Sheep Shots

After a mildly bad day (peppered with three meetings and a doctor's appointment--no news yet, but if that joker tells me one more time that I'm pregnant, I'll be talking to my lawyer!), I got home yesterday and found this wonderful surprise (only because I hoped it would arrive yesterday, but nevermind) on the front porch.

Who in Port Roberts,Washington would be sending me prezzies??

:insert hysterical cackle:

The contents were amusing.





The Highland Wool (oatmeal) that will become the Bigger Kid's Aran sweater. He specified "lighter" than the gray one he has worn to death for the last 10 years (the one his Czech professor drooled over because she was certain that American Women Didn't Knit) and "not Merino" (because of its Propensity for Pilling). That color looked different on the monitor.

The booklets were cheap, er, inexpensive (thank you Elann) Patons Classics Family Aran Knits, Patons Home Kidz Stuff, which I confess I bought for the dinosaur patterns in anticipation of (hypothetical) future grandchildren, the fair, and community giving. Who could be afraid of a knitted purple Tyranosaurus Rex? No, wait--ick--Barney! and Patons Men, which at $3.25 US was a real bargain--6 sweaters, a scarf, and a dickey.

Oh, and I got a freebie pattern for an "asymmetrical pullover." Interesting concept. Maybe on someone else.




But anyway. . .This was also in the mail. I renewed my subscription right about the time it ceased being Family Circle Easy Knitting (FCEK) and became Knit Simple. I figured that I would give the publisher a chance.

What is it with magazines? They start out in a blaze of glory. Anyone remember the early FCEK? The one with the really great instructions section? I took the sock plunge with an early FCEK and learned to knit textures from charts with another.

Nearly all of the current magazine crop (IK excepted) seems to (still) be catering to the lowest common denominator. I'm quite ready to let subscriptions lapse and take my chances at the checkout line and Borders!




This issue, though (called "Holiday") has some cute things that would be good for community knitting.

I really like the multicolor sweaters and the flap hat (thinking Dulaan). After all, I have all of that wool in all of those colors!







And though I have my Own Pattern well-committed to memory, there are some good ideas in this section, too.

Also included: a felted Christmas wreath (thinking ahead to next year's fair again), a lacy scarf, kids' vests and socks.

I'd probably pass on this issue at the newsstand, but since it's right here, I may use it for inspiration. Dare I say that the color selections are better than those in another magazine I recently reviewed?

And back to Christmas Knitting: I have about 73 patterns picked out for an Aran cardigan (Webs Highland Tweed is the yarn of choice).

This is for the Not-So-New Daughter In Law. The problem is I/she wants

1) cardigan with buttons (or zip, but I have the same aversion to zippers in knitwear as other folks )

2) set in or raglan sleeve

3) fairly complex cables

4) collar

I like 1 from a 70s Mon Tricot (concerned about sizing), 1 from an old Patons leaflet (no collar), 1 here (I'd leave off the pockets--there's no chart), 1 from Knit It! (no collar, but the cables are very nice-no chart) and 1 from Family Circle Easy Knitting (no collar, no chart, lotsa freakin' bobbles). I don't believe I am up for DesignYourOwn. If I'm going to use any of them, I'll need to chart first. Yeh, I know. So far, since I have to chart all but one, the one in the link is ahead.

Time will tell. Dammit, decide, Woman! and cast on! Christmas is coming. (I should listen to the voices. They make sense!)