.