December (In Which I Learn To Link)

*tap tap*

Is this thing on?

4 months today . . . . . . . it's getting easier, but tears still hit me when I least expect it.

The strangest thing is happening. . . I have been getting Christmas cards from ladies on the Kirks Folly Fairy Forum. I've gotten three so far. Thank you to SilverCate, BriteRaven, and Casdo. Maybe I'm supposed to be sending cards to the Forum ladies too? All I know is it sure is nice to find something in my mailbox.
*eta* Today's mail brought WhichyWomn's card. Thank you so much Kim.
**eta** Thursday's mail brought FOUR cards! Thank you to PrnsGrace, WingedWaif, NancyJB and DragonLuvr.

No knitting photos, because all my current projects are super-secret-Christmas-gifts. I have had 2 big felting parties and I cried last night because I felted a bag *way* too much and now all it will hold is wallet and keys. So I get to knit it again and hopefully this time keep a better eye on it.

Weather has gotten cold, but not much snow yet.

So today at work is "Let's See How Many Rude People I Can Talk To Today" day. Do you ever call up a company and proceed to scream at whoever answers the phone? Yeesh! Maybe I should move to Albuquerque and work for Victoria's Secret. Then I could shop at Scout's LYS. Speaking of Scout, she is on her way to tape an episode of Knitty Gritty. And so is the Yarn Harlot, and so is Glampyre! I really need to order my DVR so I can record all the episodes of Knitty Gritty that I'm missing.

We got our second NFLST payout, so it's time to order my wheel. I want the Kromski Mistrel, but I think I want to spin on the shop model a few more times before I decide for sure. I was first thinking about the Prelude, but it is single pedal and single-drive. The Minstrel has double pedal and double-drive, but I am noticing I am over-twisting because I'm pedaling too fast. I guess I just need to slow down.

I went to Sweet Peas Natural Market on Friday to see what's going on there. And I had sold 4 recycled-wool handbags! I am so excited about this, because they have been displayed there since July and not one had sold. The owner has decided to consolidate the store (going from two rental spaces to just one) and she moved her consignment items to a different spot and that is when they started selling. So I bought some more sweaters last night and as soon as I get a few more I will felt them all and make more handbags.

Oh, I do have an FO that isn't a super-secret-Christmas-gift, but I don't have a photo of it yet. Out of the wool scraps from my handbags, I made a patchwork blanket. Same principle as the SpongeBob blanket that I made for my nephew, except with wool instead of polar fleece. It looks So Nice and it is so nice and warm and snuggly. I had it wrapped around me on Saturday at the SCA even we went to (those low-cut Venetian gowns leave lots of tender exposed skin and I was cold!) and I got lots of nice compliments. I need to add about 12 more squares to it to properly fit my bed, but I think the next patchwork project I make out of wool scraps will be a cloak or cape of some sort for the SCA events. Form and function all in one piece, which is my idea of smart design for sure!

The new Mag-Knits is up, and there is a cute bag designed for just one skein of Noro Kureyon. Well, I had one skein and Sunday night I proceeded to cast on for the project. It is just a little tiny handbag, but in the Kureyon it is just so cute! I felted it last night and even though it went through 3 cycles, it didn't shrink into nothing-ness like my ill-fated Patons SWS bag did. Maybe I need to make a Booga-Bag with the 3 skeins of Kureyon and see how badly it shrinks? I might be a lot less disappointed if I actually followed the pattern instructions! So back to my cute little bag . . . . It was designed by Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos and mine looks just like the ones in the pattern so that is exciting