Since the new Knitty came out when I was at work on Friday, all I could do was fantasize about cracking into my old stash of acrylic yarn from the days of mile-long crocheted afghans. Unable to contain my glee, I showed the photo to a Russian woman in my office, hoping she too would find it to be a hoot. But it seems hootiness of the Hallowig may not transcend cultural barriers, because she appeared to think it was a hat. Sensing my delight with this pattern, she enthusiastically agreed that this was a wonderful thing and it would really keep my neck AND forehead warm. She also suggested that I make a matching scarf. All the while she was nodding happily. This woman wears Prada glasses and has the most amazing shoe collection I’ve ever seen. She obviously thinks I am insane and have the most horrendous taste in the universe. She will probably ask my boss if she can change her cubicle to the other side of the office for fear that I may consider knitting her something, you know, as a cube-neighborly gesture.

Unfettered by this unfortunate exchange, I brought the printed pattern home and showed it to my knit-weary hub. And a strange thing happened. He loved it. And he asked me to make him a black one. Whaaa . . . ok! He wants it for a potential Halloween costume, but I secretly think he wants to use it to taunt my brother. They’re both, hmmm . . . how shall I put this . . . evolving beyond the need for mammalian cranial coverage. Becoming folically liberated. They’re losing a touch of hair. And they make good-natured ribs back and forth. Hey, I don’t care if he wants to use it to join the circus, I just want to make a freakin’ Hallowig! So I started one this weekend.

I had to put his Manly Sweater on hold for a bit.

Does it strike anyone else as odd that I’m putting a Manly sweater on hold so I can make him a wig? That’s why I love him so.

My sister-in-law also wants a black Hallowig and I’m going to make a yellow one for my cousin. She’ll really get a kick out of it. It pleases me to no end that I live among people who share my appreciation for the stranger things in life.

Like a siren from the sea
Klaralund is calling me

Damn is that ever a pretty sweater! I wasn’t too crazy about it when I just saw the pattern from the book, but now that Alison (of the Blue Blog Alisons) has finished hers, I do believe I need a Klaralund in my life. I love the shape, the back, the texture, the colors, the name. Just loverly. I’d like to wait until more people in the Klaralund-Along finish theirs so I can see how it will look on someone shaped more like me, but I fear my will is not strong enough and I shall buckle under the pressure of Noro Silk Garden. Those scrumptious colorways are beckoning to me. Make them stop! Why won’t someone just make them stop?!?

And when the tiny voices of colorways are not creating a constant buzz in my head, the surprisingly husky voice of Hallowig is. Now, what we have here is something that is so kooky, so bizarre, so completely unhelpful in my day-to-day existence that I simply MUST have it. Its very unnecessariness has made it absolutely necessary. Imagine that! There are a couple of fantastic things in the brand-spankin’ new Knitty that I’d like to make. Blaze is something I think I’d like to work up to. I haven’t figured out the cable thing yet, but it’s on the list. (now where did I put that list . . .)

Frida from the new MagKnits is also quite fetching, but as much as I want to make every poncho I see, I must choose only one. I may succumb to the evil mind-bending powers of the Very Harlot Poncho, as many of our sisters in knitting have. But I don’t even know if I’d ever wear it. I use a backpack instead of a purse, so I think wearing it over a poncho would be a little awkward, and I just can’t wear it underneath. With all my little physical imperfections, I simply cannot toss a hunch on the pile.

I got my 100% One Hump Camel (hee hee) in the mail yesterday. It’s so light and airy – it almost feels like cotton candy. It was all I could do not to lick it to see if it would melt. Ok, I licked it a little. It didn’t melt, but I was spitting camel fibers for a while after that. Don’t tell anyone.

Well, I have joined my first “-Along” and I’m very excited! It’s Knit-o-Rama’s Man-Along! My entry is the Manly Sweater from Stitch n’ Bitch.

I’m making it with an 80% Merino Wool/20% Cashmere blend in a tweedy Olive. No stripe, please.

The Man-Along is also a contest. There will be a prize for the best-looking sweater AND the best-looking sweater wearer. Oh the primping we will do! I’m going to make hubby look like he’s just spent a week in the bathroom with Kyan! (mmmmm . . . Kyyyaaaan)

Well, I have joined my first “-Along” and I’m very excited! It’s Knit-o-Rama’s Man-Along! My entry is the Manly Sweater from Stitch n’ Bitch.

I’m making it with an 80% Merino Wool/20% Cashmere blend in a tweedy Olive. No stripe, please.

The Man-Along is also a contest. There will be a prize for the best-looking sweater AND the best-looking sweater wearer. Oh the primping we will do! I’m going to make hubby look like he’s just spent a week in the bathroom with Kyan! (mmmmm . . . Kyyyaaaan)

I finally got my act together and put up my gallery! It’s not exactly finished, I’d like to fix it up a little, make it look nicer, maybe put it on a separate page so I can describe the project and the yarn used. But at least it’s something.

There were also some pictures that I simply had to add, even though they aren’t knitting/crochet-related. I like the idea of having a “Random Stuff” wing in my gallery. They’re pictures of my goofy earrings that I made in high school during the height of Howard Jones’ reign. I also put a picture of one of the embroidery pieces I made when I was a little kid. The ones I mentioned hanging in an earlier post appear to be missing. Strange. I’m sure hubby has put them somewhere nice and safe. I’ll check under the litter box later.

And here is a picture of our kitten, Mike, enjoying a tongue bath with Sophie.

I also wanted to show off my super-cool knitting needle roll that I ordered from Amy when I first started knitting. She happened to have the exact pattern I wanted all set to go. It’s Perky Pink Poodles! I love this thing, and since a large score on eBay, it’s crammed full! (please ignore the gobs a felt-like cat hair on the chair)

Work on the Manyly sweater continues, but whenever I try to knit fast, I miss a purl and have to rip back. Bah! I want to finish my sweater NOW!