Pallette Clenser

Here we join the Faery Ring in progress as promised, from the bottom up.  Mom's Noro hat is temporarily sidelined due to yarn shortage.  Who knew Entrelac would require so much?  O woe is me, I have to return to the yarn store...

It's just as well though - much like eating candy all day would give a girl a toothache, knitting rainbow for too long at a stretch causes me to seek relief in the neutral.  And I do love a good sideways cable.  This would be the "Ring", up from which the rest of the sweater will grow.  Just the thing for a quiet afternoon when a hundred less-appealing things vie for my attention.  The laundry pile skulked.  The kitchen floor stayed sticky.  Dust quietly collected.  And the Faery Ring began to Happen.  Magic, I tell you.  Pure Magic.
 

Confection

As we move into the time of year when sweets are everywhere, I have to admit to having fallen prey to this delicious morsel.  About twelve minutes after my family collectively decided that we would not be exchanging Christmas gifts this year (we decided to plan a fun weekend of experiences together instead of material gains this time), I realized that I simply HAD to make this hat for my mom.  My  mom (who neither has nor desires internet access, so it's safe to talk about here) is crazy in love with entrelac, but never has tried to knit it.  She points it out to me every time we see any, and it totally fascinates her.  I've never tried it either, but if I were a person for whom a lack of experience were any kind of limitation, there would be a whole passle of things I should have thought better of before starting.  Someday, I will tell you about the time I tried ocean kayaking, and the time I tried rain forest horseback riding, and the time I tried writing a knitting book.  For now I'll leave it at this: All of the above could have been more carefully researched before I attempted them.  But when I spied the adorable Fourth Grade Hat, It was True Love.  The best kind of True Love: the perfect thing for someone who will really love it, and isn't expecting it.  And if all that weren't enough, My mom is one of the few people I know who reliably wear hats.  She loves them, in all their different forms, and all their bad-hair-day-cloaking ways.  Her head is my canvas, and has been for years.  There could be no better recipient than the woman who introduced me to yarn, for heaven's sake.  AS IF I needed such a brilliant excuse.

Even though I have not quite finished the stealth peasant blouse.  Even though I have not quite jumped into the Faery Ring with full gusto.  It's time for a little immediate gratification.  Sweets to the Sweet, you might say.

Peasant Under Glass

And here we rejoin the stealth peasant blouse, post-frog, and well on its way to completion.  For such a simple project, it sure has been a pain in the butt. 

So what did you learn, Dorothy?
1.  Row guage is not just a good idea, it's the law.  You really do need to get as close as possible when substituting one yarn for another, especially if your goal is to create something that is going to be re-created (hopefully often).
2.  Cascade Heritage is an affordable, sproingy, basic sock yarn.  I do think it's going to pill, but the jury's still out.  Some people will do anything for a good purple yarn (are you listening, Sandi Wisehart?), including  myself.
3.  When you make a top-down raglan whose neckline is way lower than the usual raglan, there may not be enough lengthwise knitting to get in all the increases you need.  Cast on some armpit stitches so the thing will fit around your arms, or live with the consequences.

In unrelated news, my publicist contacted me with two terrifying assignments: 

1.  Answer a scary boatload of essay questions that will assist the publisher in promoting the book without having to actually read any of it.  I suspect the volume of writing this generates will be greater than the actual manuscript.
1.  Procure a photograph of self for "promotional use".  I am thinking that this is the one they stick on the back of the book, among other places.  Is there a scarier thought in the world?  I made an appointment with a photographer.  I bought a top with an interesting neckline.  I am hoping with every fiber of my being that it won't look like a realtor's business card (why do they put their photos on those, anyway?) or worse, a senior yearbook photo.  Any advice from my loyal following on what to do or not do will be wholeheartedly appreciated.  We who are about to smile salute you.